Andrew W.K.'s I Get Wet


Book Description

"It's Time To Party," the first track off of I Get Wet, opens with a rapid-fire guitar line - nothing fancy, just a couple crunchy power chords to acclimate the ears - repeated twice before a booming bass drum joins in to provide a quarter-note countdown. A faint, swirling effect intensifies with each bass kick and, by the eighth one, the ears have prepped themselves for the metal mayhem they are about to receive. When it all drops, and the joyous onslaught of a hundred guitars is finally realized, you'll have to forgive your ears for being duped into a false sense of security, because it's that second intensified drop a few seconds later - the one where yet more guitars manifest and Andrew W.K. slam-plants his vocal flag by screaming the song's titular line - that really floods the brain with endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and whatever else formulates invincibility. Polished to a bright overdubbed-to-oblivion sheen, the party-preaching I Get Wet didn't capture the zeitgeist of rock at the turn of the century; it captured the timelessness of youth, as energized, awesome, and unapologetically stupid as ever. With insights from friends and unprecedented help from the mythological maniac himself - whose sermon and pop sensibilities continue to polarize - this book chronicles the sound's evolution, uncovers the relevance of Steev Mike, and examines how Andrew W.K.'s inviting, inclusive lyrics create the ultimate shared experience between artist and audience.




The School I'd Like


Book Description

In 2001, The Guardian launched a competition called The School I'd Like, in which young people were asked to imagine their ideal school. This vibrant, groundbreaking book presents material drawn from that competition, offering a unique snapshot of perceptions of today's schools by those who matter most - the pupils. The book is wonderfully illuminated by children's essays, stories, poems, pictures and plans. Placing their views in the centre of the debate, it provides an evaluation of the democratic processes involved in teaching and learning by: identifying consistencies in children's expressions of how they wish to learn highlighting particular sites of 'disease' in the education system today illustrating how the built environment is experienced by today's children posing questions about the reconstruction of teaching and learning for the twenty-first century. This book offers a powerful new perspective on school reform and is essential reading for all those involved in education and childhood studies, including teachers, advisors, policy-makers, academics, and anyone who believes that children's voices should not be ignored.




Confessions of a Serial Songwriter


Book Description

Confessions of a Serial Songwriter is an amusing and poignant memoir about songwriter Shelly Peiken's journey from young girl falling under the spell of magical songs to working professional songwriter writing hits of her own. It's about growing up, the creative process – the highs and the lows, the conflicts that arise between motherhood and career success, the divas and schemers, but also the talented and remarkable people she's found along the way. It's filled with stories and step-by-step advice about the songwriting process, especially collaboration. And it's about the challenge of staying relevant in a rapidly changing and youth-driven world. As Shelly so eloquently states in Confessions of a Serial Songwriter: “If I had to come up with one X factor that I could cite as a characteristic most hit songs have in common (and this excludes hit songs that are put forth by an already well-oiled machine...that is, a recording artist who has so much notoriety and momentum that just about anything he or she releases, as long as it's 'pretty good ' will have a decent shot at succeeding), I would say it would be: A universal sentiment in a unique frame.” Peiken has tapped the universal sentiment again and again; her songs have been recorded by such artists as Christina Aguilera, Natalie Cole, Selena Gomez, Celine Dion, the Pretenders, and others. In Confessions of a Serial Songwriter, she pulls the curtain back on the music business from the perspective of a behind-the-scenes hit creator and shares invaluable insight into the craft of songwriting.




Things I Would Like to Do with You


Book Description

We no longer long for "happily ever after." We no longer believe in "you complete me" or Mad Men gender roles. But we all, still, love to love love.This book is an exploration of a love for a new generation---a love replete with intimacy and trust, a love with room for change and independence, a love without ownership.I began this book rather casually, after a Midsummer Night's date. The first chapter met with more enthusiasm than anything I had ever written. It was then serialized on Elephant Journal, where it garnered millions of readers and an online community of 108,000. I felt like a donkey, who had accidentally won the love of a fairy queen-this new love was something we were all clearly puzzling over.Things I would like to do with You is a universal, personal and timeless exploration of love-a love that includes loneliness, humor, and friendship.May it be of benefit!~ Waylon Hart Lewis, Author




The School I'd Like: Revisited


Book Description

‘Wonderfully illuminated by children's essays, stories, poems, pictures and plans, this ground-breaking book offers a unique snapshot of the perceptions of today's school pupils’. -French bookstore Lavoisier www.lavoisier.fr In 2001, The Guardian launched a ground-breaking competition called ‘The School I'd Like’, in which young people were asked to imagine their ideal school. This vibrant and compelling book presents material drawn from that competition, offering a unique snapshot of perceptions of schools by those who matter most - the pupils. In 2011, The Guardian re-launched the competition and this updated 2nd edition reflects upon the next generation of reflections and summarises, through the children’s insightful commentary, what has changed over the intervening decade. The book is wonderfully illustrated by children's essays, stories, poems, pictures and plans. Placing their views in the centre of the debate, it provides an evaluation of the democratic processes involved in teaching and learning by: • identifying consistencies in children's expressions of how they wish to learn • highlighting particular sites of 'disease' in the education system today • illustrating how the built environment is experienced by today's children • posing questions about the reconstruction of teaching and learning for the twenty-first century. The School I’d Like: Revisited offers a powerful perspective on school reform and is essential reading for all those involved in education and childhood studies, including teachers, advisors, policy-makers, academics, and anyone who believes that children's voices should not be ignored.




Little Blue Whistle


Book Description

Robert Ashcroft is a sixty-three year old retired car salesman who has just moved with his wife, Veronica, from Southern California to South Carolina. He learns just a week before Thanksgiving that his thirty year old son, Paul, is gay. Paul is coming to visit for the holiday, and he is bringing along his boyfriend with him. Robert has one week to come to terms with his son’s sexuality and to prepare himself for the visit. Little Blue Whistle is an entertaining rollercoaster ride of dreams, memories, and subsequent insights into fathers, sons, and our brave new world.




The Living Age


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High School Life


Book Description




Emily of New Moon


Book Description

‘Emily of New Moon’ (1923) is the first in a series of classic children’s novels by Canadian author L. M. Montgomery, about an orphan girl growing up on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Montgomery is best known as the author of the best-selling ‘Anne of Green Gables’ series. When Emily's father dies, she is sent to live at New Moon with her strict Aunt Elizabeth. Won over by the beauty of her new surroundings, Emily soon makes friends with her eccentric cousin Jimmy, tomboy Ilse, artist Teddy, and Perry. This classic children’s story of family, friendship, and adventure is perfect for both girls and boys and fans of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ by Arthur Ransome. The two other novels in the series are ‘Emily Climbs’ (1925) and ‘Emily's Quest’ (1927). Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) was a Canadian author and poet, best known for her series of novels ‘Anne of Green Gables’ published in 1908. The books were a huge success and made her famous in her lifetime. They have been adapted for TV and film on many occasions, including the Netflix TV series ‘Anne with an E’. L.M. Montgomery published 20 novels as well as hundreds of short stories and poems. Among her most notable works are ‘Emily of New Moon’ (1923), ‘Emily Climbs’ (1925), and ‘Emily's Quest’ (1927).