Harry Shum Jr

Glee star Harry Shum Jr. is making the jump to digital in a new series for YouTube Red. Single by 30 comes from New Form Digital, the production company backed by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Discovery, and YouTube channel Wong Fu Productions. Singer Kina Grannis also stars alongside YouTube star Eric Ochoa, Hillary Anne Matthews and Alexandra Metz. YouTuber Ryan Higa guest-stars. Created and directed by Wong Fu's Philip Wang and Wesley Chan, Single by 30 tells the story of two high school best friends who promise to get married to each other if they're still single by 30. Now that their 30s are fast approaching, Peter (Shum) reunites with Joanna (Grannis), and their attempt at upholding that high school promise goes in an unexpected direction. "For Single by 30, it was important for us to cast a diverse group of actors to reflect the culture of Los Angeles, where the story is set, but to also show that being a single adult at 30 will almost always provoke nudges from friends and critiques from moms regardless of where you're from," said Chan. The series launches August 24th. NewForm's Kathleen Grace and Melissa Schneider are executive producing alongside Wang and Chan and Untitled's Kendall Rhodes and Jason Newman. Todd Waldman serves as head writer on the eight-episode rom-com. Single by 30 joins a growing roster of originals available on Red, the $10-a-month ad-free streaming service that YouTube launched last year. Red recently debuted high school-set Foursome, documentary A Trip to Unicorn Island and horror-themed reality series Scare PewDiePie, among others. Here’s the first episode of SINGLE BY 30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=989uhlXyrD

Greg Lake

BMG will kick off an Emerson Lake & Palmer re-issue programme next month, which spotlights ELP’s nine studio albums, as well as their live recordings and compilations. Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer enjoyed massive ‘prog’ success throughout the 1970s and have sold over 40 million albums worldwide. The albums will be reissued across different formats, including CD and newly cut vinyl LPs and HD digital downloads. The group’s first three albums, Emerson Lake & Palmer (1970), Tarkus (1971 and Pictures At An Exhibition (1971) are scheduled for re-release first, alongside a new 39-track, three-CD Anthology with material approved by all three band members. The Anthology is presented in special ‘casebound’ book packaging with detailed sleeve notes by Chris Welch, illustrated with rare band photographs. The two-CD deluxe of the 1970 debut comprises the original album and the 2012 Steven Wilson stereo mix, with bonus tracks. This is the same as the 2012 reissue without the surround sound DVD. However, according to BMG, the vinyl LP edition is newly cut for the first time from 24 bit/HD 2012 remasters. Similarly, Tarkus mirrors the 2012 deluxe (original and SW remix+bonus tracks) and the vinyl LP version is newly cut from the 2012 remaster, with original gatefold sleeve and artwork faithfully reproduced. CD 1 (and the LP) of Pictures… is a new remaster from the original master tapes, with bonus tracks. CD 2 has another live performance of the work, recorded at the Lyceum Ballroom, London, on December 9th, 1970, complemented by live performances of ELP favourites The Barbarian, Knife Edge, Rondo and Nut Rocker. Interestingly, following a ‘special request’ from Greg Lake, the LPs will be presented on 140g vinyl to ensure a superior high quality sound. Apparently, Mr Lake doesn’t buy into the 180g-means-it-must-sound-better school of thought. His reasoning is explained on the LP inner bag! These are all released on 29 July 2016. Later in the year BMG will reissue Trilogy (1972), Brain Salad Surgery (1973) and the live album Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends (1974).

Margaux Bergen

An inspiring, piercingly honest user's guide to life, written for the author's daughter and given to her on her first day of college, reflecting tough lessons about family, work, and marriage. Margaux Bergen began writing this book when her daughter Charlotte turned nine and gave it to her right after graduation from high school, when she was setting off for her first day of college. "I am not writing this to groom or guide you to professional or academic success," she writes. "My goal is rather to give you tools that might help you engage with the world and flourish.” You learn a few useful things in school -- the three Rs come in handy, and it's good to know how to perform under pressure and wait your turn--but most of what matters, what makes you into a functioning human being, able to hold your own in conversation, find your path, know what to avoid in relationships and secure a meaningful job, no teacher will ever tell you. In NAVIGATING LIFE: Things I Wish My Mother Had Told Me, Bergen shares her own lessons learned in hopes that her trials and errors might benefit her daughter as she set off for college and prepares to navigate life for the first time on her own.

Molly Moore

Molly Moore continues to connect with music fans with her latest release Just A Dream. With so much instrumentation and brilliant lyrics to match. It was time to take it beyond IMDB and break down the lyrics.

Alysia Reiner

Alysia recently finished filming season 4 of ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, won a SAG award for her role as “FIG,” the tough as nails assistant warden as part of the amazing ensemble cast, and can be seen in seasons 1, 2 and 3 now on NETFLIX. She is currently filming season 1 of BETTER THINGS for F/X, brought to you by the inimitable Louie CK & Pamela Adlon, and season 4 of MASTERS OF SEX for SHOWTIME. Additionally you can catch her as D.A. PARKS in Shonda Rhimes' breakout hit HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, Lilian Izikoff on ROSEWOOD, and Fiona in Michael Showalter's new series SEARCH PARTY. Equity was Alysia's 7th independent feature as an actress shot in 2015, but her first feature as actress and producer. SPEED GRIEVING the award winning short film that Alysia created, produced and stars in, had it’s world premiere at The Hamptons International Film Festival, has screened at over a dozen more film festivals, and is now used as a grief counseling tool in every Cancer Support Community center in the country. Her first SAG ensemble award winning foray was playing Christine in the Oscar winning SIDEWAYS and later this summer she will be filming Whitney Cummings' feature directorial debut THE FEMALE BRAIN. Alysia loves working as a change maker for women, and has been invited to the White House, the UN and Cannes to speak about un-stereotyping women and women in entrepreneurship. She has spoken for the Geena Davis Institute and will be at #SHESUMMIT later this year. Additionally she was awarded the Sarah Powell Huntington Leadership Award by the Women’s Prison Association, was recognized as an Intelligent Optimist in Ode Magazine and profiled by New York Women in Film and Television as a woman to watch. Passionately committed to protecting the environment, Reiner is a champion of all things eco-friendly. Her completely green Harlem brownstone renovation has been featured on “World’s Greenest Homes,” “Home & Family,” and “Renovation Nation,” as well as in various magazines including Dwell, Gotham, and The Nest. She is also a celebrity spokesperson for Best for Babes and Healthy Child Healthy World. She is a celebrity contributor to the Huffington Post and Maria Shriver’s website, and has been featured on CNN,People.com, Celebrity Baby Scoop, Stroller Traffic, Healthy Child Healthy World, Family Focus Blog, Today I ate a Rainbow, Your Green Baby, and others. Additionally, Reiner is involved with many other charities including The Cancer Support Community, Actors for Autism, The Young Women’s Leadership Network, GLAAD, Amnesty International, SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young, Bent on Learning, and Safe Kids Worldwide. She lives in Harlem, with her husband (actor David Alan Basche, an actor and associate producer on the film) and daughter Livia Charles, who is named after Alysia's father Charles - who inspired her to produce this film.

Miss Krystle

Arizona pop artist, Miss Krystle, plays on the darker side of summer songs, remaking the 1984 smash hit “Cruel Sumer” by Bananrama, and we love the result! The perfect way to close-out summer 2016, the new single highlights our favorite parts of the original song, including the stacked female chorus, staying true to the melody and overall energy. Bringing the song into mainstream pop today, the production (by That Orko ) incorporates a variety of vocal pitches, stutters, and other ear candy treats! Following the release of her Cruel Summer (Bananarama / The Karate Kid remake) last week, Miss Krystle follows up with an unusually sexy music video, not only transforming Miss Krystle into a car mechanic, but also making watermelon look sexy as hell! The new music video highlights some throwback moments from the original music video, and introduces some fun and creative new concepts. Following up the recent release of her Woman In Motion album last month, which was added to 62 radio stations across the U.S., holding debut spot at #2 in Wisconsin, the summer may be close to over, but things are just heating up for Miss Krystle!

Caroline Wright

There is a cake soulmate out there for every person and every moment, if you just know where to look. Take chocolate. A purist savors its pristine richness, yet for others chocolate is best enjoyed married with fresh mint, bourbon, caramel, coconut, chiles, or perhaps just a hint of salt. If cake is a canvas to paint our flavor fantasies upon, then a cookbook that treats its endless variations and delightful possibilities with the proper reverence is long overdue. Ingeniously applying a Choose Your Own Adventure–style methodology to the art of baking mouthwatering cakes for every taste, CAKE MAGIC! Mix & Match Your Way To 100 Amazing Combinations is an utterly new, highly-visual kind of cookbook that showcases beautiful color photos of every cake in the book to choose from in the front, followed by core recipes in the back. And, to ensure that everyone really is able to have their cake and eat it, too, Wright includes gluten-free and vegan variations for nearly every cake, syrup, and frosting in the book. She also shares indispensible tips on adapting the method to all pan shapes, measuring ingredients, making substitutions, troubleshooting wonky cakes, freezing baked cakes, and extremely simple frosting and decorating techniques. Armed with a plethora of delicious flavor adventures to choose from and easy-to-follow instructions for how to get there, the cake’s destination is up to you. CAKE MAGIC! just offers 100 great reasons to make the trip. Introducing an innovative and remarkably easy new way to make 100 delectable, flavorful cakes, author CAROLINE WRIGHT shares a simple five-ingredient homemade dry mix that forms the foundation for every cake in the book. From there, it’s just a matter of mixing and matching a batter, a flavoring syrup (the professional baker’s secret weapon that imbues the cake with additional flavor and moisture), a frosting, and the occasional topping. By following Wright’s mix-and-match method, it’s possible to introduce nearly endless changes on the same basic cake batter just by switching up the flavoring syrups and frostings.

Slim Jim Phantom

In June 1980, 19-year-old James McDonnell (known as Slim Jim Phantom) boarded a plane from New York City to London with his childhood friends and bandmates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker. In less than a year, they went from being homeless, hungry, and living in punk rock squats to the toast of the London music scene. The Stray Cats developed a signature sound and style that swept across the world, released multiplatinum albums, and were embraced and befriended by classic rock acts like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, as well as original punk heroes such as the Sex Pistols, the Damned, and the Clash, and rock-and-roll originators Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. After ten years of marriage to actress Britt Ekland, Slim Jim moved down the hill to Sunset Strip, where his son was raised and he owned the world-famous rock-and-roll bar Cat Club while continuing to play with a host of well-known musicians. Slim Jim, a veteran of the London and LA music scenes, recounts in his memoir not just the Stray Cats' rise but a different type of life spent in the upper echelon of rock-and-roll stardom. SLIM JIM PHANTOM FULL BIO Slim Jim Phantom has secured his place as a true rock-n-roll icon. As the legendary drummer for the Stray Cats, Phantom, alongside band mates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker, spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 80s. With a love for 50s rock-n-roll the Stray Cats took inspiration from that bygone era and mixed with their youthful energy and aggression produced the updated hard-edged rockabilly sound that saw them conquer London, Europe and later the U.S., gaining fans among the likes of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Robert Plant along the way. Born in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City, Jim grew up listening to his parents’ jazz records and by the age of ten took up the drums. Immersing himself in the art of drumming and the world of music, Jim took lessons with Mousie Alexander (who played with Benny Goodman), which included the study of jazz and working through books by Jim Chapin and Ted Reed. By the late 70s Jim was playing in bands with school friend and bassist Lee Rocker and they soon joined forces with guitarist Brian Setzer. The rest, as they say, is history. The Stray Cats had numerous hit singles in the early 1980s, their classic album “Built for Speed” went double platinum, and their song “Rock This Town” is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of “The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.” Summer 2008 saw Jim and the Stray Cats reunite for an extensive tour of Europe. In February 2009 the band headed to Australia and New Zealand for the first time in 18 years - a tour which was eagerly anticipated by Australasian fans. In addition to the Stray Cats Jim has worked with some of the world’s top artists and has played a part in many successful groups – notably Phantom, Rocker and Slick (featuring long time David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick) which produced two popular albums; The Swing Cats featuring guitar ace Danny B. Harvey; and Dead Men Walking, an all-star affair which has boasted original members of The Sex Pistols, The Cult and Big Country among the rotating line-up. Jim also enjoyed a stint playing with The Killer, rock-n-roll originator Jerry Lee Lewis, and even performed in a now-mythological band called The Cheap Dates with acting legend Harry Dean Stanton, a long-time pal of his. Jim has worked on numerous other projects including his own explosive self-named roots-rock trio, and HeadCat, co-starring Lemmy Kilmister and Danny B. Harvey. In addition, 2009 saw the launch of Slim Jim’s musical project The Forgotten Saints, a band co-founded with old friends, and former Dead Men Walking bandmates Captain Sensible and Mike Peters. A changing guest role for a fourth band member added an exciting dimension to an already prodigious line-up. In the last several years, Slim Jim has continued to work with diverse friends and true artists, including Sex Pistol Glen Matlock and Earl Slick. He’s also partnered with British guitar ace Darrel Higham under the band name Katmen; the pair released a critically acclaimed rockabilly record on Decca records, toured extensively and appeared on the British TV show Later … with Jools Holland. This year finds Jim working again with Dead Men Walking, a punk super group that currently includes long time collaborators Mike Peters and Captain Sensible, plus new members Duff McKagan from Guns N’ Roses, Chris Cheney from The Living End and long time fan and fellow Long Islander Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live and Portlandia. Jim is deeply committed to charitable works, too: he climbed both Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro for Love Hope Strength Foundation (an organization co-founded by Mike Peters of The Alarm that benefits cancer research) with fellow rockers Peters, Robin Wilson from the Gin Blossoms, Cy Curnin from the Fixx and Glenn Tillbrook from Squeeze. The treks were filmed for a National Geographic documentary which was shown on National Geographic channel and VH1. Over 30 years and millions of record sales later and Slim Jim Phantom continues to inspire and excite audiences worldwide. With a sound, style and image that remain as fresh today as they ever were, Phantom has cemented his place among rock royalty. Considered by many as the coolest drummer in rock-n-roll, Phantom’s influence is still clearly felt on today’s music scene with countless rockabilly drummers imitating his pioneering stand-up style.

Go Periscope

The electronic sound of Seattle continues to make waves around the world. But with so much history stemming from the roots of the Space Needle. How does Go Periscope reach beyond an already set in stone scene?

Anthony Sadler and Spenser Stone

On August 21, 2015, Ayoub El-Khazzani boarded train #9364 in Brussels, bound for Paris. There could be no doubt about his mission: he had an AK-47, a pistol, a box cutter, and enough ammunition to obliterate every passenger on board. But when he emerged, he encountered something he hadn't anticipated: three Americans who refused to give in to fear. Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, and Spencer Stone were childhood friends, taking a vacation together. They had some relevant training: Stone was a martial arts enthusiast and Airman First Class in the US Air Force; Skarlatos was an active duty member of the Oregon National Guard; and all three were fearless. But their decision—to charge the gunman, then overpower him even as he turned first his gun, then his knife, on Stone—depended on a lifetime of loyalty, support, and faith. THE 15:17 TO PARIS is the gripping, true story of a terrorist attack that would have killed more than 500 people if not for their actions, but it is also the story of three American boys and their friendship. Using each hero's point of view in sequence, this book skillfully reconstructs the drama of the attack, while weaving in the stories of the protagonists' lives and the friendship and loyalty shared between them. Among the things they can talk about: * The day their lives changed forever: The moment the gunman entered the train, what went through each of their minds and how they collectively decided to act * A reconstruction of the fight: How Alek Skarlatos, in defending himself and everyone else on the train, was fully prepared to shoot and kill the terrorist El-Khazzani, knowing full well that it might also kill his best friend Spencer Stone. (And how Stone had given him permission to do so, knowing that his life hung in the balance). Had the gun not jammed, twice, it would have meant certain death. * How their lives changed since the attack: from the glamorous (appearances on Dancing with the Stars and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire to meeting President Obama), to the personal (how the experience shaped each man's commitment to friendship, family, faith, and country). * The role of faith in each man's life and how the incident deepened and changed their connection to their personal faiths * How the experience renewed each of their sense of patriotism and commitment to serving their country (two of the three are currently serving in the military—one is in sniper training and the other in the National Guard.)

Noah Galloway

The Army veteran is best known from ABC’s hit series Dancing With The Stars where he took third place in Season 20 of the popular dance competition. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Sergeant Noah Galloway, a Purple Heart Recipient, served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Noah experienced a life changing injury and lost his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee in an improvised explosive device attack. Noah overcame his disability and dedicated his life to empowering fellow veterans through fitness and motivational speaking. Galloway started the No Excuses Charitable Fund, which raises money and awareness for wounded veterans, and works with charities like Operation Enduring Warrior and Homes for Our Troops, a group that builds handicap accessible “smart homes” for wounded. Noah continues to compete, participating in adventure races around the country, such as ToughMudder, Spartan events, Crossfit competitions plus numerous 5K and 10K races. Noah is a sought after public speaker traveling across the country sharing his story, encouraging and motivating others. Noah starred as one of the mentors on FOX’s new hit reality show, American Grit which is a military-inspired TV competition series that feature’s sixteen of the country’s toughest men and women as they participate in variety of military-grade andsurvival-themed challenges. The show is hosted by WWE start John Cena. Noah’s next project is his upcoming memoir Living with No Excuses which sheds light into his personal life and how he overcame his injury during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The book will be released by Hachette book Group on August 23rd, 2016.

Michaela Watkins

Many TV viewers remember Michaela as a former Saturday Night Live cast member, her starring role in ABC-TV’s Trophy Wife, or for her scene-stealing appearances in hit comedies such as Modern Family, Veep, New Girl, The Goldbergs and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She’ll also star opposite Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler in the upcoming big-screen comedy film The House. Michaela can now be seen in the acclaimed comedy series Casual on Hulu, which was called “hilarious and heartbreaking” by the LA Times and “funny and a joy to watch” by The Hollywood Reporter. From Oscar-nominated director Jason Reitman, Casual stars Michaela as Valerie Cole, a divorced mom who rediscovers herself while living with her brother and her teenage daughter as she re-enters the dating world. Here’s a clip from season two, which can now be seen on Hulu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWJ2IeVt9JY

Matthew Santoro

Matthew Santoro’s originality and humor has attracted millions of fans, making him a beloved YouTube star. His weekly videos on amazing and little-known facts are eagerly anticipated by his many subscribers and followers around the world. In his first-ever book, Matthew’s love of weird and wacky knowledge explodes with new facts and stories from around the planet, and beyond. Surprising, and always entertaining, Mind = Blown offers even more of Matthew’s unique take on this hilarious, crazy world: The most ridiculous laws from past and present Crazy doppelgangers of people, places, and unexpected things Historical wizards who actually lived Real-life animal avengers And a special section: Japan Blows My Mind! From shin-kicking competitions and beer pong-playing robots, to enormous fire-balls shooting through space, you won’t believe what you’ll discover in Mind = Blown. But beware: there is too much astounding trivia for any one mind to contain! Here’s a link to Matthew’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MatthewSantoro With more than 5 million dedicated subscribers, Matthew Santoro is a YouTube star whose videos have been viewed more than half a billion (yes billion) times. He is best known for his top-ten lists of strange and surprising facts and his popular series “50 Things to Blow Your Mind.”

Clea Duvall

Clea DuVall was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She began working as an actor at 18, and quickly became a fixture in both TV and film. Some of her credits include the Academy Award winning film “Argo” (directed by and starring Ben Affleck), “21 Grams” (starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio Del Toro), “Girl Interrupted” (starring Angelina Jolie), HBO’s Emmy Award winning series “Carnivale,” AMC's Emmy nominated show “Better Call Saul,” and FX’s “American Horror Story: Asylum.” In 2012, DuVall began working behind the camera, directing a series of videos for Warner Bros. Records Grammy nominated artists, Tegan and Sara, for the release of their album “Heartthrob.” DuVall also directed a music video for the band, Echosmith for their song, “Talking Dreams.” Over the past 10 years, she has been honing that craft of writing, with direction and guidance from the immensely talented pool of writers and directors she has had the pleasure and privilege of working with. DuVall still resides in Los Angeles. ABOUT THE INTERVENTION, OPENING IN THEATERS AUGUST 26th (ARTICLE FROM INDIEWIRE) We’ve all seen various versions of interventions in movies and television shows. They never go as smoothly as the interveners would like, often turning into a mess of hilarious awkwardness and touchy drama. Filmmaker Clea DuVall has taken those ideas and amplified them as the entire premise of her latest film “The Intervention,” which looks to be a fun, awkward ride with a great ensemble cast. The film premiered at Sundance this past January, where star Melanie Lynskey winning the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance. Written and directed by DuVall, “The Intervention” stars DuVall, Lynskey, Natasha Lyonne, Vincent Piazza, Jason Ritter, Ben Schwartz, Alia Shawkat and Cobie Smulders. The film follows Lynskey as “control freak bride-to-be Annie” as she brings together her closeknit group of thirtysomething friends to stage an ill-advised intervention with Ruby (Smulders) and her workaholic husband, Peter (Piazza), convinced that their relationship is bringing everyone down. As the eponymous intervention unfolds, plenty of hard truths are revealed, lots of laughs are had and the group’s dynamics keep amusingly and authentically shifting.

MOONZz

Conceptually,thereisnothingmoreaweinspiringtohumankindthantheeternalcosmosmaybebecausewemayneverfullyunderstandthem,ormaybebecauseoftheirtrulyinfinitepotential.Aplacewheretimedefiesunderstandingandquestionsgounansweredforcenturie.Aplacewhereourthirstforknowledgeisconfinedbyourtechnologicalcapabilities.Aplacewhereourinsatiablecuriosityprevailsandthefearofnotknowinginspiresustokeeppushingforwarduntilwecannolonger.ThisplaceisthemaininspirationforMOONZz(MollyWilliams,akaMollyMOONZz),witheachofherrecordsthematicallythreadedtogetherinpursuitofexperience,curiosity,painandgrowth.Herbrandofelectronicpopreflectssuchhumanemotionswithunabashedsamplesandunexpectedbeats,andhersultryvocalsareunafraidofeclecticism.TheyoungsongwriterdrawsinspirationfromThomYorke’svocalmanipulation,therawemotionofFionaApple,andtheharmoniesofThePostalService,accumulatingintocompositionandproductionasyetunexploredinthisworld.MOONZzhasworkedwithnumerousindustrystalwarts,possessingahighlysoughtafterskillsetthathasbeenmostrecognizedthroughhersingle“Satisfy”.ThisdebutsinglewasfeaturedinbothVictoria’sSecret‘BodybyVictoria’and‘DreamAngels’’nationaladcampaignstosupporttherolloutoftheirSpring2016collection,leadingtointernationalsuccessoniTunes’TopElectronicChart,peakingatnumber8intheUS.Describedas“asultrymixbetweenclassicalstylingsandpop”(NESTHQ),MOONZzthrivesbalancingthepastandpresent.Sheisinfluencedbydark,cinematicorchestrationsoftheclassicalbaroqueera,andremainsastudentoficonicpredecessorssuchasEliotSmith,Air,DeathCabforCutie,andDaedalus.Thesedisparatestylescreategenuine,atypicalmusicfresh,rawandstillreminiscentofmixesfromheryouth.Only25yearsold,MOONZzhasawealthofexperiencehavingreleasedindependently,underAtlantic’ssubsidiarylabelTasteAndToneandalongsideherfellowpeersasacollaborator.Liketheluminousmoonaboveitself,MOONZzriseswiththepromiseofmagnetism,pullinginfansandacclaimthroughheruninhibitedoriginality,herlustrousproduction,andhernoveltakeonthefutureofelectronicpop.ComethisAugust,MOONZzissettoreleaseherdebutEP‘TrustCycles’,unveilingasoundscapeasvastasthestarfieldsthemselves.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a six-time NBA champion. He is also one of a handful of influential and respected black men in America who has a national platform as a regular contributing columnist for the Washington Post and Time Magazine where he shares his thoughts on some of the most socially relevant and politically controversial topics facing our nation today. After 50 years as an athlete, activist, and New York Times bestselling author, he offers his perspectives on how we can work together to solve some of these issues as a nationally recognized speaker who appears regularly on the lecture circuit.

His new political book, Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White will be released August, 2016 by Time Books and offersmhis personal perspectives on political issues facing America today. In 2012, Kareem was appointed to be the U.S. Cultural Ambassador by then Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Currently he serves as the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation whose mission is to “Give Kids a Shot That Can’t be Blocked” by bringing educational opportunities to under-served communities through innovative outdoor environmental learning. Kareem’s most recent projects include the HBO Sports documentary, Kareem: Minority of One, which debuted in early November, 2015 as HBO’s most watched and highest rated sports documentary. His debut novel Mycroft Holmes—a mystery novel and the first of an action/mystery series based on Sherlock Holmes’s savvy older brother—was released by Titan Publishing in September 2015. Following the success of his novel, the comic, Mycroft Holmes & the Apocalypse Handbook was released during Comic-Con in San Diego this past July 2016. In 2016, he was nominated for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

www.kareemabduljabbar.comABOUT HIS BOOK WRITINGS ON THE WALL

At a pivotal time in our history and in the midst of a Presidential race that is dividing our nation, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores the origins of bias and inequality through the most socially relevant issues of our day—politics, race, religion, gender, class struggle, sports, media, seniors, and the next generation—in his relevant new book, WRITINGS ON THE WALL: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White (Liberty Street; August 23, 2016; Hardcover; $27.95; 256 pages).

In 1964, Abdul-Jabbar, a budding journalist still in high school, was given a chance to participate in a press conference with Martin Luther King Jr. A few weeks later he walked out of the 125th Street subway station and right into a race riot which his local paper quickly covered. His inquisitiveness followed him through his career in sports and brought him right back to becoming a vital part of the cultural and political conversation writing hundreds of articles, several history books, autobiographies, children’s books and novels. In his own words, Abdul-Jabbar is “an American, a father, a businessman, an education advocate, a journalist, a philanthropist, a history and jazz buff, a filmmaker, a novelist, a former global Cultural Ambassador for the U.S., a political activist, and an active member of his community.” He has also become a much needed public intellectual, drawing wide attention for opinions that are unconventional yet disarmingly rational in a time of political absurdity. Declared the Post in a 2015 profile: “He has become a vital, dynamic and unorthodox cultural voice” and has just been nominated for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In the book, Kareem discusses the most pressing issues our nation is facing today that stubbornly remain a part of America 240 years after its founding document declared that all Americans are created equal. He contends that a prime cause is that many Americans, out of fear and sometimes ignorance, make too many false assumptions about fellow citizens who aren’t like them. Abdul-Jabbar brings to the darker aspects of America a bright spotlight of reason and curiosity, illuminating the way to a more unified country. Writings on the Wall is masterful, urgently needed, and has the potential to stimulate conversation in a season when Americans are taking stock of their country’s values and future.

Christopher Farnsworth

ohn Smith has a unique skill, one that sometimes feels more like a curse: he can read the thoughts of others. He hears the songs stuck in their heads, their most private reflections and fears, and the memories they’ve tried to bury. Trained as a secret weapon by the CIA, he learned the power of his skills in a past life, but now works in the private sector as a consultant for private and corporate clients in need of an extra edge. John now tries to keep the dark potentials of his gift in check — and himself out of trouble. Sought out by Everett Sloan, a software genius and billionaire, John is asked to investigate one of his former employees: young tech whiz kid Eli Preston, and search his thoughts for some very valuable intellectual property Sloan is convinced has been stolen. Will John succeed at retrieving this property directly from Preston’s mind? When things start to go awry and John’s identity is compromised, he’s forced to make a run for his life along with Sloan’s associate, Kelsey Foster. Now it’s up to John to use his powers to their fullest potential — no matter what the cost. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christopher Farnsworth is a screenwriter, former journalist, and the author of the President’s Vampire trilogy. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters.

Pat Boone

Entertainment Icon Pat Boone, an ardent supporter of law enforcement for decades, has issued a 3-track recording (www.patboone.com) on iTunes this week featuring law enforcement-themed songs from his vault of many songs recorded over the past 50-plus years. This special edition is produced in association with the United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association (USDSA) to raise awareness of its nationally offered, law enforcement training program, free to officers. Boone has personally curated three top songs, all of which he wrote over a period of decades, for this initial offering: “He’ll Never Walk Alone (Empty Uniform),” “Won’t Be Home Tonight” and “Part of America Died,” written 20 years ago, whose opening lyric is, prophetically, “Somebody killed a policeman today.” Says Boone, “I have the deepest appreciation for those who risk their lives to protect the freedoms that Americans enjoy every day and who are currently under siege.” In 1998, Boone received the first ever Michael the Archangel Award from the National Association of Chiefs of Police. Boone has sold over 45 million records worldwide, has 13 gold singles, two gold albums and a platinum album. He's starred in 15 movies, and has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. About USDSA (United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association). As a national organization dedicated to officer survival training of the men and women of law enforcement, The United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association (USDSA) is a highly acclaimed training program presented free of charge to officers across the United States. http://www.usdeputy.org/

Johanna Basford

Johanna Basford is an illustrator and ink evangelist who prefers pens and pencils to pixels. Her intricate, hand-drawn illustrations are loved the world over by those who have colored in (sometimes more than once) her bestselling books Lost Ocean, Secret Garden, and Enchanted Forest. Johanna is a graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee. She likes sugar mice, floral teacups, peonies and bumblebees.

Joel Selvin

ALTAMONT: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock’s Darkest Day (Dey Street; August 16, 2016) is Joel Selvin’s riveting and dramatic account of The Rolling Stones’ infamous 1969 concert. Sandwiched between the Manson Family Murders and Kent State, Altamont was part of this triple blow that is credited with being the end of a carefree, fun-loving era. What sets ALTAMONT apart is Joel dozens of in-speth interviews with key players and people who were there, including Stones tour manager Sam Cutler, eminent rock critic Greil Marcus, Altamont owner Dick Carter, and Patti Bredehoft, girlfriend of the murdered man, uncovering new details that shed a brighter light on rock’s darkest day. Among the long-buried truths he explores: • the strange presence of the mysterious Jon Jaymes, who usurped much of the organizing of the event, despite not being on the Stones’ payroll • the other, less-publicized deaths at Altamont, including a drowning and two vehicular deaths • how the drugs readily available and consumed at the concert had changed from those available at earlier outdoor concerts, including Woodstock, altering the mood of the event • how the classic documentary by the Maysles brothers shaped the story in the public’s mind—for better or worse • how concert logistics, including a very low stage, precipitated the violence • the long-term effect of what happened at Altamont on the Hells Angels The product of twenty years of exhaustive research ALTAMONT is told with compelling immediacy. This breathtaking cultural history is the ultimate account of an event that rocked not only the music world, but helped alter the zeitgeist of a singular moment in time.

Alexander Zaitchik

Donald Trump is inflammatory, obscene, outrageous, and deeply disturbing, even to members of his own party. And despite employing rhetoric that some would consider xenophobic, sexist, and dangerous, in the opinion of many Americans, Donald Trump is exactly what this country needs. But who are Trump’s supporters? Join journalist Alexander Zaitchik on a wild ride into the hearts and minds of Trump advocates as they explain why they believe he alone can help “make America great again.” Desperate and angry, lacking stability and a politician to rely upon who will fight for their future, these men and women have no illusions about Trump’s glaring flaws. But they feel forgotten and screwed over by the political, corporate and media elites...and they feel that Donald Trump, despite his flamboyant demagoguery, might well be their last great hope for salvation. Zaitchik collects long-form biographical interviews with a broad range of people, from coal miners in West Virginia, to wounded veterans in Arizona. The interviews are mortared with on-scene reporting and analysis, but the book’s true authors are its subjects, whose voices provide a gripping, often surprising, and all-too-rare counterpoint to election-year data journalism, beltway think pieces, and daily dispatches focused on process and personality.Such reporting paints an intimate and heart-breaking portrait of the walking wounded who make up much of the base of the Trump movement. Part Hunter S. Thompson gonzo-journalism, part Studs Terkel storytelling of the common American, Zaitchik challenges you, as a reader and as a citizen, to commiserate with those who’ve lost everything, and who now believe in a controversial someone who promises them salvation.

David Stanley

David E. Stanley, Elvis Presley's step brother whom Elvis took under his wing as a young adolescent to work with him on tour in the 70's, will release his new book, My Brother Elvis, worldwide on Amazon on August 16. A very personal story about Elvis Presley's last years of addiction struggles, the book release coincides with the 39th Anniversary of Elvis' tragic passing at Graceland on August 16, 1977. Stanley is issuing the new release in his ongoing efforts to help those struggling with addiction, as he himself, turned his life around from drug addiction after the passing of his brother. The book also includes a hotline for addiction help. David E. Stanley, whom "The King" invited to become his bodyguard on the road at age 16, brings his first-hand perspective to the life of the legend the world has come to know. Over the past few decades, the author, filmmaker and globally renowned inspirational, business and self-development speaker has inspired hundreds of thousands of people around the world with cautionary tales of the dark side of Elvis, which ultimately led to his demise. Now, with the release of My Brother Elvis, Stanley further loosens the mystery and opens up candidly about his years as part of Elvis' family and road entourage. "I hope that these revelations of my time with Elvis might save others from the pain I suffered during the final years of his life," Stanley says. He continues, "It's my way of reaching out to those who loved Elvis in the hopes of touching their lives as much as he touched mine. I felt it was my responsibility to write a book about these realities of Elvis beyond the glitz, glamour and fun. He was human, and his very human frailties and vulnerabilities cost him his life. If addiction could happen to Elvis, it can happen to anyone." Though My Brother Elvis is the rawest, most personal and hard hitting of Stanley's works, the author has drawn inspiration from his years with his famous stepbrother in several previous bestselling books. The Elvis Encycopedia was the first complete and authenticated compendium containing everything there was to know about the singer's personal and professional life. Other works include the New York Times bestseller Elvis, We Love You Tender; Raised On Rock; Restoring My Father's Honor; and Conversations With The King: Journals Of A Young Apprentice. After many years as speaker for numerous associations and corporations, Stanley launched Impello Entertainment, a multi-faceted umbrella organization for all "Elvis and David" related intellectual projects, including his books and films. He wrote, produced and directed the critically acclaimed 2007 film Protecting the King, and is currently producing, along with Academy Award winning producer Gene Kirkwood (Rocky, The Pope of Greenwich Village), his next feature titled Growing Up Graceland. "I have chosen to share my stories about Elvis and my past, even as dark as they can be, only if they can serve to communicate a positive, hopeful message that can help people," says Stanley. He continues, "Nobody loved Elvis more than I did. I wrote My Brother Elvis to humanize him not only for longtime fans passionate about him and his music, but also for young people, to make sure they realize that while life with 'The King' was often pretty cool, there was also a high price to pay for the party."

John Cohen

Bring the party home when the hit animated comedy, THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE, debuts onto digital July 29 and Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack, 4K Ultra HD™/Blu-ray 3D combo pack and DVD Aug. 16 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Based on the most downloaded app of all time (nearly 3.5 billion downloads), the film that catapulted to #1 at the box office in the U.S. and more than 50 others countries takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely. In this paradise, hot-headed Red, speedy Chuck, and the volatile Bomb have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up in order to save their home. Boasting an “A” CinemaScore (viewers under age 25) and featuring even more of the breakout, fan-favorite Hatchlings, don’t miss the film that quickly became one of the highest-grossing video game based films of all time. The all-star voice cast includes Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses) as Red, Josh Gad (Frozen) as Chuck, Danny McBride (This is the End) as Bomb, Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids) as Matilda, Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters) as Stella, Sean Penn (Milk) as Terence, Tony Hale (“Veep”) as Ross, Keegan-Michael Key (“Key & Peele”) as Judge Peckinpah, with Bill Hader (Inside Out) as Leonard and Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) as Mighty Eagle. Rounding out the flock are Hannibal Buress (Daddy’s Home), Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors), Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street), Billy Eichner (“Billy on the Street”), Danielle Brooks (“Orange is the New Black”), YouTube stars Smosh (Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla), Angry Birds writer-producer John Cohen (Johnny Bird) and Latin music sensation Romeo Santos. Bonus content on THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE Blu-ray, DVD and digital formats includes a bonus scene; the Blake Shelton Music Video “Friends;” Symphony Mode, which allows viewers to play the movie without all the squawking, just the music; a Character Sketch Gallery, where fans can see drawings and renderings of the birds, pigs and environments from the film; and Music Vignettes with Composer Heitor Pereira. Blu-ray and digital exclusive content includes the all-new short “The Early Hatchling Gets the Worm”, deleted scenes and a series of fun mini-movies featuring the Hatchlings. There are also five additional featurettes including “Dance Along Birds and Pigs,” where fans learn the line dance from the movie; “Crafty Birds,” where viewers learn how to build their own piggy tower; and three featurettes where fans can “Meet the Birds,” “Meet The Pigs” and “Meet the Hatchlings.” Additionally, fans can unlock more content by syncing the Angry Birds Action! app with the audio on the Blu-ray or Digital version of the movie. The Angry Birds Action! app movie integration will also extend to retail where fans can unlock an augmented reality Hatchlings selfie feature by scanning “bird codes” on in-store signage. National promotional partners, including top retail and grocery brands, are teaming up with SPHE to offer consumers high-flying deals through a variety of brand integrations. Those partners include: Sonic Drive-Ins, Furniture of America, Mrs. Thinster’s Cookie Thins and Post Malt-O-Meal Cereals. Angry Birds Toons: Season 3 Volume 1 will also be available on digital July 29 and on DVD Aug. 16. The set features 13 mini episodes of avian adventures that the whole family can enjoy. Bonus materials include three behind-the-scenes videos and character reels featuring Chuck, King Pig and Matilda. 4K Ultra HD features four times the resolution of high definition, high dynamic range (HDR)--which produces brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays--and Dolby Atmos audio, remixed specifically for the home theater environment, delivering captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.

Jeffrey Marsh

With over a quarter billion views online, Jeffrey Marsh just might be the internet’s most beloved anti-bully. And Jeffrey has one big, revolutionary message: “There is nothing wrong with you.” Growing up “fabulous in a small farming town,” Jeffrey has spent years working to help countless groups, audiences, and young people around the world learn they can transcend the stereotypes of race, age, and gender: no matter what their story. Now, after performing at numerous sold-out venues—from New York's Public Theater and Museum of Art and Design to the Rubin Museum—and becoming a much-heralded, encouraging voice for millions – Jeffrey brings us the interactive, joyful HOW TO BE YOU: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else and Start Living Your Life.

Watsky

He knew he was a writer but didn't realize where the words he penned out would land. Today he's one of the most prolific poets as well as musicians on the planet. He doesn't fear to share what he feels. He doesn't keep himself from delivering the beats in his head. And he's grateful for every moment. X-Infinity from Watsky drops August 19th.

Redd

A new level of sound from Detroit is shaping the way we listen to music around the nation. Hit hard by the recession of 2008. The streets may have slowed by life on the streets created poets.

Phil Hall

BearManor Media has announced the release of ‘In Search of Lost Films,’ a new book by Phil Hall. ‘In Search of Lost Films’ will be available in all book retail channels starting on August 8 for the suggested retail price of $29.95 for the hardcover edition and $19.95 for the paperback edition. It’s one of the most astonishing facts of cinema history: an large number of important films are believed to be lost forever. Spanning from the early days of the silent movies to as late as the 1970s and touching all corners of the global film experience, groundbreaking works of significant historical and artistic importance are gone. Cinema icons including Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Oscar Micheaux and Vincente Minnelli are among those impacted by this tragedy, and pioneering technological achievements in color cinematography, sound film technology, animation and widescreen projection are among the lost treasures. How could this happen? And is it possible to recover these missing gems? In this new book, film critic and journalist Phil Hall details circumstances that resulted in these productions being erased from view. For anyone with a passion for the big screen, ‘In Search of Lost Films’ provides an unforgettable consideration of a cultural tragedy. ABOUT PHIL HALL Phil Hall’s three-decade cinema/media career covers achievements as a film journalist, critic, publicist, distributor, festival programmer and actor. He is the author of six books, including The History of Independent Cinema and The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time (both published by BearManor Media), and his film-related writing has appeared in The New York Times, New York Daily News, Hartford Courant, Wired and Film Threat. He is also the host of The Online Movie Show on PPRN Radio, a member of the Online Film Critics Society’s Governing Committee, and director of the New England Underground Film Festival.

James Davis

When he's not writing jokes for James Corden on CBS. Comedian James Davis is out on the road bringing laughter to an all time high. A total social networking machine that realized from the very beginning how important the connection is.

Lauren Mann

“Honest & affectionate, with a little bit of whimsy,” is the sentiment behind songstress Lauren Mann’s latest album Dearestly (Wildwood, 2016). The songs are a poignant narrative of dark and light set against the backdrop of different landscapes, and chronicle years of touring and personal joys and struggles. Musically, the album travels from moments of sparse simplicity to bombastic choruses, anchored by Lauren’s vocal prowess and beautiful melodies. The Calgary native, who has recently put down roots in British Columbia’s Southern Gulf Islands, started touring full time in 2011 with her first album Stories From Home, a collection of self-produced home recordings. She followed this with the 2012 release Over Land and Sea, produced by Aaron Marsh (Copeland, Person L) and called “a sonic tapestry saturated by sunlight,” by Exclaim Magazine. The diverse instrumentation and beautiful harmonies centered around Lauren’s gift of songwriting garnered the attention of listeners and critics alike, with the songs Weight of the World, Over Land and Sea, and I Lost Myself going into regular rotation on CBC Radio 2 nationwide. In 2014, Lauren and her band affectionately known as the Fairly Odd Folk, were the winners of the CBC Searchlight contest, rising to the top of over 4500 bands across Canada and named Canada’s best new emerging artist.

Too Sliim and the Taildraggers

If Tim “Too Slim” Langford only played slide guitar, he would slither around most other blues guitarists and put a ferocious bite on their pride. However, as the sole six-string slinger, songwriter and lead singer of the power trio Too Slim and the Taildraggers, he is a total force of nature. In 2014, Too Slim and the Taildraggers released “Anthology”, recorded in Nashville with Producer Tom Hambridge. Anthology was chosen as the #1 Album of the Year by the Blues Matters Writers poll in the UK, and was #4 on the 2014 Roots Music Report Top Radio play for 2014. Too Slim and the Taildraggers 2013 release “Blue Heart” rose to #3 on Billboards Top Blues Album Chart in 2013 and was nominated for Blue/Rock Album of the Year in 2014 at the Blues Blast Music Awards. Now with 17 albums and countless gigs, he remains as untamed and menacing as ever. Too Slim and the Taildraggers 2012 CD Shiver was nominated for Blues Rock Album of the Year by the Blues Foundation at the 2012 Blues Music Awards in Memphis TN. Too Slim and the Taildraggers last three releases have also charted 20 plus times in the top 10 on Billboards Top Blues Album Charts. Too Slim and the Taildraggers have received Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards by The Washington Blues Society, The Cascade Blues Society and the Inland Empire Blues Society. Band Leader Tim Langford has also received numerous Best Band, Best Guitarist, Best Album and Readers Poll Awards from all three Blues Societies and NW Media. Too Slim and the Taildraggers music have also been featured on MTV’s series, The Real World and Road Rules. Tim "Too Slim" Langford, with his band the Taildraggers, have created an eclectic style of blues and rock that has become a genre all its own. The bands ever evolving musical direction cannot be classified into any box or category. The eclectic nature of the band allows Too Slim and the Taildraggers to easily crossover and appeal to audiences of various musical tastes. In 2012, Tim Too Slim Langford relocated from Seattle to Nashville Tennessee. Too Slim is backed by the some of the best musicians Nashville has to offer, Eric Hanson on Bass and Jeff “Shakey” Fowlkes on Drums/Vocals.

Too Sliim and the Taildraggers

If Tim “Too Slim” Langford only played slide guitar, he would slither around most other blues guitarists and put a ferocious bite on their pride. However, as the sole six-string slinger, songwriter and lead singer of the power trio Too Slim and the Taildraggers, he is a total force of nature. In 2014, Too Slim and the Taildraggers released “Anthology”, recorded in Nashville with Producer Tom Hambridge. Anthology was chosen as the #1 Album of the Year by the Blues Matters Writers poll in the UK, and was #4 on the 2014 Roots Music Report Top Radio play for 2014. Too Slim and the Taildraggers 2013 release “Blue Heart” rose to #3 on Billboards Top Blues Album Chart in 2013 and was nominated for Blue/Rock Album of the Year in 2014 at the Blues Blast Music Awards. Now with 17 albums and countless gigs, he remains as untamed and menacing as ever. Too Slim and the Taildraggers 2012 CD Shiver was nominated for Blues Rock Album of the Year by the Blues Foundation at the 2012 Blues Music Awards in Memphis TN. Too Slim and the Taildraggers last three releases have also charted 20 plus times in the top 10 on Billboards Top Blues Album Charts. Too Slim and the Taildraggers have received Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards by The Washington Blues Society, The Cascade Blues Society and the Inland Empire Blues Society. Band Leader Tim Langford has also received numerous Best Band, Best Guitarist, Best Album and Readers Poll Awards from all three Blues Societies and NW Media. Too Slim and the Taildraggers music have also been featured on MTV’s series, The Real World and Road Rules. Tim "Too Slim" Langford, with his band the Taildraggers, have created an eclectic style of blues and rock that has become a genre all its own. The bands ever evolving musical direction cannot be classified into any box or category. The eclectic nature of the band allows Too Slim and the Taildraggers to easily crossover and appeal to audiences of various musical tastes. In 2012, Tim Too Slim Langford relocated from Seattle to Nashville Tennessee. Too Slim is backed by the some of the best musicians Nashville has to offer, Eric Hanson on Bass and Jeff “Shakey” Fowlkes on Drums/Vocals.

Nick Tokeman

From dream to dreamboat: How did “Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Chanel) castmate Nick Tokman (www.NickTokman.com) go from being a college graduate to staying in a homeless shelter then spending four seasons as a fisherman on this Emmy-winning show and risking his life daily for crab by doing one of the world’s most dangerous jobs? And why is he leaving the show, and a six-figure corporate offer, to pursue a new dream as a motivational speaker? Would you like an inspiring interview to get the answers?

Ladonnis

Ladonnis Decurtis Crump, better known by the stage name Donnis, is an American rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia. He released his debut mixtape, Diary of an ATL Brave, in 2009, and signed to Atlantic Records in 2010. Born: June 2, 1984 (age 32), Montclair, CA Genre: Hip hop music Home town: Atlanta Albums: Break Hundreds & Hearts, Fashionably Late (Hosted by Clinton Sparks, DJ Ill Will & DJ Rockstar), Fashionably Late Record labels: Fool's Gold Records, Atlantic Records

Nicholas Irving

At the onset of his military career, Nicholas Irving went from an unlikely candidate with the Army Rangers, to become one of the greatest snipers in Ranger history. The first African American to serve as a sniper in his battalion, Irving famously became known as “The Reaper,” and his astounding 33 kills over one four-month period in mid-2009, and his record for enemy kills on a single mission, cemented his reputation as one of the great warriors in modern US military history. His reputation as one of the all-time great snipers is such that he has an AR-15 rifle named after him. When his powerful memoir, The Reaper, was published in early 2015 it became a runaway New York Times bestseller. A five-part TV movie based on his life has been optioned by the Weinstein Group with NBC tabbed at a future date to air, and his one of the team leaders in the Fox TV spring hit series, American Grit. And there’s more to come. With the publication of his new book, WAY OF THE REAPER: My Greatest Untold Missions and the Art of Being a Sniper (St. Martin’s Press, on sale August 9, 2016, $27.99), with Gary Brozek, Irving takes the reader further in to his world as a Ranger sniper, recounting his 10 greatest sniper kill missions and providing insight into the art of being a sniper. Through the lens and backdrop of Irving’s ten most significant sniper kills, he takes the reader through the steps of becoming the best in the business. Each of these kills has never before been told and each provides an in-depth look at a new element of achieving success and taking out the enemy. From reconnaissance to intel reports, to weaponry and skill to downright luck, Irving provides a heart-racing narrative of the true stories of “The Reaper’s” most incredible missions. Perhaps the most incredible of all is the amazing kill shot of a human target from over half a mile away, his longest ever. Throughout his tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Nick Irving earned every bit of his reputation and nickname. He took down scores of enemy combatants with his sniper rifle and waged deadly firefights with a .50 caliber machine gun. From his use of silent sub-sonic ammunition to mano-a-mano battles with suicide bombers, to being the target of snipers himself, Irving has crafted an amazing career as a warrior. With WAY OF THE REAPER he will place the reader right in the heart of the battles he endured in reality, experiencing the same dangers, horrors and acts of courage that he, as an elite member of the Army 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, went through. Readers will experience the rush of the hunt and the danger that all snipers must face, while learning what it takes to become an elite member of a very special and select community.

Francisco D3L

The art of music doesn't always keep you trapped behind microphone or lyrics. Discovery is the true journey.

Paul Buckley and Elda Rotor

In CLASSIC PENGUIN: COVER TO COVER, Paul Buckley takes readers on a curated tour of Penguin Classics’ recent art design history, beginning with the now-iconic redesign of the signature Penguin Classics black-spine series in 2003 and moving through award-winning series like the Penguin Classics Graphic Deluxe Editions, Penguin Drop Caps, and Penguin Horror. Exhibiting a mesmerizing array of front covers and full cover layouts, Paul Buckley illuminates the unique and inventive approaches to typography, image, and design that grace the covers of the best works in literature. Throughout the book, the artists and designers who have collaborated with Penguin Classics—including Malika Favre, Mike Mignola, Jessica Hische, Jillian Tamaki, James Franco and many more —offer commentary on the design process. For lovers of classic literature, book design, and all things Penguin, CLASSIC PENGUIN has you covered. About the Editor: PAUL BUCKLEY is one of the premiere creative directors working today, overseeing a diverse group of designers and art directors creating exceptional book covers and branding for fifteen imprints and countless authors within the Penguin Random House publishing group. For the past two decades, his iconic design and singular art direction has been showcased on thousands of covers and jackets, winning him many awards and frequent invitations to speak in the United States and abroad. Paul lives in Brooklyn with his wife Ingsu Liu. ELDA ROTOR (Preface) is the publisher and editorial director for Penguin Classics. She has created and edited several series including Penguin Civic Classics, Penguin Threads, Couture Classics, Penguin Horror, and Penguin Drop Caps.

Andrew Matteson From The Hollywood Brats

Moving to London in 1971 with only a guitar, a tattered copy of the Melody Maker, and his own brilliant vision for the perfect punk band, Andrew Matheson set out to make music history. His band, The Hollywood Brats, were pre-punk prophets—uncompromising, ultra-thin, wild, and untamable—an outrageous crew of musicians who could only have found each other in the crazy world of the 1970s London music scene. The Brats recorded one genius-but-ignored album and ultimately fell afoul of the crooks who ran a music industry that wasn’t quite ready for the punk revolution. Directly inspiring Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols, and the Clash, The Hollywood Brats imploded too soon to share the glory. SICK ON YOU blazes through Matheson’s memories, from the strange coming together of the bands members, to their impressive financial struggles, to their bizarre and eye-catching outfits. We see the Brats ascend the industry ladder—meeting face-to-face with label executives—only to witness their bitter disappointment after those very same meetings. Recounting the trials and tribulations of this eclectic group of boys navigating the chaotic 1970s London music scene, Matheson’s voice is provocative, occasionally inappropriate, and completely hilarious. SICK ON YOU is unlike any music memoir you’ve ever read, because it isn’t success story—it’s a magnetizing story of a spectacular failure. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrew Matheson was a founding member of The Hollywood Brats from 1971 to 1975. Then, after a brief stint playing football (aka soccer) in North America, Matheson rejoined the world of music with his 1979 album, Monterey Shoes. He has since been writing and recording music, producing, publishing magazine articles, and drinking pints.

Penn Jillette

In PRESTO! How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear and Other Magical Tales (August 2, 2016/$26.00 hardcover), legendary magician Penn Jillette tells how he lost one hundred pounds with his trademark outrageous sense of humor and biting social commentary that makes this success story anything but ordinary. Topping 330 pounds and saddled with a systolic blood pressure reading over 200, Jillette found himself at a dangerous crossroads. Approaching his sixtieth birthday, Jillette needed a drastic lifestyle change if he wanted to see his small children grow up. Enter “CrayRay.” A former NASA scientist and unconventional, passionate innovator, Ray Cronise changed Penn Jillette’s life with his wild “potato diet.” In PRESTO! Jillette takes us along on his journey from skepticism to the inspiring, life-changing momentum that transformed the magician’s body and mind. He describes the process in hilarious detail as he performs his Las Vegas show, takes meetings with Hollywood executives, and hangs out with his celebrity friends and fellow eccentric performers, all while remaining a dedicated husband and father. Throughout, Jillette weaves in his views on sex, religion, and pop culture, making his story a refreshing, genre-busting account. Outspoken, frank, and bitingly clever, PRESTO! is an incisive, rollicking read.

Clint Emersen

Listen to the conversation From national bestselling author and retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson comes the essential guide for surviving today’s emergencies—from navigating in the wild to staying alive in any disaster. That includes what kinds of terrible things that may happen in large gatherings – from the political conventions to the tragedy in Nice to the Summer Olympics in Rio These 100 skills, adapted for civilians from actual field experiences of special forces operations, offer a complete hands-on and practical guide to help you survive in the wild no matter the climate or terrain; be prepared for any crisis; and have the critical life-saving knowledge for staying safe in any hostile environment or disaster. Yesterday’s survival guide is no longer relevant. 100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition is what you need for today’s world, combining survival hacks developed on the battlefield with the low-tech tools you have on hand. This book is your essential prep manual, from securing shelter, building fire, finding food, and navigating back to civilization no matter the environment to thinking like a special forces solider so that you can survive a hostage situation, an active shooter, a suicide bomber, or a terrorist threat on the subway, and even apply trauma medicine as a first responder. Full of specific scenarios to help you get in the mindset of survival, 100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition is better than a Swiss Army knife whether you’re lost at sea, forced to land a plane, fighting off a bear, or deciding whether to run, hide, or fight. Next to each skill are easy-to-grasp detailed illustrations, because when you need to survive the apocalypse, you don’t have time for complicated instructions.

Wells Adams

https://soundcloud.com/user-72404847/wells-adams-from-the-bachelorette In the world of The Bachelorette, Wells Adams is an anomaly -- he's not a bodybuilder, he doesn't work in real estate or, like, pharmaceutical sales, and he doesn't look 10 years older than he actually is (he's 31 but looks 21, while most of the guys are 26 and look 40). He seems like a relatively nice, normal guy, one you could actually see yourself getting tacos and going to a concert with. And that is why he didn't win, and that is why I'll miss him. Wells got cut during his one-on-one date with JoJo Fletcher, since she just wasn't feeling the spark with him. He's not her type. But Wells wasn't on the show to actually win anyway. He was there as a cute guy who's good at talking off-the-cuff -- he is a radio DJ, after all. He's funny and articulate, qualities the remaining guys on the show (cough, Chase, cough) severely lack. He was able to explain what was happening, both when talking directly to the camera and during group scenes. He also got some entertaining moments of his own. His intro was the best of the first night, when he brought out the a cappella group All-4-One to serenade JoJo. All the other guys were jealous. When Chad got eliminated, it was his idea to spread the villain's leftover protein powder around like ashes, the only good moment of that otherwise unbecoming display. And who could forget the time he almost passed out during the fireman challenge? While most Bachelorette contestants would have a meltdown if they weren't in good enough shape to run up stairs while wearing 70 pounds of gear, Wells had a self-deprecating sense of humor about it and didn't quit, even though he wanted to. He came off well, even though he didn't win. The Bachelorette is an exercise in fantasy. Not even NFL quarterback/Prince Charming Jordan Rodgers or humble country boy with perfect abs Luke Pell can live up to the images the show creates for them. If men like them exist in real life, which is unlikely, they wouldn't be on this show. But Wells actually does exist in real life, both as a type and as a real person. There are thousands of cute music geeks who would go on a date with a Bachelorette viewer in a heartbeat, and all you'd have to do to meet them is get a latte at that hip new place downtown. And that seems to be who Wells actually is, not a character he's playing. He has thoughts besides "JoJo is pretty and I like to work out." He overthought the situation when he hadn't kissed JoJo yet, which is a problem, but it's a different problem than the under-thinking problem most Bachelorette contestants have. Wells is was actually crushable. I mean, I'm a straight man, so I don't know what women want, but I asked some straight female Bachelorette viewer friends of mine if Wells is the only dateable contestant, and they said yes (one of them also said Evan, because her boyfriend kind of looks like him, but she has insane taste, apparently). Among the sensitive Marines and millionaire athletes, Wells stood out for being relatable and attainable. So long, Wells. See you and your dog on Snapchat.

David Mandel

David Mandel recently took over as showrunner for the fifth season of HBO’s Emmy Award-winning sitcom, VEEP, which also received sixteen 2016 Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series (also last year's winner), Outstanding Actress (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Tony Hale, Matt Walsh), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Anna Chlumsky), Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Direction. Prior to VEEP, as a writer and executive producer, Mandel’s TV credits include three years of writing and producing an “Saturday Night Live” (1992-1995) and three years of writing and producing “Seinfeld”, which earned him two Emmy Award nominations, as well as a WGA Award nomination for “The Bizarro Jerry,” and a WGA Award win for “The Pool Guy.” Along with Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and Larry David, Mandel has written the last four seasons of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and served as executive producer for the last three. Mandel has also directed five episodes of the series. His work on “Curb” has earned him numerous Emmy, PGA and WGA Award nominations. Mandel’s film credits include writing and producing “The Dictator” with Berg and Schaffer, and writing and co-directing the cult comedy “EuroTrip,” also with Berg and Schaffer. ABOUT VEEP: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON HBO's acclaimed comedy is nominated for 17 Emmy Awards®, Including "Outstanding Comedy Series", and "Outstanding Actress" (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and More! Digital HD will street on July 18, 2016 The recent season of the HBO comedy Veep - which was nominated for 17 Emmy Awards® including Outstanding Comedy Series (also last year's winner), Outstanding Actress (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Tony Hale, Matt Walsh), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Anna Chlumsky), Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Direction - debuts on Digital HD July 18, 2016.

Mari

While Chicago-born rapper/singer/producer, Mari, is relatively new to the music scene, he is already known for his “lyrically rich raps, melodic choruses, and spacey, soulful instrumentals.” Named one of the most slept on projects of 2015 by The Music Ninja, Mari’s EP, Living Colored, is a soul-searching journey, in which he weaves the experiences of his childhood growing up south of Chicago, attending college in New England and working a finance job in Buffalo, NY. Successfully juggling music and a 9-5, Mari took advantage of his vacation days traveling between Chicago and NYC to record music, shoot music videos, and connect with musically minded people in order to refill his artistic spirit and vision. Mari is currently spending most of his time in NYC, developing his sound in the studio and working alongside musicians, including Lion Babe, Rome Fortune, and Julian Stephen . He was most recently featured on Hak's (Ratking) debut solo project, June. As he prepares to release his next project later this year, Mari will be releasing a new song every Monday as a part of his#MariMondays series.

Glenn Morrison

Multi-platinum record selling music producer, Glenn Morrison is the archetype of the modern DJ/producer star. The 30-year-old Toronto native isas happy rocking anunderground house party asheis performing atan exclusive oceanic rooftop venue; asadeptat composing an international club anthem like ‘ Contact’ asheisat concocting a pop dance record that strikes to the Billboard Charts in America. His single ‘ Goodbye’ hasbeen Certified Double Platinum and went Number 1 for 11 weeks in a row on the Canadian Billboard Chart, as well as going Number 1 in Russia’ s Billboard Chart. Itwound up taking over Eastern Europe and became Number 1 in 7 Countries to date. Heis signed to Sony Records, Universal Music Group and Sony Music ATV as a writer, producer, & recording artist. Hehas been nominated for several Juno Awards in 2015, as well as Fans Choice Award / Dance Artist of the Year / Dance Record of the Year for Sirius XM Radio Music Awards, and won the SOCAN Dance Record of the Year 2015.Glenn has enjoyed the support of DJs as varied as John Digweed and Richie Hawtin toDavid Guetta and Tiesto. For three years he was resident at the world’s best club, Ibiza’ s Amnesia Club, and was a resident at Space in Ibiza for 1 year, as well as Space inMiami for 2 years. Last year, Glenn added the latest addition to his residency repertoire in his monthly night being held inLas Vegas at the acclaimed Moon Nightclub at the Palms Casino. And heis perfecting a sinuous, hooky sound that combines the eerie beauty of pure techno with light rains of melody and flashes of emotion. In short, Glenn Morrison isoneof the most dynamic and accomplished talents inelectronic music today. Period. Morrison is a difficult DJto pigeonhole and that’ s what makes him such a fascinating talent. One minute his sound is ruthlessly minimal and funky; the next it’ s washed incolor and vocals and emotion. Glenn has had an unusual career path. He started off as a classical pianist, a preteenprodigy, performing –and winning – competitions. Then came a life-changing encounter with electronic music. Production continues apace in the new mastering studio Morrison has built in Toronto, entitled Alpine Mastering (www.alpinemastering.com).Beit sound design for video game companies like Nintendo, EA Sports, Activision or Rockstar, or his own productions, he simply doesn’ t stop making and playing music. His latest partnership with IMAX hasbeen a thrilling experience, pushing the boundaries of electronic music tothat of sound-scoring live theatre visuals. Glenn & IMAX unveiled this concept with a 3 part show series at the 2012 ComicCon event held at the Ruben H Fleet ScienceCentre in San Diego, and it was a huge success. “It’ s been a liberating transition for meto make music for all different stylistic purposes, and I’ m very grateful for having the ability todo what I love for a living” says Glenn.

Kitty Bruce

On August 3, 1966, Lenny Bruce died at the age of 40. Yet his impact on the worlds of comedy, jazz, the beats, and satire is incalculable. His autobiography, How to Talk Dirty and Influence People, remains a brilliant account of his life and the forces that made him at once one of the most important and controversial entertainers. “His scathing attacks on organized religion, politics, the death penalty, race and the ways in which we have chosen to live, made me laugh and made me think,” writes Lewis Black in a new preface. “This book gives us a solid context of what Lenny lived through and had to face. (We complain about the politically correct environment that makes comedy difficult? Are you kidding me?) We are talking about not even being able to tell your jokes without the threat of imprisonment.” In 1964, after being arrested on multiple occasions, Lenny Bruce was prosecuted because of his words and convicted of obscenity. In this book, “Bruce in effect is still arguing his case, unflinchingly pointing out what his accusers have done to him, even while they held great legal power over him. The bravery of that act should inspire us all,” Howard Reich writes in a new foreword. “If there’s a central lesson running through all of this, perhaps it’s Bruce’s apparently boundless respect for everyone else’s rights, even as his own were being so grievously violated.” Assembling his musings in essayistic chapters, Bruce writes candidly of the drama of his childhood; his Navy service and the postwar boredom that led him to seek a discharge; his emergence as a comic and how he virtually invented stand-up comedy as we know it today; and the substance abuse that tragically claimed his life. “Equally important, though, is the heady range of ideas Bruce dares to take on in this volume,” adds Reich. “The man was hell-bent on proclaiming the absurdities he saw but others didn’t or wouldn’t.” Lenny Bruce (1925 – 1966) was a stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and screenwriter. His 1964 trial for obscenity (and posthumous pardon) is seen as a landmark for freedom of speech in the United States. Today, Kitty Bruce champions her father’s legacy through the Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation. She will discuss why her father’s work and this book are as relevant today as they were when the book was first published in the 1960s.

Shirley Babashoff

Not all champions have Olympic medals. And even a gold medal can’t disguise the fact that dopers are no different than the common thief.In her extraordinary swimming career, Shirley Babashoff set thirty-nine national records and eleven world records. Prior to the 1990s, she was the most successful U.S. female Olympian and, in her prime, was widely considered to be the greatest female swimmer in the world. Heading into the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Babashoff was pictured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and followed closely by the media. Hopes were high that she would become “the female Mark Spitz.” All of that changed once Babashoff questioned the shocking masculinity of the swimmers on the East German women’s team. Once celebrated as America’s golden girl, Babashoff was accused of poor sportsmanship and vilified by the press with a new nickname: “Surly Shirley.” Making Waves displays the remarkable strength and resilience that made Babashoff such a dynamic champion. From her difficult childhood and beginnings as a determined young athlete growing up in Southern California in the 1960s, through her triumphs as the greatest female amateur swimmer in the world, Babashoff tells her story in the same unflinching manner that made her both the most dominant female swimmer of her time and one of the most controversial athletes in Olympic history.