Dirty Pictures

In this “dishy…superbly reported” (Entertainment Weekly) New York Times bestseller, Peter Biskind chronicles the rise of independent filmmakers who reinvented Hollywood—most notably Sundance founder Robert Redford and Harvey Weinstein, who with his brother, Bob, made Miramax Films an indie powerhouse. As he did in his acclaimed Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Peter Biskind “takes on the movie industry of the 1990s and again gets the story” (The New York Times). Biskind charts in fascinating detail the meteoric rise of the controversial Harvey Weinstein, often described as the last mogul, who created an Oscar factory that became the envy of the studios, while leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. He follows Sundance as it grew from a regional film festival to the premier showcase of independent film, succeeding almost despite the mercurial Redford, whose visionary plans were nearly thwarted by his own quixotic personality. Likewise, the directors who emerged from the independent movement, such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and David O. Russell, are now among the best-known directors in Hollywood. Not to mention the actors who emerged with them, like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ethan Hawke, and Uma Thurman. Candid, controversial, and “sensationally entertaining” (Los Angeles Times) Down and Dirty Pictures is a must-read for anyone interested in the film world.

A complete narrative history of the weird and wonderful world of Underground Comix! In the 1950s, comics meant POW! BAM! superheroes, family-friendly gags, and Sunday funnies, but in the 1960s, inspired by these strips and the satire of MAD magazine, a new generation of creators set out to subvert the medium, and with it, American culture. Their “comix,” spelled that way to distinguish the work from their dime-store contemporaries, presented tales of taboo sex, casual drug use, and a transgressive view of society. Embraced by hippies and legions of future creatives, this subgenre of comic books and strips often ran afoul of the law, but that would not stop them from casting cultural ripples for decades to come, eventually moving the entire comics form beyond the gutter and into fine-art galleries. Author Brian Doherty weaves together the stories of R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Harvey Pekar, and Howard Cruse, among many others, detailing the complete narrative history of this movement. Through dozens of new interviews and archival research, Doherty chronicles the scenes that sprang up around the country in the 1960s and ’70s, beginning with the artists’ origin stories and following them through success and strife, and concluding with an examination of these creators’ legacies, Dirty Pictures is the essential exploration of a truly American art form that recontextualized the way people thought about war, race, sex, gender, and expression.

In the late 1980s a generation of filmmakers inspired by the directors of the 1970s began to flower outside the studio system. In the following decade, the independent movement bloomed. In this volume Biskind tells the story of these filmmakers and the independent distributors.

Boxing, porn, and the beginnings of movie censorship -- The rise of salacious cinema -- State regulations emerge -- Mutual and the capacity for evil -- War, nudity, and birth control -- Self-regulation reemerges -- Midnight movies and sanctioned cinema -- Sound enters the debate -- Tension increases between free speech and state censorship -- Threats from abroad and domestic disturbances -- Outlaws and miracles -- State censorship statutes on the defense -- Devil in the details : film and the Fourth and Fifth Amendments -- Dirty words : profanity and the patently offensive -- Filthy pictures : obscenity from nudie cuties to fetish films -- The porno chic : from Danish loops to Deep throat -- Just not here : content regulation through zoning -- Is censorship necessary? -- The politics of profanity

Want to clean a coffeepot in a flash? Unclog a sink with a simple homemade solution ? Do away with microwave odors? Banish those dust bunnies? Let her royal highness of housekeeping show you how to turn your home into a sparkling palace -- in no time at all! Step aside, Martha...Here comes the Queen of Clean, and her down-to-earth housekeeping guide for those of us who live in the real world. After all, the Queen has better things to do than be a slave to housework. That's why she has assembled a marvelous collection of miraculous cleaning tips and surprising shortcuts that get the job done quickly and well. Without a lot of fuss, you can solve hundreds of cleaning challenges in every room of your home: Remove dust, rust, gum, fingerprints, stains, odors, and mildew Clean leather and upholstery, carpets, windows, walls, floors, kitchen appliances, grills, and more Deal with damage form flooding and fire The queen count her pennies too -- with inexpensive, environmentally friendly cleaning concoctions and ingredients you might never expect, including Tea -- the wood cleaner you can drink! The amazing rust-removing power of the onion Lemon juice Vinegar Petroleum jelly Baking soda ...and the five cleaning products you should never be without! Let the Queen of Clean put an end to drudgery with her hints and solutions that get fabulous results -- fast!

From USA Today bestselling author K Webster comes a thrilling and steamy dark romance standalone! He’s filthy rich. Spoiled beyond belief. The gorgeous man always gets what he wants. Normally, I stay far, far away from his type. Men like Braxton Kennedy are dangerous and sick. But he’s made an offer I can’t refuse. Six months. A ton of money. All I have to do is be his dirty, ugly toy. Play his dark and twisted games. Let him dress me up and parade me around in front of his friends. Pretend I’m someone I’m not. A sane person would run away from the likes of this bad boy billionaire. Me? I can’t sign on the dotted line fast enough. I’m not a damsel in distress or some princess needing saving. I’ve been to hell and back all on my own. All I need from him is the fat paycheck he’s offering. One problem. I start to like his games. A little too much. When my heart gets involved, he only wants to toy with it. The thing with spoiled boys and their toys, though... They eventually get bored and throw them away. **Dirty Ugly Toy is an enemies-to-lovers dark billionaire romance standalone. There are triggers in this story including drug use/overdose and some sexual violence.**

Part Three of the brilliant new series from the bestselling author of the Star and Sixpence series. Perfect for all fans of Cathy Bramley. The little picture house by the sea is the Palace at Polwhipple – a lovely art deco cinema, nestled in front of azure Cornish seas. But it is long past its heyday now, and its only saving grace is Ferelli's, the family run ice-cream concession in the foyer, which is widely known as the best ice-cream for miles. Gina is in Polwhipple to help her grandfather, the owner of Ferelli's, and has taken charge. Now there is a 'closed for refurbishment' sign hanging in the window. But just because the picture house is closed, doesn't mean there can't be a movie screening... and there's only one place for it! Pre-order now to see how Gina pulls off her biggest event yet... and find out who will be the Johnny to her Baby... What people are saying about the Star and Sixpence series: 'Warm, witty and laced with intriguing secrets' Cathy Bramley 'The perfect book to start the new year' Rowan Coleman 'A treasure of a find and I was completely enveloped within this world from the very first page. 5 stars!' Becca's Books 'A thoroughly lovely and entertaining read!' Book Kaz 'A charming story with real characters and an idyllic setting' Fictionophile