Elizabeth Thomson Libri

"To this day, wherever great rock music is being made, there is the shadow of Bob Dylan," said Bruce Springsteen at the induction of Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Or to quote John Rockwell, "Anyone who didn't live through the sixties simply cannot realize how important his albums seemed then; they defined a community." Dylan is a musical, literary, political, and religious icon whose lyrics and mystique have spawned countless articles and books. The Dylan Companion is a generous helping of the best, most pungent, and most insightful commentary on Dylan from all phases of his career right up to the personal recollections and professional assessments from the likes of Ken Kesey, Greil Marcus, Joan Baez, Andrew Motion, Lester Bangs, Kurt Loder, Allen Ginsberg, Pauline Kael, Geoff Dyer, Simon Winchester, and Robert Christgau-over fifty pieces celebrating the sixty-year-old performer who somehow manages to stay forever young.

Celebrates the life of the folk singer and activist who received the Woody Guthry Prize in 2020.

Despite his vast influence and perennial popularity, David Bowie remains one of the most elusive figures in rock, and few books have taken a serious look at his remarkable career. The Bowie Companion provides an entertaining overview of nearly three decades of popular culture commentary, giving full weight to his stage, screen, and musical careers. From both American and English publications, the editors have come up with some astonishing selections, and have added to them a slew of new material. Included are: Leslie Thomas's hilarious local newspaper story on little Davy Jones (Bowie's original name) and his campaign to defend "those who wear their hair long"; Patti Smith's poem/review of Heroes; Gordon Burn's backstage look at The Elephant Man; Wilfrid Mellers's musical analysis of Hunky Dory; Anne Rice on Bowie's ambiguous gender; Jon Savage on Bowie's relationship to the mainstream; a strange conversation between Bowie and William Burroughs; three acerbic reviews by the immortal Lester Bangs; contributions from Marc Bolan, Simon Frith, Pauline Kael, John Rockwell, and Ellen Willis, among others; a lengthy introduction, a select discography, and an extensive bibliography. Taken together, they make up a book that is a must for Bowie fans, and a perfect companion for anyone interested in the phenomenon of pop stardom

The story chronicles the journey of Jo Collins and Mary Ward, who founded a theater company in a chicken shed in 1974, driven by their belief in universal creativity. Over four decades, Chickenshed has evolved into a pioneering theater company known for its inclusive approach, bringing together diverse individuals to create impactful performances. Supported by notable figures like Princess Diana and Judi Dench, the company has transformed countless lives and sparked an international movement for inclusion in the arts, commemorating its legacy with this celebration of its 40th anniversary.