Behind The Scenes In The Vintage Years

Arthur Bourne was at the centre of British motorcycling from 1923-1951. This is his fascinating story. Back in the 1920s, there were more motor cyclists than car drivers, records were being broken every month at the Brooklands race track in Surrey, roads were empty and motorbikes constantly broke down. Arthur Bourne, who used the pseudonym ‘Torrens’ for readers of the best-selling weekly The Motor Cycle, was in the thick of the game. He had the good luck to be Engineer to The Auto-Cycle Union and the-then, not yet 26, editor of a famous motorcycling journal. This is his story of what it was like to ride hundreds of miles round Britain on reliability trials – essential for manufacturers to claim that their bikes were worth buying – and how he provided weekly guidance for thousands of youngsters on two wheels. He writes of Brooklands, and of TT races on the lsle of Man; of his encouragement to young engineers like Edward Turner and Phil Vincent; and of how, in the Second World War, he enabled the airborne forces at Arnhem to be equipped with lightweight motorcycles that could be dropped by parachute or flown in by glider. For anyone interested in motorbikes and the people who rode them, when British manufacturing was at its apogee, this is a unique testimony. Motor cycles were fashionable. The Duke of York, later to be George V1 and his wife Elizabeth, later known as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, were among the enthusiasts. lt was an exciting era, recalled by ‘Torrens’ near the end of his life, in a good journalist’s prose. Behind the Scenes in the Vintage Years is a unique and fascinating record of an unrepeatable era in British motorcycling and engineering history. It contains many black and white pictures which bring this area of the past to life.

Written by an authoritative expert, Friends Behind the Scenes: Backstage Pass to the Series, A Comprehensive History is the most in-depth book ever written about the series. It provides a unique insider perspective and dishes the dirt on never-before-revealed secrets, such as outing the cast member who was nearly fired from the series—TWICE! Friends Behind the Scenes commences with the showrunners’ backstory and a comprehensive recounting of the series’ concept, the pitch presented to NBC, and the network’s objections. Fans get a confidant’s look into the TV industry and the trio’s struggle to protect their pilot concept and creative vision. The journey also uncovers early script drafts with jaw-dropping disclosures about the main characters—there was a highly promiscuous female, an arrogant, self-centered jerk from Chicago, and a homosexual. The next chapters immerse the sitcom enthusiast into the laborious casting process with amazing revelations, such as the two costars who turned down guaranteed roles and a once-rejected cast member who was only hired because NBC insisted. The likelihood of all six actors being chosen for the pilot was astronomically minuscule, especially since two of the costars were committed to other projects and a handful of famous actors were offered costarring roles in the series. Friends Behind the Scenes unravels the mysteries behind shooting the pilot, how a test audience’s negative report nearly capsized the series, and what finally convinced NBC to gamble on adding the show to its fall schedule. The following pages methodically outline the showrunners’ diligent efforts to assemble an incomparable creative team and hire brilliant wardrobe, hair, and makeup specialists who redefined 1990s fashion. Of course, TV junkies cannot forget the memorable title sequence with all the fountain frivolity and the mind-numbing theme song that captivated the world. Astonishingly, the original intro was completely different with an up-tempo singalong by a famous rock band that refused to license the track because the lead singer despised the hit single. Avid enthusiasts will discover how The Rembrandts were eventually hired and why they did not want their name attached to the bubblegum pop ditty. Readers are transported backstage to witness how episodes were produced and how guest stars were chosen, with dazzling insight into the ones that got away, including a famous pop singer, three iconic movie stars, and a rock legend. In addition, tome-travelers will get an insider scoop into the world of stand-ins, body doubles, and famous extras who appeared on the show, and marvel at the history of sets, how they were designed and decorated, and even the story behind famous props and set dressings like the peephole picture frame and burnt-orange sofa. Further interviews unearth the private salary negotiations that eventually made the cast the highest-paid actors on television. Actors’ confessions shed light on how success impacted their lives, and what made the sextet decide to call it quits after ten seasons. Friends disciples will be privy to the soundstage hysteria during the final days of shooting and the epochal send-off by NBC, while sitcom purists will be enraptured by the historical overview of the show’s evolution from struggling newbie to ratings giant en route to its unprecedented success in syndication and streaming. Finally, the remaining chapters detail the societal impact of Friends, and offer numerous trivia tidbits that have evaded most Friends aficionados for decades.

Vintage Bows-I, was a beginning archer's introduction to choosing, learning to shoot and even collecting of post WW2 USA built pre-compound bows. Vintage Bows-II is directed to the more experienced stick and string archer. Focused on the ""golden era"" of the production built recurve bow of roughly 1955 to 1977, Vintage-II contains nearly 200 photos, 18 chapters and over 180 pages of history, shooting and choosing-a-bow tips, building wood arrows, refinish and repair, string technology, arrow and bow tuning, old catalog pages and more. George Stout a noted old-bow expert; Rick Barbee on high performance bow strings; and Stu Miller the inventor of the Dynamic Arrow Spine Calculator are featured contributors.

The Discovering Vintage series takes you back in time to all of the timeless classic spots each city has to offer. The books spotlight the charming stories that tell you what each place is like now and how it got that way from classic restaurants to shops to other establishments that still thrive today and evoke the unique character of the city. They're all still around—but they won't be around forever. Start reading, and start your discovering now!

The Discovering Vintage series takes you back in time to all of the timeless classic spots each city has to offer. The books spotlight the charming stories that tell you what each place is like now and how it got that way from classic restaurants to shops to other establishments that still thrive today and evoke the unique character of the city. They're all still around—but they won't be around forever. Start reading, and start your discovering now!

Vintage Games explores the most influential videogames of all time, including Super Mario Bros., Grand Theft Auto III, Doom, The Sims and many more. Drawing on interviews as well as the authors' own lifelong experience with videogames, the book discusses each game's development, predecessors, critical reception, and influence on the industry. It also features hundreds of full-color screenshots and images, including rare photos of game boxes and other materials. Vintage Games is the ideal book for game enthusiasts and professionals who desire a broader understanding of the history of videogames and their evolution from a niche to a global market.