Wonderful Williams came to San Francisco from Lexington, Mississippi. She fell in love with a smooth talking Drug Dealing Pimp who proceeded to get her hooked and hookin'. Perhaps a bit slow and unaccustomed to the Fast Life, Wonderful managed to move up to Bottom Lady in her Pimps Stable. When he is ruthlessly gunned down, and on her own, she gets busted for soliciting a cop which is a bum rap, in the joint, she learns Martial Arts among other things. When finally released from the joint, she vows to never go back. Wonderful embarks on her Journey into Womanhood. This is the beginning of this series, and it promises to keep you coming back for more.
Simon Spencer continues his Journey through manhood, as a Private Investigator and Finder of Missing Persons. Simon is hired by a long time friend to find her granddaughter who was kidnapped from her train coming home for Summer Vacation from a Texas University. Los Comancheros are a gang of renegade bikers who terrorize Interstate Highway 10 along the Texas, New Mexico and Arizona borders from Mexico. After rescuing his friend's granddaughter, he partners with the sister of a slain undercover policeman to free the Raramuri Slaves used by the Mexican Drug Cartel to process Cocaine. Heading home to San Francisco, Simon finds he is being hunted by the Mexican Mafia who follow him to San Francisco for a major gun battle at the San Francisco Airport. There are many action packed twists to this adventure.
First in the Simon Spencer Private Investigator Series. It begins when Simon steps out of a San Francisco Night Club into a hail of bullets. He fires a single shot that hit his assailant between the eyes. A car chase and shootout ends in a City Park. Simon's car is destroyed by bullet holes. Marteena Brown, Simon's Personal Assistant in Simon Spencer Private Investigations; asks: "How many cars have you had anyway?" The answer is a story of growing up in Los Angeles. With the daily hustles, of collecting scrap metal for pocket money, a morning paper route, and becoming a Joint Roller in a two-bit Marijuana Operation.Marteena asks: "So what about girls?" Simon has graduated to Pimp and Gigolo under the tutelage of a Notorious Madam; then to Drug Running.When the husband of Simon's "Lady" is released from Prison, they pack up and move back East. Simon has to decide whether to continue his life of Crime, go to college, or join the Navy. Together we will follow Simon on his journey through manhood.
This is actually the third novel in the Simon Spencer Action Adventure Series. We find Simon sitting in his office, humming, whistling and singing one of Johnny Mercer's tunes, I Took A Trip On A Train.Marteena, his Personal Assistant walks in, stands just inside his doorway,with her hands on her hips, feet apart, showcasing her sleek brown frame. He doesn't look up until she asks him why he sings that particular song, and what memories does it conjure up. He stops singing, looks up and says well come on in sit right down and I'll tell you all about my adventures on and off the Trains from here to the East Coast and back again as many times as I have gone. These little adventures along the railroad tracks of life have had some quirky twists in my journey through manhood.
The story behind The Magnificent Seven could have been a movie in itself. It had everything--actors' strike, writers' strike, Mexican government interference and a row between the screenwriters that left one removing his name from the credits, all under the lingering gloom of post-McCarthy era Hollywood. A flop on release, it later became a box office hit. This book tells the behind-the-scenes story: how Yul Brynner became the biggest independent producer in Hollywood; why John Sturges was not the first choice after Brynner surrendered the director's chair; why Sturges quit; the truth about the Mirisch Company (producers); the details of the film's botched release and unlikely redemption; the creation of Elmer Bernstein's classic score; and how internecine fighting prevented the making of the television series in 1963. Myths about Steve McQueen, his feud with Brynner and the scene-stealing antics of the cast are debunked. A close examination of the various screenplay drafts and the writers' source material--Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai--shows who wrote what. Extensive analysis of Sturges' directorial work is provided.
Volumes 3 and 4 of the The Encyclopedia of More Great Popular Song Recordings provides the stories behind approximately 1,700 more of the greatest song recordings in the history of the music industry, from 1890 to today. In this masterful survey, all genres of popular music are covered, from pop, rock, soul, and country to jazz, blues, classic vocals, hip-hop, folk, gospel, and ethnic/world music. Collectors will find detailed discographical data—recording dates, record numbers, Billboard chart data, and personnel—while music lovers will appreciate the detailed commentaries and deep research on the songs, their recording, and the artists. Readers who revel in pop cultural history will savor each chapter as it plunges deeply into key events—in music, society, and the world—from each era of the past 125 years. Following in the wake of the first two volumes of his original Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, this follow-up work covers not only more beloved classic performances in pop music history, but many lesser -known but exceptional recordings that—in the modern digital world of “long tail” listening, re-mastered recordings, and “lost but found” possibilities—Sullivan mines from modern recording history. The Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volumes 3 and 4 lets the readers discover, and, through their playlist services, from such as iTunes toand Spotify, build a truly deepcomprehensive catalog of classic performances that deserve to be a part of every passionate music lover’s life. Sullivan organizes songs in chronological order, starting in 1890 and continuing all the way throughto the present to include modern gems from June 2016. In each chapter, Sullivanhe immerses readers, era by era, in the popular music recordings of the time, noting key events that occurred at the time to painting a comprehensive picture in music history of each periodfor each song. Moreover, Sullivan includes for context bulleted lists noting key events that occurred during the song’s recording
Whether you judge by box office receipts, industry awards, or critical accolades, science fiction films are the most popular movies now being produced and distributed around the world. Nor is this phenomenon new. Sci-fi filmmakers and audiences have been exploring fantastic planets, forbidden zones, and lost continents ever since George Méliès’ 1902 film A Trip to the Moon. In this highly entertaining and knowledgeable book, film historian and pop culture expert Douglas Brode picks the one hundred greatest sci-fi films of all time. Brode’s list ranges from today’s blockbusters to forgotten gems, with surprises for even the most informed fans and scholars. He presents the movies in chronological order, which effectively makes this book a concise history of the sci-fi film genre. A striking (and in many cases rare) photograph accompanies each entry, for which Brode provides a numerical rating, key credits and cast members, brief plot summary, background on the film’s creation, elements of the moviemaking process, analysis of the major theme(s), and trivia. He also includes fun outtakes, including his top ten lists of Fifties sci-fi movies, cult sci-fi, least necessary movie remakes, and “so bad they’re great” classics—as well as the ten worst sci-fi movies (“those highly ambitious films that promised much and delivered nil”). So climb aboard spaceship Brode and journey to strange new worlds from Metropolis (1927) to Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
From The Big Sleep to Babette's Feast, from Lawrence of Arabia to Drugstore Cowboy, The Movie Guide offers the inside word on 3,500 of the best motion pictures ever made. James Monaco is the president and founder of BASELINE, the world's leading supplier of information to the film and television industries. Among his previous books are The Encyclopedia of Film, American Film Now, and How to Read a Film.
The Most Wonderful Christmas Tales Of All Time stands as an unparalleled anthology, uniting the works of classic authors whose writings have shaped the literary landscape of Christmas storytelling. This collection showcases an array of styles, from the poetic musings of William Wordsworth and Emily Dickinson to the compelling narratives of Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, offering readers a panoramic view of Christmas through various lenses of time, culture, and emotion. The anthology not only features tales of warmth and joy but also explores the depths of the human condition during this festive season, making it a profound study in the duality of the human experience. The ensemble of authors contributing to this anthology speaks volumes of its literary significance. Figures such as Charles Dickens, known for immortalizing Christmas in Victorian England, and Mark Twain, with his uniquely American perspective, come together with authors like Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, who bring a touch of European folklore and fairy tale magic. This multicultural and multispectacular compilation aligns with movements ranging from Romanticism to Realism, reflecting the evolving narrative of Christmas and its universal appeal across different epochs and societies. This anthology is recommended for readers eager to delve into the rich tapestry of Christmas literature. It offers an educational journey through the ages, revealing the shift in themes and sentiments surrounding the holiday season. Each story, poem, and tale within its pages is a mirror to the world from which it originated, providing insights not only into the essence of Christmas but also into the historical and cultural contexts of its time. Engaging with this collection promises not only a festive literary adventure but also a deeper appreciation for the myriad ways Christmas has been celebrated, contemplated, and cherished in literature.
