This is not a book of facts; it's a book of 'facts'. Should you finish it believing we became the planet's dominant species because predators found us too smelly to eat; or that the living bloodline of Christ is a family of Japanese garlic farmers - well, that's on you. Why are we here? Do ghosts exist? Did life on Earth begin after a badly tidied-up picnic? Was it just an iceberg that sank the Titanic? Are authors stealing their plotlines from the future? Will we ever talk to animals? And why, when you're in the shower, does the shower curtain always billow in towards you? We don't know the answers to any of these questions. But don't worry, no matter what questions you have, you can bet on the fact that there is someone (or something) out there, investigating it on your behalf. From the sports stars who use cosmic energy to office plants investigating murders, The Theory of Everything Else will act as a handbook for those who want to think differently.

'Christmas carols are sung in church, therefore Christmas carols have always been sung in church. Christmas carols have these words and this tune, therefore Christmas carols have always had these words and this tune. Well, not really. Our carol tradition, like us, is a rich and dynamic mixture. An ecosystem, not a still life.' Written with effervescent charm and professional knowledge, composer and conductor Andrew Gant reveals the fascinating musical and social history behind our favourite Christmas carols. From the Annunciation to Epiphany, the episodes of the Christmas story link the tales and anecdotes behind twenty-seven carols from a variety of traditions and places of origin: those that come from folk song; those we owe to Victorian moralists, and those that are, in fact, French. As Andrew says, 'Some carols were born to Christmas, some have achieved Christmas, and some have had Christmas thrust upon them.' This wonderful, rich musical treat gives us a unique insight into our Yuletide traditions and customs. A delightful gift for anyone who loves to sing, or who just loves Christmas trivia, this is the ideal companion with which to while away those lazy days between Christmas and New Year. 'Ding dong! This is my kind of Christmas present. A musical Christmas cracker - fascinating and full of interesting surprises.' Gyles Brandreth 'Enlightening and entertaining. You'll never hear or sing these carols in the same way again' Anne-Marie Minhall 'And I thought I knew about Christmas carols.' John Rutter

Featuring interviews with key cast and crew members, including Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and Steven Spielberg, Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History tells the complete story behind the movies, Back to the Future: The Ride, the animated series, and more. This revised and updated edition features additional Back to the Future content, including a deep dive into Telltale Games' video game and IDW's series of comics, as well as a look at the most memorable Back to the Future merchandise, such as Funko's line of collectibles. You'll also find an exclusive look at Back to the Future: The Musical, with commentary from writer and producer Bob Gale. (c) 2020 Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Love That Journey For Me dives deep into the cultural sensation of Canadian comedy-drama Schitt's Creek. Considering the fusion of existing sitcom traditions, references and tropes, this Inkling analyses the nuance of the show and its surrounding cultural and societal impact as a queer revolution. By discussing how the show reshapes LGBTQ+ narratives from the crafting of the town itself, and celebratory influences including Cabaret, to how writer-creator Dan Levy utilised and subverted expectations throughout his work, Emily Garside will showcase how one TV show became a watershed moment in queer representation and gay relationships on screen. Part analysis of Schitt's Creek's importance, part homage to a cultural landmark, this is a show that - in the words of David Rose himself - needs to be celebrated. This book is that celebration. This book is unofficial, and unaffiliated with Schitt's Creek and its brand.

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A USA TODAY BESTSELLER "Talking with Jessica, I realized how easy it had been for me to kind of put all 12 years of my time on Big Bang Theory under one general umbrella, as it were. The questions she asked and the information she'd reveal to me from someone else she'd interviewed forced me into a frame of mind where each season - and sometimes each episode - became it's own, separate entity again. . . Frankly, it turned into a version of therapy I hadn't realized I'd needed and couldn't have known how much I'd enjoy." -Jim Parson The Big Bang Theory is a television phenomenon. To the casual viewer, it's a seemingly effortless comedy, with relatable characters tackling real-life issues, offering a kind of visual comfort food to its millions of dedicated fans. But the behind-the-scenes journey of the show from a failed pilot to a global sensation is a fascinating story that even the most die-hard fans don't know in its entirety. THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE DEFINITIVE, INSIDE STORY OF THE EPIC HIT SERIES is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation, with the blessing and participation of co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, executive producers Steve Molaro and Steve Holland, as well as Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and more. Glamour senior editor Jessica Radloff, who has written over 150 articles on the series (and even had a cameo in the finale!), gives readers an all-access pass to its intrepid producing and writing team and beloved cast. It's a story of on-and-off screen romance told in hilarious and emotional detail, of casting choices that nearly changed everything (which even some of the actors didn't know until now), of cast members bravely powering through personal tragedies, and when it came time to announce the 12th season would be its last, the complicated reasons why it was more difficult than anyone ever led on. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the sitcom's major players, Radloff dives into all this and much more. The book is the ultimate celebration of this once-in-a-generation show and a must-have for all fans.

This compilation of lessons brings together the simplest characters from the' Master Guide to Drawing Anime' series for beginning anime artists. Readers will learn how to use simple templates to draw the head from different angles, bodies of characters from different age groups and authentic anime hairstyles and fashions. Next, they'll see, step by step, how to draw dozens of the most popular character types and the emotions and attitudes that make them compelling.

This comprehensive sewing book will take you through the entire process from picking the right fabric and notions to completing a pair of jeans that will rival high-end denim brands. Learn garment industry insider techniques, explained in an easy to understand, visual format. All tutorials can be done using regular home sewing machines and tools that are easy to access. Sewing Jeans: The complete step-by-step guide also includes chapters on pattern alterations, a comprehensive guide to the best seams and stitches plus an extensive section on denim fabric and their care and uses. Making your own jeans doesn't have to be hard, with the techniques shown in this book you'll be able to sew a great looking pair of denim that are uniquely you.

A fully updated, third edition of this essential practical foundation course in fashion design. Becoming a successful fashion designer involves understanding a wide variety of core principles. This foundation course is an ideal introduction for students, dressmakers and anyone interested in the creative side of fashion. Step-by-step tutorials, practical exercises and inspirational interviews with industry professionals teach you how to create your own unique fashion design collections. Design schools around the world are now emphasising design thinking and conceptualisation more than just mere skill building. Packed with scores of new images, this new and fully updated edition provides students with more diverse methods of creating fashion, including digital design iteration and final projects, fabric design development, 3D 'sketching' on the dress form, paper collage design techniques and much more. This book concludes with practical advice for anyone considering a career in fashion, offering ideas on building a portfolio, preparing for interviews and continuing on a path to a professional career.

This innovative book defines the concept of immured spaces across time, space and culture and investigates various categories of restricted places such as divided, segregated and protected spaces. Drawing on examples from across the world, this book analyses not only what separates and divides space, but also the wide variety of impacts that the imposition of new barriers and boundaries or the opening of existing ones has on places, people and surrounding areas. Contributors integrate case studies with theoretical analysis to draw conclusions and advance an analytical framework of immured spaces. The chapters present a point of reference to highlight areas of significance and also to encourage further detailed work in this important area. The book has a strong research dimension and will therefore be of interest to academic communities in planning, cultural heritage, psychology, architecture and urban studies. In addition, the use of case studies to develop a common framework will appeal to practitioners and policy makers.

In wise words, Christian Dior once proclaimed: "Flowers are, apart from women, the most beautiful gift God has given the world." The new teNeues series, Floramour, which henceforth honourably celebrates the most exquisite natural beauties that adorn our gardens, proves just how right he was. Each series title is dedicated to a genus of flowers, viewed from an aesthetic perspective. In a noble presentation with impressive pictures and interesting texts, an exciting portrait of our favourite flowers is created. It begins with the rose. Whoever gives a rose as a gift will conquer all hearts in an instant, for like no other of its fellows it is regarded as a symbol of romantic passion. As a faithful helpmate, it has been accompanying declarations of love since time immemorial, making it a real Everybody's Darling. But authentic message transmission is not limited to the gift of the much-loved rose. Flowers have always acted as mouthpieces - and sometimes they can express more than the most beautiful words can. Also available in this series is Orchids ISBN 9783961714827. The orchid is also known as the queen of flowers. As a symbol of pure beauty, embodied by its radiant colours, majestic blooms and exotic grace, it captivates its viewers by the dozen. So anyone who receives an orchid can assume pure admiration from the gift-giving side. The two illustrated books enable flower enthusiasts to get to know their favourites from a different perspective. With less pragmatism, but more cultural history, the reader is stylishly introduced to their geographical origin, their significance in the world of art, religion and history, as well as their most famous followers in pop culture. It becomes clear that these flowers have real character! Text in English and German.

Scratching the Surface: Adventures in Storytelling is a deeply personal and intimate memoir told through the lens of Harvey Ovshinsky's lifetime of adventures as an urban enthusiast. He was only seventeen when he started The Fifth Estate, one of the country's oldest underground newspapers. Five years later, he became one of the country's youngest news directors in commercial radio at WABX-FM, Detroit's notorious progressive rock station. Both jobs placed Ovshinsky directly in the bullseye of the nation's tumultuous counterculture of the 1960s and 70s. When he became a documentary director, Ovshinsky's dispatches from his hometown were awarded broadcasting's highest honors, including a national Emmy, a Peabody, and the American Film Institute's Robert M. Bennett Award for Excellence. But this memoir is more than a boastful trip down memory lane. It also doubles as a survival guide and an instruction manual that speaks not only to the nature of and need for storytelling but also and equally important, the pivotal role the twin powers of endurance and resilience play in the creative process. You don't have to be a writer, an artist, or even especially creative to take the plunge, Ovshinsky reminds his readers. ""You just have to feel strongly about something or have something you need to get off your chest. And then find the courage to scratch your own surface and share your good stuff with others."" Above all, Ovshinsky is an educator, known for his passionate support of and commitment to mentoring the next generation of urban storytellers. When he wasn't teaching screenwriting and documentary production in his popular workshops and support groups, he taught undergraduate and graduate students at Detroit's College for Creative Studies, Wayne State University, Madonna University, and Washtenaw Community College. ""The thing about Harvey,"" a colleague recalls in Scratching the Surface, ""is that he treats his students like professionals and not like newbies at all. His approach is to, in a very supportive and non-threatening way, combine both introductory and advanced storytelling in one fell swoop.

This autobiography by Leanne Benjamin with Sarah Crompton reveals the extraordinary life and career of one of the worlds most important ballet dancers of the past fifty years. The book takes you behind the scenes to find a real understanding of the pleasure and the pain, the demands and the intense commitment it requires to become a ballet dancer. It is a book for ballet-lovers which will explain from Benjamins personal point of view, how ballet has changed and is changing. It is a book of history: she was first taught by the people who created ballet in its modern form and now she works with the dancers of today, handing on all she has known and learnt. But it is also a book for people who are just interested in the psychology of achievement, how you go from being a child in small-town Rockhampton in the centre of Australia to being a power on the worlds biggest stages -- and how an individual copes with the ups and downs of that kind of career. It is a story full of big names and big personalities -- Margot Fonteyn, Kenneth MacMillan, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Darcey Bussell, Carlos Acosta to name a few. President Clinton, Michelle Obama, Diana Princess of Wales and David Beckham all make an appearance. But it is also a book of small moments of insight: what makes a performance special, how you recover from injury, illness and childbirth; how you combine athletic and artistic prowess with motherhood, how a different partner can alter everything, what it is like to fall over in front of thousands of people and what it is like to triumph. Above all, it seeks to explain, in warm and human terms, why women get the reputation for being difficult in a world where being a good girl is too much prized. And what they can do about it.

A fearless innovator who inspired designers, models, photographers, and artists, Diana Vreeland, the famed editor of Vogue, reinvented the way we think about style. In this first full-length biography, Amanda Mackenzie Stuart tells the story of Vreeland's childhood on New York's Upper East Side, her first job at Harper's Bazaar, her renowned post at Vogue, and her role as special consultant to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Empress of Fashion is an intimate and surprising look at an icon who made a lasting mark on the world of couture.

With this singular book Nataniël tells the story of a childhood in three small towns and one large suburb, in an era during which rules were seldom questioned and of a young boy’s overwhelming fear of the ordinary. Look At Me is Nataniël's first full-length memoir. 

Foto's het nog altyd sterk emosies ontlok - spesiale herinnerings wat op kamera vasgele word, het hul eie besondere bekoring. Daardie bekoring kan egter slegs met ander gedeel word as die foto's uitgestal word. En daarvoor bestaan daar veel meer moontlikhede as om hulle bloot in 'n album te sit of in 'n raam op te hang. Hierdie boek bevat meer as 75 idees om jou foto's op aantreklike en interessante maniere te vertoon. Dit is die resultaat van baie proefskote en eksperimentering. Sommige van die projekte is funksioneel en dekoratief, en ander weer heerlik prettig. Almal het egter een ding in gemeen: die kreatiewe gebruik van foto's, en wat jy ook al byderhand het om dit mee te versier. Basisse sluit in skilderdoek, glas, porselein en keramiek, hout en harde bord, lap, kerse en vloerlyste. Daar is trouens bitter min oppervlakke wat nie op een of ander manier met foto's bedek kan word nie. Verskeie tegnieke word gebruik, waaronder verskillende oordragmetodes, decoupage, fotomontage en hars-deklae. Gebruik die idees om jou foto's in persoonlike geskenke te omskep deur alledaagse artikels daarmee te versier, of om treffende dekoritems vir jou huis te maak. Wanneer jy eers begin, sal jy dalk nie weer wil ophou nie! Die stap-vir-stap-illustrasies en aantreklike foto's van die voltooide projekte sal jou leer en inspireer. Gee dus jou skeppendheid vrye teuels en vul jou lewe met jou spesiale oomblikke.