The story Charles Dickens might have written after drinking too much gin…Follow half-orphan Pip's extraordinary exploits with sisters Pippa and Poppy and best friend Harry Biscuit, as they attempt to escape the calculating clutches of the dastardly Mr Gently Benevolent, defeat the hideous Hardthrasher siblings, and deflect disaster at every turn! Will evil be vanquished by virtue? Can love triumph over hate?Mark Evans' stage play Bleak Expectations is a hilarious, ...

The old way of selling is dead. Long gone are the days of manipulation and corny techniques instead of actually delivering value. Salespeople and leaders who understand this change is happening will be rewarded, while those who don't will fall by the wayside. The sales revolution is happening, and it's happening quicker than anyone realized. The industry needs an approachable and authentic system that blends tactics AND personal development. Raise Your Standards is the definitive guide to ...

Two of the biggest musical-theatre stars working today answer questions submitted by the public on a wide range of theatrical topics.A message from Louise and Mark...This is the book for anyone who's seen a show and thought: 'That could be me...'That's what we used to think growing up, dreaming of working in musical theatre. Now, after years of hard work, we've been lucky enough to star in some amazing shows, including Wicked, The Book ...

In recent times Australia has developed into one of the world's leading liberal democracies. Its governments have delivered continuous economic growth for more than three decades, even against the turmoil of a global pandemic. And the country's highly competitive elections and strong political institutions operate within a stable and balanced federal system.In Australia's Evolving Democracy a team of leading academic authors use an audit approach to critically explore nati...

Essays on the use of music and sound in films from Godzilla to Star Wars and beyond.In recent years, music and sound have been increasingly recognized as an important, if often neglected, aspect of film production and film studies. Off the Planet comprises a lively, stimulating, and diverse collection of essays on aspects of music, sound, and science fiction cinema.Following a detailed historical introduction to the development of...

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have focused new attention on a perennial problem: how to end wars well. What ethical considerations should guide war’s settlement and its aftermath? In cases of protracted conflicts, recurring war, failed or failing states, or genocide and war crimes, is there a framework for establishing an enduring peace that is pragmatic and moral?Ethics Beyond War’s End provides answers to these questions from the just war tradition. Just war thinking ...

We've all heard some version of the line: "I enjoy classical music but don't know anything about it." Why but? Why and when did listeners begin to accept the idea that knowledge was needed to enjoy this particular repertory? Music's Fourth Wall and the Rise of Reflective Listening traces fundamental changes in the way listeners perceived instrumental music in European concert halls over the course of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Like the theater, th...

'A fast-paced, thrilling account of British heroism, brave men surrounded and fighting against overwhelming odds. This is the real, sometimes shocking, and deeply personal story of modern warfare and PTSD.' Andy McNab'This hugely timely book reveals in gripping detail the personal stories of its hidden victims - lest we forget.' Damien LewisTrapped in an isolated outpost on the edge of the Helmand desert, a small force of British and Afghan...

This is the first book to investigate the social, political, cultural, artistic and economic forces which created conditions for the rise, success and decline of mime and physical theatre in the United Kingdom, from the 1970s to 2000.Unpicking the various routes through which mime and physical theatre emerged into wider prominence, this book outlines key thematic strands within this history of practice. The book blends historical description and refl ective analysis. It aims to jux...

Many engineering companies around the world are currently undergoing a quality control and improvement revolution that originally started in Japan many decades ago and this book provides a brief overview of this revolution. Robust design is a central component of the modern approach to quality improvement and is a phrase used to describe any engineering activity whose objective is to develop high quality products (and processes) at low cost. A key characteristic of robust design is the use...

Democracy is in crisis. Is there still time to save it?Democracies face external threat from aggressive authoritarian states. Internally, citizens have grown increasingly distrustful of politicians and more cynical about national and global governance institutions. The time is ripe for democracy to renew itself. This text offers a state-of-the art overview of democratic innovations today, moving beyond cries of the 'death' or 'end' of democracy to instead offer a range of practical...

Olthorp, a steel town in Lancashire, celebrates VE day. The end of war and a time for celebration. But for a group of young friends it’s not that simple – the rest of their lives is only just beginning.For Connie, the end of an unexpected pregnancy and her husband, a returning POW, present her with an impossible choice of deception or shame; and for Martha, a friendship that is asking too much, a husband that needs too little from her and a brother whose past is coming back to haun...