War hero and '60s Soho doyen Bruce Copp has lived a unique life. With an address book brimming with celebrity names and numbers, he swam regularly with a James Bond, dined with Charlie Chaplin, hung out with Lenny Bruce and spent an unforgettable night with Marlene Dietrich. A reluctant hero, he served in the army throughout the Second World War where he dealt with prejudices towards homosexuality, witnessed the deaths of his comrades and tried to commit suicide by walking into enemy fire. He miraculously survived and was mentioned twice in dispatches for bravery before being transferred to British Counter Intelligence where his duties included tracking down high-ranking Nazis. After the war, Bruce went on to become an important figure in London's 'swinging sixties', running a series of successful theatrical restaurants including Peter Cook's legendary The Establishment club, which attracted such icons of the era as Michael Caine, Jean Shrimpton and the Kray twins. Out of the Firing Line ... Into the Foyer is a fascinating memoir covering nearly 100 years of social history and personal experiences.

In this astonishing new history of wartime Britain, historian Stephen Bourne unearths the fascinating stories of the gay men who served in the armed forces and at home, and brings to light the great unheralded contribution they made to the war effort. Fighting Proud weaves together the remarkable lives of these men, from RAF hero Ian Gleed – a Flying Ace twice honoured for bravery by King George VI – to the infantry officers serving in the trenches on the Western Front in WWI - many of whom led the charges into machine-gun fire only to find themselves court-martialled after the war for indecent behaviour. Behind the lines, Alan Turing's work on breaking the 'enigma machine' and subsequent persecution contrasts with the many stories of love and courage in Blitzed-out London, with new wartime diaries and letters unearthed for the first time. Bourne tells the bitterly sad story of Ivor Novello, who wrote the WWI anthem 'Keep the Home Fires Burning', and the crucial work of Noel Coward - who was hated by Hitler for his work entertaining the troops. Fighting Proud also includes a wealth of long-suppressed wartime photography subsequently ignored by mainstream historians. This book is a monument to the bravery, sacrifice and honour shown by a persecuted minority, who contributed during Britain's hour of need.

Nettie Delany has just been accepted into a cutthroat performing arts school, but she hasn't been able to sing a single note since her mother died. Duke's Academy of Performing Arts isn't for the weak-willed or easily intimidated; the school has mentored plenty of big names, including Nettie's own mother—a ballerina superstar. With the shadow of grief haunting her every step, Nettie has her work cut out for her if she plans to stay enrolled in a highly coveted program. No room for error. Nettie must work through the pain of the past, horrible classmates, and vicious teachers to find her voice again and deliver a showstopper. If not, she faces expulsion. With the help of her friends and a new romance, can Nettie get it together in time? Everyone is watching. Former West End performer and author Vanessa Jones delivers a well-crafted journey of grief and healing in this contemporary young adult novel. An ideal read for fans of theater and Broadway musicals.

Includes the sections "Educational readings" and "Books to read."

He was the pop star with the raccoon eyes who sang ‘Hollywood Seven’ and ‘Six Ribbons’; the swashbuckling Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance; the rocker who packed beer barns across Australia; and, in the words of Tim Rice, ‘a brilliantly judged and truly exciting’ Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. On the small screen he was as comfortable portraying Bobby Rivers in All Together Now as he was Jonathan Garrett in Against the Wind. But there was a lot more to Jon English. He was a proud father of four who married his high school sweetheart. He was so devoted to the Parramatta Eels that he wrote one of their team songs. And he was also a composer whose rock opera, Paris, proved to be the biggest challenge of his life. Written with the full support of Jon’s family, friends and peers, Behind Dark Eyes swings from the massive highs of Jesus Christ Superstar and pop stardom to the turmoil brought about by creative frustration and depression - and Jon’s tragic death in 2016 at the age of 66.

The island of Sinos. Strategically positioned between Greece and Turkey, this small Mediterranean isle is a relic of the past--an old Turkish stronghold fortified by the Nazis during World War II. Now it has become a prison for political offenders from the Greek mainland. A fortress of grim solitude andsecrets, Sinos is the last place anyone would voluntarily enter--but deep sea diver Jack Savage has little choice. After losing his boat in a suspicious explosion, Savage is approached by shipping magnate Dimitri Aleko. The multi-millionaire has taken an extreme interest in Savage's background as a Royal Marine Commando and his expertise in underwater sabotage. Aleko also has a job for Savage: masterminding the ultimate breakout...For on the prison island of Sinos, one man holds the fate of thousands in his hands. And Jack Savage is the key to unlocking that fate.