Alan Hydes, a TV artist, tells how he painted the portraits of many celebrities and gives useful hints, tips and practical advice on how to paint people, as well as several step-by-step portraits painted especially for the book. There are chapters on lighting the sitter, underpainting and facial structure, how to paint flesh tones and the importance of sketching and photography. The author also shares with us some of the anecdotes from politicians and celebrities who have sat for their portraits for him

Many men dream of living out their James Bond fantasy, the screen version: exotic travel, adventure, hot women, and icy martinis shaken not stirred. Reality proves different as an innocent quest for a simpler, more spiritual life turns into a nightmare as two seekers, ordinary Americans, stumble across the path of the covert operations of two world powers and become unwilling spies. The story takes the reader through the nether world of the shadow government, all governments in fact, and the ruling classes. Accused by the woman he loves of using and betraying her, the damned hero of the story finds himself haunted by agents of the shadow government as he runs from Bora Bora seeking sanctuary off the gringo trail in Saudi Arabia. There, under the guidance of a top American lobbyist working for a Saudi billionaire, he assesses his options and composes an apology to his lost love. In the process he discovers the dirty truths of machinations behind the facade of democracy, equality, human rights and other myths. The cold, hard facts to back up the truths that hold this work together, the lavish descriptions of some of the most beautiful parts of the world, some of the most beautiful people, and the hero's experience of the more spectacular aspects of civilization on the planet make for a rich, riveting story that holds ones interest through to the very end.Though primarily a fruit of extensive research, "So Long America" is also a novel that leaps off the page to entice and enthrall, and makes for a great deal of just plain enjoyment. NOTE: "So Long America" is a condensed version of the book "Smarter than Snakes" that Patrick wrote in response to requests by readers of his book "The Train of the Fifth Era," who found the concepts and practices described in that book useful, but could not put them to good use, because habits are all but impossible to change. In "Smarter than Snakes" Patrick presented his Noosomatic model that provides some answers in the form of non-psychoanalytic approaches to changing beliefs, habits and expectations. As a result, "Smarter than Snakes" reached 586 pages covering essentially two different areas of interest: personal growth and sociopolitical issues such as the deep roots of the Enron scandal in the context of recent geopolitical developments. Though sociopolitical awareness is part of personal growth, a number of readers, despondent about the systematic demolition of social justice in the United States, skimmed over the part on non-psychoanalytic approaches to get to the issues threatening their quality of life. Thus Patrick adapted and transformed the book into a shorter, separate book he called "So Long America."