Firmly established in the world of entertainment, The Cat's route to fame has been through corporate and sporting dinners. He grew up loving sport and perservered despite having only one eye and an almost total absence of natural ability. His reputation as a figure of fun and his readiness to laugh at his own failures have reaped rich rewards. How many of us have played football with Bobby Moore and George Best at Wembley, or played at Lord's, or written a poem teasing the Duke of Edinburgh for never recognising us? In Nearly Famous, The Cat writes hilariously of the many famous people he has worked with - everyone from Colin Cowdrey, Bobby Robson and Terry Venables to Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Billy Connolly, Eric Morcambe and Brian Johnston - and the highs and lows of that most serious of businesses: making people laugh.
Nearly every story in this collection is based on a woman who attained some celebrity, from Lord Byron's illegitimate daughter, Allegra, to Oscar Wilde's troubled niece, Dolly.
All Stacy Carter thought she wanted was a quiet, traditional life. One man, one woman, two-point-five kids and a dog. Maybe a minivan. She never envisioned a stock car thrown into the mix! That was before she met Jake Hinson, recovering from a boating accident at a secluded fishing cabin. Fact is, Jake's a NASCAR driver with plenty of cash, fans—and fame. Not something he's about to divulge to publicity-shy Stacy. But when the truth comes out, Stacy's not sure she can handle a celebrity lifestyle—despite Jake's reassurances. Besides, Stacy hasn't exactly been the pinnacle of honesty herself. And it's just a matter of time before her own cover is blown.…
Ten-year-old Maxine is determined to become a famous inventor so she can take care of her younger brother's heart condition, and she convinces a troubled classmate to help her.
What if you weren’t famous, but people treated you as if you were? That was the life of Caroline Paul, who looked just like a celebrity – her own identical twin. With humor and insight, Paul explores the strange world of fame from the wry perspective of an ordinary person.
She packed her dreams of stardom away at 17 when she walked down the matrimonial aisle, never imagining that 30 years later she would have the chance to make them come true...and at what cost. Nearly Famous, Tales From The Hollywood Trenches is the captivating and incredibly honest story of a woman's journey from a 50's era good girl who married the man of her mother's dreams only to end up divorced, destitute and responsible for 2 little girls. The experience started a fire that fueled her determination to never be reliant on anyone else again. The result was an amazing career, sitting opposite the biggest stars in Hollywood, telling their story...but at what cost. In this very revealing memoir Reba Merrill takes the reader on an insider's look at the true cost of fame.
"A brilliant distillation of the best thinking from one of the great minds in our field. This funny, uplifting page-turner inspires profound ′aha′ moments necessary for being a ′hope-pusher′ internally while effectively advocating for children in the larger community." —Alan M. Blankstein, President HOPE Foundation "Paul Houston thinks like a man of action and acts like a man of thought. His writings are packed with the wisdom, grace, and innovation that have made him one of the true leaders in American public education today." —Daniel H. Pink, Author A Whole New Mind "This book translates the real issues in public education into sublime teachings for life." —Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director National School Boards Association "Paul Houston is a crusader for American public education. His fresh ideas provide answers to some of the toughest challenges our schools and school leaders face today." —Richard Riley, Former U.S. Secretary of Education "In these timeless essays, Houston opens our minds with his powerful thoughts, touches our hearts with his understanding and passion, and invites us to see public schools and the children we serve in a new light." —Gail Connelly, Executive Director National Association of Elementary School Principals "Paul Houston′s extensive knowledge of the issues facing today′s busy school administrators is unparalleled. This collection is indeed a testament to Houston′s legacy and his deep love for and commitment to public education." —Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director National Association of Secondary School Principals A collection of influential, insightful, and inspiring articles from an educational leadership expert! In this resource, retiring executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, former superintendent, and best-selling author Paul D. Houston examines the growing complexity of the educational process and the challenge of transforming learning into an engaging, meaningful—and even joyful—experience. Houston offers enlightening perspectives on global competition, the widening economic gulf between social classes, the explosion of information, and a landscape of competing expectations. This provocative book views education as "soul work" touching the deepest part of the human spirit and covers: What it means to be a leader The challenges of transforming public education How leaders can champion learning and education Lessons from the field
'Before Cliff Richard and the Shadows, there was nothing worth listening to in British music.' - John Lennon. Cliff Richard tells his story, in his own words, in his highly anticipated new autobiography. Achieving a hit in every decade since the 1950s, Cliff Richard stands alone in pop history. Coming of age in 1950s London, he began his music career at Soho's legendary 2i's Cafe, and now he's approaching his 80th birthday with record sales of over 250m and counting. Cliff Richard was a pioneer, forging the way for British rock 'n' roll with his unique sound. The original British teen idol, his incredible story takes us into the studio of TV's first pop show Oh Boy!, through 40 years of Top of the Pops, and playing live up and down the country and across the world, with a constant backdrop of screaming fans. Cliff looks back on his humble upbringing, and how he went on to fulfil his wildest dreams by becoming a pop star and even a film star. He talks about finding Christianity, reflects on the ups and downs of life in the public eye, and reveals how the false allegations against him changed his life forever. He's seen era-defining pop stars come and go, and he's still making new music, with a new project to be released this year. As a teenage Elvis-fan in Cheshunt, this may have seem a distant dream. Here's his story of how he made it all happen.
ANGELS HIDE THE DARKEST SECRETS For as long as she can remember, Alexis Minerva has always harbored an unyielding hatred for angels. She'd learned to despise them her entire life until Milo arrived and made her question everything. A divine angel with a mysterious allure, Milo's very presence quickly twists Alexis into a medley of emotions. But if her sister Priscilla's story is one to learn from, Alexis knows she's dancing with the devil by letting Milo in. It doesn't take long for Milo's troubled past and true nature to come to light. And after a chilling call sends Alexis on a search for her missing sister, she finds herself tumbling from an angelic high into the depths of dangers she never imagined possible. Angels are supposed to be good though...right? The holiest creatures share the darkest secrets in this paranormal angel romance with a plot twist that'll send your mind reeling.
The name Thomas Lyon Hamer only brings puzzled looks when spoken today. Even in Georgetown, Ohio, Hamers home and place of burial, only a handful of local historians have any knowledge of the man whom U. S. Grant believed would have been president of the United States had he not died prematurely and unexpectedly. I have said before that Hamer was one of the ablest men Ohio ever produced . . . I have always believed that had his life been spared, he would have been president of the United States during the term filled by President Pierce . . . his partiality for me was such there is but little doubt I should have been appointed to one of the staff corps of the armythe Pay Department probablyand would therefore now be preparing to retire. Neither of these speculations are unreasonable, and they are mentioned to show how little men control their own destiny (Grant, 53). Yet if the man had lived even another year or two, he would not only be in all United States history textbooks; that history would likely be quite different. The national events in the decade leading up to the American Civil War and possibly the outcome of the war itself would have been significantly altered. Fate is a fickle mistress. Hamer was very well-known in his day, and it is perplexing to try to understand how someone so influential while alive was virtually forgotten, even locally, by the turn of the twentieth century. Perhaps it is because he was eclipsed by another very important individual from Georgetown, Ohio, who did become president. Perhaps it is because Hamers sons died young and childless, leaving no direct heirs to carry his name and fame into the future. Hamers Mexican War flag, a gift to him from the people of Brown County, Ohio (photo courtesy of Ron Bulow)
