Bette Davis & Joan Crawford: two of the deadliest arch-rivals of all time. Born in the same year (though Davis swore ' Crawford is five years older than me if she's a day') the two fought bitterly throughout their long & brilliant Hollywood careers. Joan became a star first which always irked her rival who suggested her success had come via the casting couch. ' It sure as hell beats the hard cold floor' was Crawford's scathing response. According to Davis Crawford was not only a nymphomaniac but also 'vain jealous & about as stable & trustworthy as a basket of snakes'. Crawford in turn accused Davis of stealing her glory & planning to destroy her. The two rivals fought over as many men as they did parts
- when Bette fell in love with her co-star in DANGEROUS Franchot Tone Joan stepped in & married him. The women worked together only once in the classic thriller WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? in which their violent hatred of each other as rival sisters was no act.
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In interviews ranging from 1958 to 1987 Bette Davis talks about visiting England; her career as a star; the film studios attempts to change her name & image & the Hollywood film system. BBC Archive Voices: shining a light on the icons of our time. BBC Archive Voices features interviews with some of the key figures from the fields of entertainment sport politics & literature
- many of which havent been heard since their original transmission. This is a unique window into the past & is a chance for us to hear those who contributed to the richness of our cultural heritage. With access to the entire archive of BBC Radio & television we can now witness some of the most lively entertaining & informative encounters in BBC broadcasting. Due to the age & nature of this archive material the sound quality may vary.
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Begos biography of the Divine Miss M covers the singer & actresss life from her early years in Hawaii where she was born to her current standing among the entertainment elite. Midlers career as a brassy & bawdy nightclub act moved up a rung when her cover of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy entered the Top Ten in 1972. By 1979 she had earned an Oscar nomination & a Grammy for her contributions to the film The Rose. Since then she has won over audiences with her performances in Down & Out in Beverly Hills Ruthless People Beaches & The First Wives Club & earned a second Oscar nomination for For the Boys. As a singer shes scored successes with From a Distance & the number one single Wind Beneath My Wings. Fans of this all-around entertainer who continues to appear in films & record music will find that Bette Midler is the authoritative resource on the stars life. ...

The struggle to perform well is universal but nowhere is this drive to do better more important than in medicine. In his new book Atul Gawande explores how doctors strive to close the gap between best intentions & best performance in the face of obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable. His vivid stories take us to battlefield surgical tents in Iraq to a polio outbreak in India & to malpractice courtrooms around the country. He discusses the ethical dilemmas of doctors' participation in lethal injections examines the influence of money on modern medicine & recounts the astoundingly contentious history of h&-washing. Finally he gives a brutally honest insight into life as a practising surgeon. Unflinching but compassionate Gawande's investigation into medical professionals & their progression from good to great provides a detailed blueprint for success that can be used by everyone. ...

This title is shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize 2012. This acclaimed book by Steven Pinker author of The Language Instinct" & " The Blank Slate" argues that contrary to popular belief humankind has become progressively less violent over millenia & decades. Can violence really have declined? The images of conflict we see daily on our screens from around the world suggest this is an almost obscene claim to be making. Extraordinarily however Steven Pinker shows violence within & between societies
- both murder & warfare
- really has declined from prehistory to today. We are much less likely to die at someone else's hands than ever before. Even the horrific carnage of the last century when compared to the dangers of pre-state societies is part of this trend. Debunking both the idea of the 'noble savage' & an over-simplistic Hobbesian notion of a 'nasty brutish & short' life Steven Pinker argues that modernity & its cultural institutions are actually making us better people. " One of the most important books I've read
- not just this year but ever... For me what's most important about " The Better Angels of Our Nature" are its insights into how to help achieve positive outcomes. How can we encourage a less violent more just society particularly for the poor? Steven Pinker shows us ways we can make those positive trajectories a little more likely. That's a contribution not just to historical scholarship but to the world". (Bill Gates). " Brilliant mind-altering... Everyone should read this astonishing book". (David Runciman " Guardian"). "A supremely important book. To have command of so much research spread across so many different fields is a masterly achievement. Pinker convincingly demonstrates that there has been a dramatic decline in violence & he is persuasive about the causes of that decline". (Peter Singer " New York Times"). "[A] sweeping new review of the history of human violence...[ Pinker has] the kind of academic superbrain that can translate otherwise impenetrable statistics into a meaningful narrative of human behaviour.. .impeccable scholarship". (Tony Allen-Mills " Sunday Times"). " Written in Pinker's distinctively entertaining & clear personal style...a marvellous synthesis of science history & storytelling". (Clive Cookson " Financial Times"). " Pinker's scholarhsip is astounding.. .flawless.. .masterful". (Joanna Bourke " The Times"). Steven Pinker is the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Until 2003 he taught in the Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences at MIT. He conducts research on language & cognition writes for publications such as " The New York Times" " Time" & " Slate" & is the author of six books including " The Language Instinct" " How the Mind Works" " The Blank Slate" & " The Stuff of Thought"."


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Many dog owners in the UK don't understand the dynamics of human/dog relationships & consequently experience problems with their pets such as barking aggression chasing livestock chewing pulling & running away. Experienced dog trainer Debbie Connolly shows new & experienced dog owners alike how to deal with such behaviour problems so that the dog can become a safe & happy member of their family. Debbie recounts real-life anecdotes to get across the serious point that you are playing with your dog's life if you can't or won't learn to treat your dog appropriately. Some of the stories she tells are funny some are sad but all of them are easy for her readers to identify with & relate to. She explains how to get a dog from the right source & how to live with it afterwards. She gives practical advice on how to solve all the common problems dog owners face. & she isn't afraid to raise important issues that others avoid
- issues that dog owners actually face in the real world for example when you should give up & put your dog to sleep.
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Are you learning or improving your English? Then this third edition is for you. Do you need to improve your communication skills? This highly practical book starts with the premise that the only way to improve effective spoken English is to start practising it in real-life situations. The Better English technique means that right from the start students are able to put their knowledge to use. Topics include: everyday phrases how to ask for help & information how to book holidays & use public transport visiting the doctor and/or hospital how to deal with the bank coping with the telephone & how to ask for help in emergencies. Key skills students will find it the ideal companion to work through the speaking & listening component of their course. This book explains: how to speak about yourself; social English; getting about & shopping; doctors & schools; getting a job; telephones & emergencies ...

It is a highly successful & widely-used text on pronunciation. It provides a systematic & thorough introduction to the pronunciation of English to help intermediate & more advanced students improve their pronunciation of the spoken language. A recording of all the practice material in the book is available on CDs. ...

Many people learn French for years at school only to reach a plateau beyond which they never emerge. This is an effective short-cut to fluency. Better French" helps the reader by showing them the right way to use problem words. It addresses the subtleties of the language. Are donc & alors interchangeable? What about grand or gros? When do you use cest or il est? When do you pronounce the final s in plus? Learning the answers to these & a host of other questions can steer you to success." ...

Youll never run out of healthy nutritious family meals with this extensive collection of low-calorie recipes New in the Ultimate series The Ultimate Low-Calorie Meals Book offers hundreds of recipes & ideas that make eating healthy & watching your weight easy & delicious. These recipes are ideal for light & nutritious everyday meals that form the basis of a healthy lifestyle. Filled with dishes the entire family will love recipes are clearly marked with icons that let you quickly identify recipes that are ready in 30 minutes or less high in fiber & low in sodium. Packed with more than 400 delicious & nutritious low-calorie meals & hundreds of beautiful photos The Ultimate Low-Calorie Meals Book is a great resource at a great price. Features more than 400 flavorful calorie- & fat-conscious recipes including main dishes snacks sandwiches pizza desserts restaurant favorites & make-ahead meals

Includes:: more than 300 gorgeous full-color photographs that make every page inspiring & easy to follow Special Healthy Eating Basics chapter Special features include substitution charts that help make every meal more calorie-conscious up-to-date diet & nutrition advice & much more Whether youre trying to adopt new low-calorie eating habits or looking for new recipes to help you maintain your already-healthy lifestyle this is the ultimate guide to tasty healthy eating.

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