Brian Wilson is a musical genius. Ever since British press agent Derek Taylor launched a publicity campaign with that theme to promote the landmark LP Pet Sounds in 1966 some variation of that claim has been obligatory when discussing the significance of the Beach Boys founder & chief composer. Originally designed to liberate Wilson from his outmoded image as a purveyor of sun-&-surf teen pop so the symphonic sophistication of his music might be properly appreciated the assertion has been repeated so often in the forty-plus years since as to render it virtually meaningless. Indeed if anything the label today seems an albatross around the mans neck inasmuch as Wilsons slow-but-steady reemergence as a working musician since 1998 after three decades of mental illness & drug abuse has been freighted with expectations that he again produce something as epochal as Good Vibrations A to justify the adoration he inspires in impassioned defenders. Brian Wilson interrogates this & other paradigms that stymie critical appreciation of Wilsons work both with the Beach Boys & as a solo artist. This is the first study of Wilson to eschew chronology in favor of a topical organization that allows discussion of lyrical themes & musical motifs outside of any prejudicial presumptions about their place in the trajectory of his career. The meanings of Brian Wilsons work have tended to be determined by the well-known storyline of his rise fall & redemption.A" From abused child to seemingly unstoppable hit-maker to eccentric with a living-room sandbox to the 300-pound Orson Wells of rock A" to the heavily medicated Icarus figure with the full-time Svengali psychiatrist to his current incarnation as a fragile elder-statesman survivor Brian Wilson has quite simply lived the most celebrated bizarre life in pop music. Its sheer Shakespearean proportions have overshadowed a beauty & gentleness of spirit that is as vibrant in Farmers Daughter A" (1963) as it is in recent efforts such as Live Let Live A" (2008). While no one would disagree that Wilson peaked A" in 1966 with Pet Sounds his current CD That Old Lucky Sun (2008) finds him creating beautiful music steeped in Americana that deserves discussion on its own terms rather than as a coda to the accomplishments of his gold-record youth." ...

The Bribery Act is one of the most far-reaching & controversial pieces of legislation of recent years. It radically reforms the law & extends the liabilities & risks of businesses in particular with effects well beyond the borders of the United Kingdom. The Act sets new standards for anti-corruption law internationally. Compliance with it is of urgent interest both to domestic concerns & international companies with any presence in the UK. This new book is the first thorough analysis of the key elements of the Bribery Act & how it will apply. All the main offences are covered & considered in context. The issue of adequate procedures" for businesses to prevent bribery is explored & the most up to date government guidance is included. The civil law of bribery is also explained. This is an essential work for anyone doing business internationally including in-house lawyers compliance officers company secretaries non-executive directors & corporate & criminal lawyers in private practice." ...

From the author of the highly praised & somewhat controversial The Brick Bible: A New Spin on the Old Testament" comes the much-anticipated New Testament edition. For over a decade Brendan Powell Smith creator of popular website bricktestament.com has been hard at work using LEGO[registered] to re-create scenes from the Bible. Now in one volume he has brought together over 1 000 "brick" photographs depicting the narrative story of the New Testament. From the life of Jesus
- his birth teachings & parables
- to the famous last supper scene & the crucifixion; from the fate of Judas to the life of Paul & his letters to the Ephesians; from the first book burning to the book of Revelations this is the New Testament as you've never experienced it before. Smith combines the actual text of the New Testament with his brick photographs to bring to life the teachings miracles & prophecies of the most popular book in the world. The graphic novel format makes these well-known Bible stories come to life in a fun & engaging way. & the beauty of " The Brick Bible: The New Testament" is that everyone from the devout to nonbelievers will find something breathtaking fascinating or entertaining within this impressive collection."

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While to many LEGO bricks are 'just a toy' to an ever-growing army of fans they provide a challenging & enjoyable modelling medium. These fans calling themselves 'AFOLs' or Adult Fans of LEGO have taken it upon themselves to recreate local landmarks using just the bricks that you may find at a local store. LEGO models created by adult fans however don't resemble those that many people created as a child. Created by masters of their medium these fabulously detailed models may contain thousands of pieces
- or perhaps just a handful. Either way the talented artists have an intimate knowledge of every piece & colour available. Skilfully choosing the ideal piece to recreate a well-known landmark they may create a model indistinguishable from the real thing or evoke the spirit of a building in just a few small pieces. In fact landmarks & cityscapes
- from the New York skyline to the Sagrada Familia London's St Pancras & the amazing towers of Beijing & Hong Kong
- have long been a source of inspiration for LEGO builders. In this book LEGO artist Warren Elsmore takes us on a world tour & explores more than 12 global cities & their iconic structures. Each city is examined & recreated in LEGO form. Comprising amazing artwork exploratory photographs & detailed breakdowns Brick City looks at the essence of what makes an urban landscape recognizable.


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Still in her teenage years Nazneen finds herself in an arranged marriage with a disappointed man who is twenty years older. Away from the mud & heat of her Bangladeshi village home is now a cramped flat in a high-rise block in London's East End. Nazneen knows not a word of English & is forced to depend on her husb&. But unlike him she is practical & wise & befriends a fellow Asian girl Razia who helps her understand the strange ways of her adopted new British home. Nazneen keeps in touch with her sister Hasina back in the village. But the rebellious Hasina has kicked against cultural tradition & run off in a 'love marriage' with the man of her dreams. When he suddenly turns violent she is forced into the degrading job of garment girl in a cloth factory. Confined in her flat by tradition & family duty Nazneen also sews furiously for a living shut away with her buttons & linings
- until the radical Karim steps unexpectedly into her life. On a background of racial conflict & tension they embark on a love affair that forces Nazneen finally to take control of her fate. Strikingly imagined gracious & funny this novel is at once epic & intimate. Exploring the role of Fate in our lives
- those who accept it; those who defy it
- it traces the extraordinary transformation of an Asian girl from cautious & shy to bold & dignified woman.


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Bricks were introduced to Britain by the Romans & reintroduced by Flemish craftsmen in the middle ages. Until the early nineteenth century they were made in numerous small brickyards supplying local needs but eventually increasing demand led to the invention of enhanced brickmaking machines & kilns. This book gives an insight into the surprising variety of bricks as well as a brief history of brickmaking descriptions of hand & machine moulding drying the use of kilns & firing. Despite competition from newer materials brick still holds its own as a facing material & traditional methods still survive in the smaller yards. ...

The third Cotswold village mystery featuring Inspector Jess Campbell & Superintendent Ian Carter reveals a ruthless killer & a case of mistaken identity. In the cold light of dawn a dead body is found entombed in the smouldering remains of a burnt-out Cotswold manor. Key House has stood empty for years but its owner Gervase Crown is rumoured to have been seen in Weston St Ambrose prior to the blaze. Could he be responsible for the fire & the tragic death that followed or was he in fact the intended target? As Inspector Jess Campbell & Superintendent Ian Carter begin their investigation it becomes clear that Gervase wasn't the most popular & his return reawakens old memories not all of which are good. ...

Brickwork for Apprentices has been the established reference on brickwork for generations of bricklayers. Continuously in print since 1944 John Hodge's classic text has now been fully revised in its fifth edition by Malcolm Thorpe
- who acted as a CITB Advisor & was involved in the draughting of the Intermediate Construction Award syllabus (bricklaying route)
- to cover the brickwork craft-related units of the latest Construction Awards & related Trowel Occupations NVQs from CITB / City & Guilds at Levels 2 & 3. The fifth edition incorporates extended coverage on the relatively new area of thin joint systems to match the latest industry-based requirements & technical developments in the field. Content has been brought fully in line with recent changes to the Building Regulations ensuring that this text will remain an essential reference for qualified bricklayers & other professionals working in the construction industry as well as NVQ students new to the industry & wishing to embark on a career in bricklaying. A new feature in this edition is the inclusion of multiple choice questions at the back of the book matched to the current NVQ requirements to provide students of the CITB / City & Guilds Trowel Occupations NVQs with essential practice & revision for exam preparation.

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* A practical & highly visual resource for students produced in partnership with Carillion the leading training provider in construction crafts. * Fully updated throughout to cover all the new Technical Certificate requirements in one book giving all the vital information students need to pass their exam. * Margin features & FAQs call out key information & bring learning to life. * End-of-unit knowledge tests enable students to track their progress. *

Includes:: brand new chapters including Principles of building. * Endorsed by Construction Skills.

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The latest spellbinding novel from one of the world's best-loved authors Paulo Coelho now in paperback. This is the story of Brida a young Irish girl & her quest for knowledge. She has long been interested in various aspects of magic & has taken courses in astrology tarot & numerology but is searching for something more. Her search leads her to people of great wisdom who begin to teach her about the world. Her teachers sense that Brida has a gift but cannot tell what that is. Meanwhile Brida pursues her course ever deeper into the mysteries of life seeking to answer questions about who she is. She meets a wise man who dwells in a forest & teaches her about overcoming her fears & trusting in the goodness of the world & a woman who teaches her how to dance to the music of the world & how to pray to the moon. She seeks her destiny as she struggles to find a balance between her relationships & her desire to become a witch. This enthralling novel incorporates themes fans of Paulo will love. It is a tale of love passion mystery & spirituality. ...