Childhood friends, college chums, the Viet Nam war, the draft, the millennium, and the present times are all tossed around by the vagaries of fate. A tale where an F-14 fighter jet is purloined, and a Patek Philippe discarded in the snow, and we learn that ultimately Life IS the Treasure.

BARBED WIRE HOOKERS AND OTHER STORIES is a collection of thirteen stories that explore the struggles of those on the ragged edge of existence, whether the protagonist is a prostitute in the deserts of Nevada, a young American about to be sacrificed by the military industrial complex, or a corbina in the pounding surf of Todos Santos, Baja del Sur.

This is the author's life story of growing up in Exton, Pa., from 1931-2010. He shares his memories of how Exton grew from a tiny village into a thriving town in the middle of Chester Co., Pa. He worked hard and long his whole life, beginning at his parents' farm and restaurant/gas station. He has worked for Nat Gas delivering propane tanks; Murray's Appliance in Paoli hauling appliances and installing a.c. units and antennas; Cabrini College as a baker; and at Beloit Eastern and Pepperidge Farm in Downingtown. He has hauled milk; sold ice, real hardwood charcoal, and firewood; set up for dog shows; and peddled produce and flowers for roadside stands and stores, such as Genuardi's. At one time he owned Twin City Beverage in Spring City and had his own bakery where he sold his famous sticky buns. One of his most important contributons was helping to start the West Whiteland Fire Company and being a volunteer fireman. He includes the stories of many of the fires as well as the times they assisted Downingtown, Lionville, and East Whiteland Fire Companies, among others. (184pp. illus. Masthof Press, 2015.)

Sex goddess Mae West is responsible for some of the most quoted lines in film history: * Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? * When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better. * It's not the men in my life that counts - it's the life in my men. She was a performer from childhood and debuted on Broadway in a play she wrote entitled "Sex" which was a success until it was raided for immorality and Mae was jailed for ten days. This book is packed with stars from George Raft to Cary Grant and W.C. Fields, with whom she made "My Little Chickadee", the most successful film of Fields' career. Charlotte Chandler recorded Mae West over a period of roughly a month towards the end of the star's life. She was still as vital and lively as ever, and this book will convey all of Mae West's legendary attitude.

Show Tunes, the most comprehensive musical theatre reference book ever, chronicles the work of Broadway's greatest composers, from 1904 through 2009. Almost 1,000 shows and 10,000 show tunes are included, with additional musicals and composers added to the fourth edition. This fact-packed volume is informative, insightful, provocative, and entertaining: the definitive survey of a fascinating field. It is a must for musical theatre enthusiasts, performers, students, collectors, and anyone who enjoys Show Tunes.

The stories behind the stories of some of Hollywood's most iconic movies The magazine world 's monthly arbiter of culture, personality, and world affairs, Vanity Fair has always offered the definitive insider's look at Hollywood power and glamour since its relaunch twenty-five years ago. Now, for the first time ever, Vanity Fair presents a one-of-a-kind collection featuring thirteen behind-the- scenes stories on some of cinema's most iconic films-including pictures as varied as All About Eve, Cleopatra, Sweet Smell of Success, Rebel Without a Cause, and Saturday Night Fever. For pop-culture fanatics and movie buffs alike, Vanity Fair's Tales of Hollywood is an irresistible glimpse at how classic films-and box office bombs-are made.

Includes: Jane Alexander, Eileen Atkins, Elisabeth Bergner, Marjorie Brewer, Zoe Caldwell, Ann Casson, Constance Cummings, Judi Dench, Joyce Ebert, Pat Galloway, Ellen Geer, Lee Grant, Uta Hagen, Wendy Hiller, Frances Hyland, Barbara Jefford, Laurie Kennedy, Roberta Maxwell, Siobhan McKenna, Nora McLellan, Sarah Miles, Sian Phillips, Angela Pleasence, Joan Plowright, Lynn Redgrave and Janet Suzman.

“A treasure trove of observations and anecdotes about Hollywood from the 1960s to the 1980s and the people who made the movies back then.” —Associated Press The son of famed director and screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz and the nephew of Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz was genuine Hollywood royalty. He grew up in Beverly Hills and New York, spent summers on his dad’s film sets, had his first drink with Humphrey Bogart, dined with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, went to the theater with Ava Gardner, and traveled the world writing for Brando, Sinatra, and Connery. Although his family connections led him to show business, Tom “Mank” Mankiewicz forged a career of his own, becoming a renowned screenwriter, director, and producer of acclaimed films and television shows. He wrote screenplays for three James Bond films—Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Live and Let Die (1973), and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)—and made his directorial debut with the hit TV series Hart to Hart (1979-1984). My Life as a Mankiewicz is a fascinating look at the life of an individual whose creativity and work ethic established him as a member of the Hollywood writing elite. My Life as a Mankiewicz illuminates his professional development as a writer and director, detailing his friendships and romantic relationships with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars as well as his struggle with alcohol and drugs. With the assistance of Robert Crane, Mankiewicz tells a story of personal achievement and offers an insider’s view of the glamorous world of Hollywood during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

Are you ready? Every week on Throwdown!, celebrity chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay goes head-to-head with cooks who have staked their claim as masters of an iconic dish—buffalo wings, chicken cacciatore, or sticky buns, for example—even though he may never have cooked these things before. The results are always entertaining—and delicious. In his first-ever cookbook collaboration with Food Network, Bobby shares the recipes and fun from his popular show. For each episode, both Bobby’s recipe and his challenger’s are included, comprising a cross-country tour of regional specialties and good-hearted competitive spirit. Travel to San Antonio for puffy tacos, Philadelphia for cheesesteaks, Harlem for fried chicken and waffles, and Charleston for coconut cake. Try both dishes to pick your favorite, or challenge friends and family to a battle of your own. Either way, you’ll find tons of fantastic flavors in this best-of-the-best book from the first seven seasons of Throwdown!. The ultimate companion cookbook to one of America’s favorite food shows, Bobby Flay’s Throwdown! lets home cooks and fans in on the action, featuring favorite Throwdown! moments and behind-the-scenes peeks alongside beautiful, all-new color food photography created just for this book. So if Bobby Flay ever strolls into your backyard asking “Are you ready for a Throwdown?” you definitely will be!

Understanding of the respiratory control system has been greatly improved by technological and methodological advances. This volume integrates results from many perspectives, brings together diverse approaches to the investigations, and represents important additions to the field of neural control of breathing. Topics include membrane properties of respiratory neurons, in vitro studies of respiratory control, chemical neuroanatomy, central integration of respiratory afferents, modulation of respiratory pattern by peripheral afferents, respiratory chemoreception, development of respiratory control, behavioral control of breathing, and human ventilatory control. Forty-seven experts in the field report research and discuss novel issues facing future investigations in this collection of papers from an international conference of nearly two hundred leading scientists held in October 1990. This research is of vital importance to respiratory physiologists and those in neurosciences and neurobiology who work with integrative sensory and motor systems and is pertinent to both basic and clinical investigations. Respiratory Control is destined to be widely cited because of the strength of the contributors and the dearth of similar works.