Book picks similar to
Dark Knights And Holy Fools: Art and Films of Terry Gilliam by Terry Gilliam
non-fiction
on-the-shelf
past-reads
reference-the-arts
Dave Matthews Band: Music for the People
Nevin Martell - 1999
Traces the evolution of the Dave Matthews Band, and describes their experiences on the road.
Rethinking Life on the Appalachian Trail: The 2008 Thru-hike of "Rethinker"
Gary Bond - 2012
For Gary Bond, that dream had lain just below the surface for over 30 years. But in 2008, Bond adopted the trail name Rethinker and the dream was traded for an adventure. At the Trailhead Leading up to this excursion and the chosen trail name was a period of “rethinking” for Bond. The beliefs that had been the foundation of his entire life had turned into nagging doubts. He longed to shed this burden and seek out Truth and a simpler way of life. And what better way than a long walk in the wilderness?What would Rethinker discover during five months on the Trail? What would he learn about Nature, about long-held beliefs, and about himself? How would he apply these lessons to the Larger Trail? The Long Walk This book captures the many aspects of Rethinker’s AT thru-hike. Experience the physical and mental highs and lows of the grueling journey. Meet various characters and “legends of the trail” that Rethinker encounters, including the “Harbinger of Maine,” and enjoy their stories as well.Walk alongside Rethinker as he gains his “trail legs” in the mountains of North Carolina. Confront fear as peaceful sleep is invaded by a frightful night-time visitor in Tennessee. Be taught the definition of “necessity” beneath the spreading limbs of a Virginia maple. Endure the crucible of New Hampshire’s White Mountains and observe confidence turn to humility by the magnitude of the quest.Witness restoration beside a New England pond as Rethinker marvels at the strange contrasting harmony of Nature. Slog through mucky bogs and ford swollen streams while hiking through Maine’s 100-mile wilderness. And experience that “diamond day” when lifelong visions of a mystical fish camp are finally realized.Hear from mentors of times past whose words both haunt and encourage Rethinker along the way. See how lessons learned in childhood are applied to overcome obstacles and threats. Be amazed, as Rethinker was, by “trail angels” and the kindness of strangers. The Larger Trail Whether you have made the hike yourself, or if you’re a thru-hiker-wanna-be, or if you simply like to vicariously experience the journeys of others, this book will have something for you. Rethinker vividly portrays the wonder of the Appalachian Trail thru-hike experience while also examining the deeper meaning for him on the Larger Trail. In addition, he shares many useful tips and hiking gear advice from his own experiences for those who would attempt the trek.After five million steps and thousands of white blazes, covering 2,175 miles of trail stretching from Georgia to Maine, join Rethinker during the bittersweet moment of journey's end on the rocky peak of Katahdin. After all the rethinking of the journey and all the lessons learned, what would be the answer to life's questions? Would a key be found to unlock life's Great Mystery?
The Jersey: The All Blacks: The Secrets Behind the World's Most Successful Team
Peter Bills - 2018
'Extremely well written. Compelling, accurate, insightful and brilliant in the way it captures the New Zealand way. - John Hart, former All Blacks coach.With a better winning record than any other sports team in history, they stand head and shoulders above their nearest rugby rivals, and go to the 2019 World Cup as back-to-back World Champions. How did a country of just 4.8 million people conquer the world?Peter Bills, who has reported on international rugby for more than 40 years, was given exclusive access to all the key figures in New Zealand rugby as he set out to understand the secrets behind the All Blacks success. From Steve Hansen to Beauden Barrett, Richie McCaw to the late Sir Colin Meads, Peter Bills talked at length with over 90 people, both in New Zealand and around the world, with intimate knowledge of what makes the All Blacks tick.This is a story of the first settlers, and the 'Originals' who forged the All Blacks legacy, right through to modern times. It draws heavily on the contributions made by all New Zealanders: players, coaches, officials, supporters and those who have worn the most recognized jersey in the world. Intrinsically, The Jersey goes to the heart of the All Blacks success. It is also an epic story of not just a rugby team but a nation, whose identities are inextricably linked. Additionally, it debates a question, terrifying for any of their opponents. Could the All Blacks get even better?
Unlikely Hero: Om Puri
Nandita C. Puri - 2009
Discover the Om Puri no one knows about - the tongue-tied actor from Punjab with stars in his eyes; the incorrigible flirt in drama school; the connoisseur of food and expert cook; and the complete family man. Featuring amusing anecdotes with his family, shocking episodes with the stalwarts of Indian and British cinema, and the nail-biting suspense of his love life, the tale is complemented by rare and unusual photographs. Told with wit, honesty, and élan, this book is a fitting tribute to the inspirational tale of Om Puri - one of the most talented actors of India.
The Real Stars: Profiles and Interviews of Hollywood’s Unsung Featured Players (The Leonard Maltin Collection)
Leonard Maltin - 1979
This collection of profiles and interviews turns the spotlight on those unsung heroes, whose faces were often better known than their names. Maltin’s engaging conversations with such notables as Billy Gilbert, Gale Sondergaard, Hans Conried and Una Merkel evoke a bygone era as we see what life was like for these versatile players. Looking for anecdotes about W.C. Fields or Clark Gable? This book is for you. You’ll also learn about Bess Flowers, “the queen of the dress extras” and Rex Ingram, the black actor whose imposing presence eclipsed the stereotyping of the period. This well-illustrated e-book edition features a brand-new introduction by Leonard Maltin.
Fighter
Andy Lee - 2018
Leaving home for the dust and faded glamour of Detroit, over the next ten years, under the guidance of the legendary Emamuel Steward, he set about honing his craft, winning fight after fight and slowly climbing the professional ranks.Then, in 2012, his star ascendant, Lee suffered two devastating blows in quick succession: defeat in his first World Championship bout and the sudden loss of Steward, his guide and confidant. Bereft, his career in jeopardy, the path to redemption would test every hard-won lesson of the previous decade …Fighter is a lyrical and philosophical memoir about resilience, bravery and the wisdom to be found at the limits of human experience.
Blue-Eyed Son
Nicky Campbell - 2004
His father – an ex-army man – and his mother helped him to a good school and a good university. Nicky rarely thought of his birth parents, until a combination of an imploding marriage and a chance meeting with a private detective led him to track his mother down. Nicky Campbell brilliantly recalls their reunion and tentative steps towards a relationship, evoking all the complex and deep-seated emotions that being reunited elicited in each of them. But as they talked it became clear that there was more to Nicky’s background than he expected. . . In this emotionally gripping and refreshingly honest memoir, Nicky Campbell describes the many sides of a family’s dark history, and how it feels to find out where you come from.
Easy Target: The Long Strange Trip of a Scout Pilot in Vietnam (Taking Flight)
Tom Smith - 1996
Initially cast as target-spotters for gunships and air-assault forces, the scout pilots evolved into live bait as enemy weapons and tactics improved. Their small helicopters were vulnerable even to minor damage, and parachuting from a damaged bird was impossible. Casualty rates could be as high as 50%; a scout unit often resembled a WWI fighter squadron, with replacements dying almost before they could unpack. Yet fresh volunteers kept coming, even if only to stay out of the infantry. In his visceral memoir, Smith tells the familiar story of a young man who flunked out of college, sampled the 1960s counterculture and found himself first in the army, then in Vietnam. For Smith, the war was a theater of the absurd whose only meaning was survival. His narrative of low-altitude, high-risk operations in 1969-70 replicates that of others: initial confusion giving way first to proficiency and pleasure in stalking and killing anonymous enemies, later to a sense that both his skill and his luck are running out. Gritty enough to appeal to adventure fans, this memoir makes a useful contribution to a subject, American helicopter pilots in Vietnam, whose recorded history is largely still in its anecdotal stage.
Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey Lifer
Bruce Boudreau - 2009
After more than three decades in the minor leagues as a player and coach, he was promoted to head coach of the Washington Capitals in 2007. Boudreau revived the Caps, written off as dead, to a division championship and received the Jack Adams award as the National Hockey League’s Coach of the Year in June 2008. His story is an entertaining odyssey of triumph, disappointment, and perseverance, stretching from Toronto to Washington. As a pro rookie, Boudreau had a cameo appearance in Slap Shot with star Paul Newman. Today Boudreau coaches superstar Alexander Ovechkin and a young Washington club poised to become an elite NHL team vying for the Stanley Cup. Boudreau stole the limelight at the 2008 NHL Awards Show with his self-deprecating and folksy manner, which has made him a popular personality at every stop he’s made. Hockey fans know there’s only one Boudreau.
The Art of Being Rational : Charlie Munger
Oxana Dubrovina - 2019
Find out what he has to say! Charlie Munger is one of the most successful businessmen in the world. He is worth more than a billion dollars and has spent his career not only honing his own business decision-making abilities but also teaching others to do the same. Now, all of his wisdom and insight into wealth management is collected in one place. Author Oxana Dubrovina wants to give you a crash course in Munger’s life-changing philosophy. This success self-help guide and motivational biography will put you on the road to a bright financial future by using Munger, as well as other inspirational leaders like Benjamin Franklin, Lee Kuan Yew, and even Jesus Christ, to illustrate important messages about how to live a good, honest, and successful life.
Bob Willis: A Cricketer and a Gentleman
Bob Willis - 2020
Following his passing in 2019, tributes to Bob came flooding in in every major news outlet and from every major figure in the industry - and outside of it. His career spanned decades, from his days as a cricketer for England to his time as a pundit on Sky TV. This autobiography includes never-before-seen writing from Bob alongside contributions from key figures as well as a detailed account of the great England victory over Australia at Headingly in 1981.The book, edited by Bob's brother David, combines a new biography, written by Daily Mail sportswriter Mike Dickson, with a celebration of a truly legendary man. Tributes from some of his many friends in the world of cricket and beyond are accompanied by reflections on highlights from an eventful life, drawing on autobiographical and personal material by Bob himself, contemporary press reports and the accounts of team-mates and opponents.
SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC
Brian Lett - 2016
This is not surprising as from its creation in late 1940 at Prime Minister Winston Churchill's command 'to set Europe ablaze', Gubbins was the driving force behind SOE. Over the next four years as, first, Operations and Training Director (codename M) and, from 1943, its Commander (CD) he masterminded every aspect of its worldwide covert operations. Remarkably this is the first full biography of the man whose contribution to victory ranks in the premier league. The Author's research and access to family archives reveal the experiences in The Great War and later in Russia, Ireland, Poland and as Head of British Resistance that made Gubbins such a pivotal and influential wartime figure. The result is a fascinating biography that reveals as much about SOE's extraordinary activities as it does about the man who inspired and commanded them.
The King and Dr. Nick: What Really Happened to Elvis and Me
George Nichopoulos - 2009
Nick."Dr. Nichopoulos spent a decade with Elvis on the road and at Graceland, trying to maintain the precarious health of one of the world’s greatest entertainers. But on August 16, 1977, he found himself in the ambulance with Elvis on that fateful last trip to the ER. He signed the death certificate.From that day forward, Dr. Nick became the focus of a media witch hunt that threatened his life and all but destroyed his professional reputation. Now, for the first time, Dr. Nick reveals the true story behind Elvis’s drug use and final days—not the version formed by years of tabloid journalism and gross speculation. Put aside what you’ve learned about Elvis’s final days and get ready to understand for the first time the inner workings of “the king of rock n’ roll.”
Layne Staley: Angry Chair: A Look Inside the Heart & Soul of an Incredible Musician--
Adriana Rubio - 2003
It dispels the myths about Layne's childhood, his early days in music, and the final, very private years of his life. It contains dozens of never-before-seen drawings, writings and photographs...that all shaped the ALICE IN CHAINS' songwriter/singer who sold millions of CDs...helping revolutionize modern rock.