Become an Ethereum Blockchain developer using a blend of concepts and hands-on implementations About This Book ? Understand the Ethereum Ecosystem and its differences from its rich cousin Bitcoin ? Explore the Solidity programming language and smart contract optimizations ? Get a developer’s perspective of Blockchain-as-a-technology with exposure to common challenges faced while building decentralized applications Who This Book Is For If you want to know the ins and outs of the Ethereum network and build your own decentralized applications, then this book is what you need! This book is for anyone who is interested in blockchain and wants to become an Ethereum developer. It’s ideal for existing Ethereum developers who want to develop Ethereum using smart contracts. Basic knowledge of cryptography is expected but is not mandatory. What You Will Learn ? Know how to build your own smart contracts and cryptocurrencies ? Understand the Solidity language ? Find out about data types, control structure, functions, inheritance, mathematical operations, and much more ? See the various types of forks and discover how they are related to Ethereum ? Get to know the various concepts of web3.js and its APIs so you can build client-side apps ? Build a DAO from scratch and acquire basic knowledge of DApps on Ethercast ? Be guided through the project so you can optimize EVM for smart contracts ? Build your own decentralized applications (DApps) by taking a practical approach In Detail Ethereum is a public, blockchain-based distributed computing platform featuring smart contract functionality. This book is your one-stop guide to blockchain and Ethereum smart contract development. We start by introducing you to the basics of blockchain. You'll learn about hash functions, Merkle trees, forking, mining, and much more. Then you'll learn about Ethereum and smart contracts, and we'll cover Ethereum virtual machine (EVM) in detail. Next, you'll get acquainted with DApps and DAOs and see how they work. We'll also delve into the mechanisms of advanced smart contracts, taking a practical approach. You'll also learn how to develop your own cryptocurrency from scratch in order to understand the business behind ICO. Further on, you'll get to know the key concepts of the Solidity programming language, enabling you to build decentralized blockchain-based applications. We'll also look at enterprise use cases, where you'll build a decentralized microblogging site. At the end of this book, we discuss blockchain-as-a-service, the dark web marketplace, and various advanced topics so you can get well versed with the blockchain principles and ecosystem. Style and approach This comprehensive guide takes a practical approach by showing you how to implement Blockchain in different Enterprise use cases. You’ll quickly brush up on the basics of the blockchain database, then learn the advanced intricacies of smart contract development.

Gain comprehensive insight into WPF mechanics and capabilities. About This Book ? Gain a strong foundation in WPF features and patterns ? Leverage the MVVM pattern to build decoupled, maintainable apps ? Increase efficiency through Performance tuning and UI automation Who This Book Is For The book is intended for developers who are relatively new to WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation), or those who have been working with WPF for some time, but want to get a deeper understanding of its foundation and concepts to gain practical knowledge. Basic knowledge of C# and Visual Studio is assumed. What You Will Learn ? Understand the fundamentals of WPF ? Explore the major controls and manage element layout ? Implement data binding ? Create custom elements that lead to a particular implementation path ? Customize controls, styles, and templates in XAML ? Leverage the MVVM pattern to maintain a clean and reusable structure in your code ? Master practical animations ? Integrate WCF services in a WPF application ? Implement WPFs support for debugging and asynchronous operations In Detail Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is Microsoft's development tool for building rich Windows client user experiences that incorporate UIs, media, and documents. With the updates in .NET 4.7, Visual Studio 2017, C# 7, and .NET Standard 2.0, WPF has taken giant strides and is now easier than ever for developers to use. If you want to get an in-depth view of WPF mechanics and capabilities, then this book is for you. The book begins by teaching you about the fundamentals of WPF and then quickly shows you the standard controls and the layout options. It teaches you about data bindings and how to utilize resources and the MVVM pattern to maintain a clean and reusable structure in your code. After this, you will explore the animation capabilities of WPF and see how they integrate with other mechanisms. Towards the end of the book, you will learn about WCF services and explore WPF's support for debugging and asynchronous operations. By the end of the book, you will have a deep understanding of WPF and will know how to build resilient applications. Style and approach This book takes a recipe-based approach to teaching you how to create fault-tolerant WPF applications.

Build your own hybrid cloud strategy with this comprehensive learning guide. About This Book ? Build a hybrid cloud strategy for your organization with AWS and OpenStack ? Leverage Hybrid Cloud to design a complex deployment pipeline ? Learn to implement security and monitoring best practices with real-world examples Who This Book Is For This book is targeted at cloud architects, cloud solution providers, DevOps engineers, or any working stakeholder who wants to learn about the hybrid cloud architecture. A basic understanding of public and private cloud is desirable. What You Will Learn ? Learn the demographics and definitions of Hybrid Cloud ? Understand the different architecture and design of Hybrid Cloud ? Explore multi-cloud strategy and use it with your hybrid cloud ? Implement a Hybrid Cloud using CMP / Common API’s ? Implement a Hybrid Cloud using Containers ? Overcome various challenges and issues while working with your Hybrid Cloud ? Understand how to monitor your Hybrid Cloud ? Discover the security implications in the Hybrid Cloud In Detail Hybrid cloud is currently the buzz word in the cloud world. Organizations are planning to adopt hybrid cloud strategy due to its advantages such as untested workloads, cloud-bursting, cloud service brokering and so on. This book will help you understand the dynamics, design principles, and deployment strategies of a Hybrid Cloud. You will start by understanding the concepts of hybrid cloud and the problems it solves as compared to a stand-alone public and private cloud. You will be delving into the different architecture and design of hybrid cloud. The book will then cover advanced concepts such as building a deployment pipeline, containerization strategy, and data storage mechanism. Next up, you will be able to deploy an external CMP to run a Hybrid cloud and integrate it with your OpenStack and AWS environments. You will also understand the strategy for designing a Hybrid Cloud using containerization and work with pre-built solutions like vCloud Air, VMware for AWS, and Azure Stack. Finally, the book will cover security and monitoring related best practices that will help you secure your cloud infrastructure. By the end of the book, you will be in a position to build a hybrid cloud strategy for your organization. Style and approach This book follows a step-by-step, practical approach to deploying and implementing hybrid cloud architectures using AWS and OpenStack.

Build neural network models in text, vision and advanced analytics using PyTorch About This Book ? Learn PyTorch for implementing cutting-edge deep learning algorithms. ? Train your neural networks for higher speed and flexibility and learn how to implement them in various scenarios; ? Cover various advanced neural network architecture such as ResNet, Inception, DenseNet and more with practical examples; Who This Book Is For This book is for machine learning engineers, data analysts, data scientists interested in deep learning and are looking to explore implementing advanced algorithms in PyTorch. Some knowledge of machine learning is helpful but not a mandatory need. Working knowledge of Python programming is expected. What You Will Learn ? Use PyTorch for GPU-accelerated tensor computations ? Build custom datasets and data loaders for images and test the models using torchvision and torchtext ? Build an image classifier by implementing CNN architectures using PyTorch ? Build systems that do text classification and language modeling using RNN, LSTM, and GRU ? Learn advanced CNN architectures such as ResNet, Inception, Densenet, and learn how to use them for transfer learning ? Learn how to mix multiple models for a powerful ensemble model ? Generate new images using GAN’s and generate artistic images using style transfer In Detail Deep learning powers the most intelligent systems in the world, such as Google Voice, Siri, and Alexa. Advancements in powerful hardware, such as GPUs, software frameworks such as PyTorch, Keras, Tensorflow, and CNTK along with the availability of big data have made it easier to implement solutions to problems in the areas of text, vision, and advanced analytics. This book will get you up and running with one of the most cutting-edge deep learning libraries—PyTorch. PyTorch is grabbing the attention of deep learning researchers and data science professionals due to its accessibility, efficiency and being more native to Python way of development. You'll start off by installing PyTorch, then quickly move on to learn various fundamental blocks that power modern deep learning. You will also learn how to use CNN, RNN, LSTM and other networks to solve real-world problems. This book explains the concepts of various state-of-the-art deep learning architectures, such as ResNet, DenseNet, Inception, and Seq2Seq, without diving deep into the math behind them. You will also learn about GPU computing during the course of the book. You will see how to train a model with PyTorch and dive into complex neural networks such as generative networks for producing text and images. By the end of the book, you'll be able to implement deep learning applications in PyTorch with ease. Style and approach An end-to-end guide that teaches you all about PyTorch and how to implement it in various scenarios.

Grasp the fundamental concepts of deep learning using Tensorflow in a hands-on manner About This Book ? Get a first-hand experience of the deep learning concepts and techniques with this easy-to-follow guide ? Train different types of neural networks using Tensorflow for real-world problems in language processing, computer vision, transfer learning, and more ? Designed for those who believe in the concept of 'learn by doing', this book is a perfect blend of theory and code examples Who This Book Is For This book targets data scientists and machine learning developers who wish to get started with deep learning. If you know what deep learning is but are not quite sure of how to use it, this book will help you as well. An understanding of statistics and data science concepts is required. Some familiarity with Python programming will also be beneficial. What You Will Learn ? Understand the fundamentals of deep learning and how it is different from machine learning ? Get familiarized with Tensorflow, one of the most popular libraries for advanced machine learning ? Increase the predictive power of your model using feature engineering ? Understand the basics of deep learning by solving a digit classification problem of MNIST ? Demonstrate face generation based on the CelebA database, a promising application of generative models ? Apply deep learning to other domains like language modeling, sentiment analysis, and machine translation In Detail Deep learning is a popular subset of machine learning, and it allows you to build complex models that are faster and give more accurate predictions. This book is your companion to take your first steps into the world of deep learning, with hands-on examples to boost your understanding of the topic. This book starts with a quick overview of the essential concepts of data science and machine learning which are required to get started with deep learning. It introduces you to Tensorflow, the most widely used machine learning library for training deep learning models. You will then work on your first deep learning problem by training a deep feed-forward neural network for digit classification, and move on to tackle other real-world problems in computer vision, language processing, sentiment analysis, and more. Advanced deep learning models such as generative adversarial networks and their applications are also covered in this book. By the end of this book, you will have a solid understanding of all the essential concepts in deep learning. With the help of the examples and code provided in this book, you will be equipped to train your own deep learning models with more confidence. Style and approach A step-by-step guide filled with multiple examples to help you get started with data science and deep learning.

Learn continuous deployment and automation with code-signing, continuous testing, building, deploying, and releasing of your app. About This Book ? A practical guide on automating your mobile development pipeline with Fastlane, Jenkins, and Slack. ? Build, test, run and deploy your mobile application release with this end to end guide. ? Implement Continuous Integration, delivery, and deployment practices to optimize your application development workflow for faster and efficient release builds. Who This Book Is For This book is intended for mobile developers who are keen on incorporating Continuous integration and deployment practices in their workflow. What You Will Learn ? Harness the fastlane tools for the Continuous Deployment strategy ? Integrate Continuous Deployment with existing Continuous Integration. ? Automate upload of screenshots across all device screen-sizes ? Manage push notifications, provisioning profiles, and code-signing certificates ? Orchestrate automated build and deployments of new versions of your app ? Regulate your TestFlight users and on-board new testers In Detail Competitive mobile apps depend strongly on the development team’s ability to deliver successful releases, consistently and often. Although continuous integration took a more mainstream priority among the development industry, companies are starting to realize the importance of continuity beyond integration and testing. This book starts off with a brief introduction to fastlane—a robust command-line tool that enables iOS and Android developers to automate their releasing workflow. The book then explores and guides you through all of its features and utilities; it provides the reader a comprehensive understanding of the tool and how to implement them. Themes include setting up and managing your certificates and provisioning and push notification profiles; automating the creation of apps and managing the app metadata on iTunes Connect and the Apple Developer Portal; and building, distributing and publishing your apps to the App Store. You will also learn how to automate the generation of localized screenshots and mesh your continuous delivery workflow into a continuous integration workflow for a more robust setup. By the end of the book, you will gain substantial knowledge on delivering bug free, developer-independent, and stable application release cycle. Style and approach A step by step guide taking the readers through all the tools of fastlane.

A tutorial leading the aspiring Go developer to full mastery of Golang's distributed features. About This Book ? This book provides enough concurrency theory to give you a contextual understanding of Go concurrency ? It gives weight to synchronous and asynchronous data streams in Golang web applications ? It makes Goroutines and Channels completely familiar and natural to Go developers Who This Book Is For This book is for developers who are familiar with the Golang syntax and have a good idea of how basic Go development works. It would be advantageous if you have been through a web application product cycle, although it’s not necessary. What You Will Learn ? Gain proficiency with concurrency and parallelism in Go ? Learn how to test your application using Go's standard library ? Learn industry best practices with technologies such as REST, OpenAPI, Docker, and so on ? Design and build a distributed search engine ? Learn strategies on how to design a system for web scale In Detail Distributed Computing with Go gives developers with a good idea how basic Go development works the tools to fulfill the true potential of Golang development in a world of concurrent web and cloud applications. Nikhil starts out by setting up a professional Go development environment. Then you’ll learn the basic concepts and practices of Golang concurrent and parallel development. You’ll find out in the new few chapters how to balance resources and data with REST and standard web approaches while keeping concurrency in mind. Most Go applications these days will run in a data center or on the cloud, which is a condition upon which the next chapter depends. There, you’ll expand your skills considerably by writing a distributed document indexing system during the next two chapters. This system has to balance a large corpus of documents with considerable analytical demands. Another use case is the way in which a web application written in Go can be consciously redesigned to take distributed features into account. The chapter is rather interesting for Go developers who have to migrate existing Go applications to computationally and memory-intensive environments. The final chapter relates to the rather onerous task of testing parallel and distributed applications, something that is not usually taught in standard computer science curricula. Style and approach Distributed Computing with Go takes you through a series of carefully graded tutorials, building ever more sophisticated applications.

Leverage the power of Redis 4.x to develop, optimize and administer your Redis solutions with ease About This Book ? Build, deploy and administer high performance and scalable applications in Redis ? Covers a range of important tasks - including development and administration of Redis ? A practical guide that takes your understanding of Redis to the next level Who This Book Is For This book is for database administrators, developers and architects who want to tackle the common and not so common problems associated with the different development and administration-related tasks in Redis. A fundamental understanding of Redis is expected to get the best out of this book. What You Will Learn ? Install and configure your Redis instance ? Explore various data types and commands in Redis ? Build client-side applications as well as a Big Data framework with Redis ? Manage data replication and persistence in Redis ? Implement high availability and data sharding in Redis ? Extend Redis with Redis Module ? Benchmark, debug, fine-tune and troubleshoot various issues in Redis In Detail Redis is considered the world's most popular key-value store database. Its versatility and the wide variety of use cases it enables have made it a popular choice of database for many enterprises. Based on the latest version of Redis, this book provides both step-by-step recipes and relevant the background information required to utilize its features to the fullest. It covers everything from a basic understanding of Redis data types to advanced aspects of Redis high availability, clustering, administration, and troubleshooting. This book will be your great companion to master all aspects of Redis. The book starts off by installing and configuring Redis for you to get started with ease. Moving on, all the data types and features of Redis are introduced in detail. Next, you will learn how to develop applications with Redis in Java, Python, and the Spring Boot web framework. You will also learn replication tasks, which will help you to troubleshoot replication issues. Furthermore, you will learn the steps that need to be undertaken to ensure high availability on your cluster and during production deployment. Toward the end of the book, you will learn the topmost tasks that will help you to troubleshoot your ecosystem efficiently, along with extending Redis by using different modules. Style and approach This book is a rich collection of recipes that will come in handy when you are working with Redis. It addresses your common and not-so-common pain points, so this is a book of Redis that you must have on the shelf.

Join the virtual reality revolution by creating immersive 3D games and applications with Cardboard VR, Gear VR, OculusVR, and HTC Vive About This Book ? Develop robust, immersive VR experiences that are easy on the eye. ? Code 3D games and applications using Unity 3D game engine. ? Learn the basic principles of virtual reality applications Who This Book Is For If you are a game developer and a VR enthusiast now looking to get stuck into the VR app development process by creating VR apps for different platforms, then this is the book for you. Familiarity with the Unity game engine and the C# language is key to getting the most from this book. What You Will Learn ? Use Unity assets to create object simulation. ? Implement simple touch controls in your application. ? Apply artificial intelligence to achieve player and character interaction. ? Add *s for movement, tracking, grasping, and spawning. ? Create animated walkthroughs, use 360-degree media, and build engaging VR experiences. ? Deploy your games on multiple VR platforms. In Detail Are you new to virtual reality? Do you want to create exciting interactive VR applications? There's no need to be daunted by the thought of creating interactive VR applications, it's much easier than you think with this hands-on, project-based guide that will take you through VR development essentials for desktop and mobile-based games and applications. Explore the three top platforms—Cardboard VR, Gear VR, and OculusVR —to design immersive experiences from scratch. You’ll start by understanding the science-fiction roots of virtual reality and then build your first VR experience using Cardboard VR. You'll then delve into user interactions in virtual space for the Google Cardboard then move on to creating a virtual gallery with Gear VR. Then you will learn all about virtual movements, state machines, and spawning while you shoot zombies in the Oculus Rift headset. Next, you'll construct a Carnival Midway, complete with two common games to entertain players. Along the way, you will explore the best practices for VR development, review game design tips, discuss methods for combating motion sickness and identify alternate uses for VR applications Style and approach A project-based guide with every project built across chapters.

《好简单！我是西班牙语入门学习书》是一本西班牙语入门学习书，为了方便学习者，字母、发音、单词、语法、句型、会话一本全部囊括其中，还配备了单词测验、填空、替换练习，随课测试自己的学习效果。1000个单词，2000句会话，内容丰富，编排清晰，是一本短时间内高效学习西班牙语的工具书。

The story of an unforgettable dog, from the bestselling author of A Dog Called Homeless. Someone special will never be forgotten… When Ruby and Sid see a poster about a missing dog, they can’t believe it. It reminds them of an adventure they had, and a little dog they once met. Could it be the same Jack Pepper? Includes beautiful inside artwork from hugely talented illustrator, Gary Blythe.

Most. Revealing. Coma. Ever. With Harrison still out of commission in a coma, his wife, Mariella, is discovering there are oh so many things she never knew about the man she married. To distract herself, she focuses on Elana’s wedding to Thom, which is still on—for now. But is either of them in it for the right reasons? If only it were just their eyes that were wandering. Just who can they turn to – when there’s betrayal threatening the heart of the family? Super Rich. Super Sexy. Super Addictive. Secrets of the A-List – read all 12 episodes!

Another timeless masterpiece in the Voyager Classics series Mars – the barren, forbidding planet that epitomises mankind’s dreams of space conquest. From the first pioneers who looked back at Earth and saw a small blue star, to the first colonists – hand-picked scientists with the skills necessary to create life from cold desert – Red Mars is the story of a new genesis. It is also the story of how Man must struggle against his own self-destructive mechanisms to achieve his dreams: before he even sets foot on the red planet, factions are forming, tensions are rising and violence is brewing… for civilization can be very uncivilized.

‘Brilliant’ Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project Ginny sees the world differently. Now you will too. ‘Funny and wildly moving’ Daily Mail My name is Ginny Moon now. Ginny is fourteen years old and has autism. She likes the colour red, making lists and knowing exactly what time it is. She doesn’t like hugs, surprises or people telling lies. After years in foster care, she has finally found her forever family. She has a new house, new parents and even a new name. But Ginny also has a Big Secret Plan of Escape. Every day she wakes up at nine o’clock and eats nine grapes for breakfast. Because when she was nine years old something terrible happened. Something only Ginny knows. And she’s the only one who can put it right… The Original Ginny Moon is a poignant story of love and family, inspired by the author’s own experiences. Perfect for fans of A Boy Made of Blocks and Shtum.

It's not until you're broken that you find your sharpest edge "I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin" At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist. But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse. Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive… A brilliant new series from the bestselling author of PRINCE OF THORNS

Michael James is a culture and lifestyle consultant, International yoga teacher and founder of Boys of Yoga.Boys of Yoga is a global movement helping to challenge and shift stereotypes of men in yoga. Michael is a leading voice in the modern wellness world. He lectures throughout US, UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and NZ, leading classes, talks and events across the world.

The heart-stopping new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of 15 Seconds and Reckless. Perfect for fans of James Patterson. A chance encounter with a stranger in a New York hotel ends in a shooting. Wendy Gould was an average mother – now she’s the sole witness to the murder she’s being framed for. YOU CAN RUN What she saw makes Wendy the top target for a deadly network of powerful men. They want her silence. They will take no prisoners. How can she clear her name? YOU CAN HIDE Lauritzia Velez is a suburban nanny with a tragic past – and a terrifying future. After another attempt on her life, she once again leaves everything she loves behind to go on the run. THERE IS NO WAY BACK Both women know too much – except how to escape from this nightmare alive. To survive, they must find each other fast, or there will be no way back…

Prepare for the final descent into darkness. Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett brings one of the most imaginative fantasy sagas of the twenty-first century to an epic close. The war has begun… For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Two heroes arose―men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Painted Man, tattooed head-to-toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat―and emerge victorious. Ahmann Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Ka―the final war against demonkind. But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold dear―a Swarm. Now the war is at hand, and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen’s wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army. Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen, and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the Swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evil―from which none of them expects to return alive.

Kate West is the author of The Real Witches' Handbook and The Real Witches' Kitchen. She is Media Officer for The Children of Artemis and High Priestess of the Hearth of Hecate, which runs a popular email support and enquiry service for Witches around the world. A practising Wiccan for over 30 years, she has excellent international contacts.

The nostalgic memoir of a young man, eldest of fourteen, growing up in 40s Wednesbury. The heartbreaking true account of his son struggling to come to terms with his father’s dementia. A tribute to the unbreakable bond between father and son. When Simon McDermott first noticed his dad Ted’s sudden flares of temper and fits of forgetfulness, he couldn’t have guessed what lay ahead. Then came the devastating, inevitable diagnosis. As Ted retreated into his own world, Simon and his mum Linda desperately tried to reach him until at last: an idea. Turning the ignition in his mum’s little runaround, Simon hit play on Ted’s favourite song Quando Quando Quando. And like that, they were just two mates driving around Blackburn, singing at the top of their lungs. Simon filmed their adventure, uploaded the video to YouTube and woke up to messages, tweets and his phone ringing off the hook. Their carpool karaoke had gone viral all the way across the globe. But a record deal, Pride of Britain Awards, over ?130,000 raised for The Alzheimer’s Society and a Top 10 single later, Simon was still losing Ted. That’s when he made a decision. His Dad – the storyteller of his childhood and his best friend – couldn’t tell his own story, so Simon would tell it for him. This is that story. Set in the heart of the Black Country just before WWII, and written with the help of Ted’s friends and family, The Songaminute Man recalls a boy who became a gutsy and fiercely loyal man. It remembers a childhood of sleeping top-to-toe, rationing, adventure in the woods and making-do-and-mending, a close-knit community, and a life-long passion for music. Full of poignant moments, the ups and downs of family life and treasured memories, The Songaminute Man is a story of two halves: a celebration of the man Ted was, and a powerful and moving account of caring for a loved one.

WINNER OF THE SOUTH BANK SKY ARTS LITERATURE AWARD 2018 A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR ? A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR ? A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR ? A DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘A masterpiece’ Mail on Sunday ‘I honked so loudly the man sitting next to me dropped his sandwich’ Observer She made John Lennon blush and Marlon Brando clam up. She cold-shouldered Princess Diana and humiliated Elizabeth Taylor. Andy Warhol photographed her. Jack Nicholson offered her cocaine. Gore Vidal revered her. John Fowles hoped to keep her as his sex-slave. Dudley Moore propositioned her. Francis Bacon heckled her. Peter Sellers was in love with her. For Pablo Picasso, she was the object of sexual fantasy. “If they knew what I had done in my dreams with your royal ladies” he confided to a friend, “they would take me to the Tower of London and chop off my head!” Princess Margaret aroused passion and indignation in equal measures. To her friends, she was witty and regal. To her enemies, she was rude and demanding. In her 1950’s heyday, she was seen as one of the most glamorous and desirable women in the world. By the time of her death, she had come to personify disappointment. One friend said he had never known an unhappier woman. The tale of Princess Margaret is pantomime as tragedy, and tragedy as pantomime. It is Cinderella in reverse: hope dashed, happiness mislaid, life mishandled. Combining interviews, parodies, dreams, parallel lives, diaries, announcements, lists, catalogues and essays, Ma’am Darling is a kaleidoscopic experiment in biography, and a witty meditation on fame and art, snobbery and deference, bohemia and high society. ‘Brown has been our best parodist and satirist for decades now … Ma’am Darling is, as you would expect, very funny; also, full of quirky facts and genial footnotes. Brown has managed to ingest huge numbers of royal books and documents without losing either his judgment or his sanity. He adores the spectacle of human vanity’ Julian Barnes, Guardian