Author:Joanna Toye,Miriam Margolyes
The first fascinating part of Joanna Toye's delightful trilogy about life in Ambridge. Covering the years 1951-1967, Family Ties introduces the main characters: Dan, Doris, Phil, Christine, Jack and Peggy and their children, Walter Gabriel, the Fairbrothers and Tom Forrest. The early years are action-packed: Phil's courtship and marriage to Grace and her tragic death; his subsequent marriage to Jill and the birth of their children; Jack's drinking problem and later, the birth of Jennifer's illegitimate baby. Miriam Margolyes, a life-long Archers fan, brings the characters and the village of Ambridge vividly to life in this abridged reading.
Hurray! Here's the fourth series of John Finnemore's splendid comedy made magical by the brilliance of its cast.
—— Gillian Reynolds , Daily TelegraphThe more I listen to John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure, the more I think what a stonking masterpiece it is. Perfect in every department.
—— Philip PullmanWe now have a permanent - and worthy - account of a monumental artistic achievement
—— Daily MailMr Culshaw's book makes stirring reading, and sets the seal on the real artistic achievement
—— VogueIn listening to the Decca Ring one immediately senses it to be one of the greatest achievements ever made by a record company; in reading Mr Culshaw's book, one knows WHY it is
—— ScotsmanMr Culshaw who was (together with Solti) the leading spirit in the enterprise from first to last, has made the very most of his narrative opportunities
—— Sunday TimesA spectacularly well-researched and vehement argument
—— Sunday TimesCombines historical context with hilariously barbed anecdotes
—— Total FilmThe angrier Mark Kermode gets, the funnier he is; good news then that this book is FURIOUS
—— Empire[A] laugh-out-loud account that will tickle the funny bone of any film fanatic
—— StarWitty and incisive
—— ChoiceCutting and witty
—— Loaded[Kermode] clearly has a profound love of film and the depth of knowledge to go with it
—— Jeff Dawson , Sunday TimesAn angry blast about the state of cinema-going
—— Christopher Fowler, Books of the Year: Cinema , IndependentKermode sits in the stalls peeking through his fingers at what we’re served up on the silver screen and motormouthing about bad cinema in a frank and funny counterblast to all the Hollywood hype
—— SagaThe Good, the Bad and the Multiplex is the film critic’s anguished cri de coeur against overpriced 3D film tickets and soulless cinemas ... often very funny and enlivened with wonderful digressions borne out of a lifetime’s movie-going
—— Books of the Year , MetroDifficult to ignore
—— Good Book Guidea spritely, spirited tome ... with welcome doses of spicy self-deprecation and fascinating cultural history.
—— The Big Issue in the NorthI can’t remember a music journal that I enjoyed reading more. One comes away full of admiration for Rusbridger’s ambition and determination.
—— Jeremy Nicholas , GramophoneInspiring.
—— O, The Oprah MagazineRead about Rusbridger's obsession in his inspiring, diary-like new book.
—— Huffington PostA wonderful account of trying to learn a complex piano piece while running the Guardian at the time of Wikileaks and phone hacking.
—— Susie Orbach , GuardianRusbridger’s book is fascinating because you see him visibly struggling to keep up with the complexities of the Chopin piece along with everything else that’s going on in his life
—— Jim Carroll , Irish Times