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Tom Watkins

LONGLISTED FOR THE PENDERYN MUSIC PRIZE 2017 
 
The coke-fuelled mania behind pop’s greatest successes 
 
 
Tom Watkins is the famously entertaining pop Svengali with killer commercial instincts and prodigious talent for design. He propelled the Pet Shop Boys, Bros and East 17, among others, to global stardom, all whilst maintaining a savage hedonistic lifestyle and a stellar art collection. His fingerprints are all over British pop, and he’s decided the time has come for a tell-all autobiography about the business behind the stars that shaped your life in the 80s and 90s. 
 
Follow Tom’s journey from his humble boyhood in post-war South-East London, to his teenage misdeeds and the birth of Rock and Roll; his days as a design student under the tutelage of Terence Conran and Rodney Fitch, to the excesses of the 80s and 90s where he became one of the original boy band innovators – the driving force behind the pop icons plastered on the walls of teenage girls’ bedrooms. 
 
Funny, unstoppable and outspoken, a razor-sharp and greatly respected businessman, marketing visionary, designer and art collector, Tom takes us through his extraordinary and colourful life into the inner-circle of 80s pop-culture. From hobnobbing with Bruce Sprinsteen to bust-ups with Bros, Tom has seen it all. 
 
Expect a gripping, gossipy, meticulously researched memoir of the drug-addled 80s and 90s, layered on top of an insightful and intelligent portrait of a recent but very different age, from the singular perspective of a man who played a huge role in defining the era and paved the way for industry moguls like Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh.

Let's Make Lots of Money

My Life as the Biggest Man in Pop

Secrets of a Rich, Fat, Gay, Lucky Bastard

Angela Clarke

The incredibly popular Daily Mail column, 'Confessions of a Fashionista', feeds its hungry readers snippets of a life in the glittering yet deranged world of fashion. Now its anonymous author reveals both her identity and the true story of her giddyingly glamorous time in the style industry, with insider gossip on the people who populate it. 
 
Propelled by a painful end to a relationship and determined to prove her ex wrong for breaking up with her, our Fashionista lands a place on the Harrods Graduate Scheme. A complete outsider to the fashion world, she sets out on a wing and a pair of Guccis, and finds herself in a whirlwind of couture and craziness. Along the way she learns how to stay sane in a world where hairdressers have egos as big as their clients' bouffants, where dogs fly business class, and if you're eating carbs it can only be because you're pregnant. 
 
Confessions of a Fashionista is a book for anyone who's ever been an outsider, for anyone who's ever had a relationship end badly and thought they'd never find true love, and for anyone who thinks that cakes were made to be eaten, not sniffed. By turns hilarious, sad, thrilling, romantic and fun, it is the It book for fashionistas everywhere.

Confessions of a Fashionista

Sanjida O'Connell

Our lust for sugar has changed the shape of the world economically culturally and scoially. Sanjida O' Connell reveals, in accessible and scintillating prose, the extraordinary and illuminating story of sugar's journey from a grass to world domination.

Sugar

The Grass that Changed the World

Leigh Gallagher

'An engrossing story of audacious entrepreneurism' -- Charles Duhigg 
 
'Captures the remarkable journey of Airbnb exceedingly well' -- Reid Hoffman 
 
'fast paced, fun dive into one of the seminal firms of our time' -- Rana Foroohar 
 
In 2008, two broke art school graduates and their coder-whiz friend set up a platform that – in less than a decade – became one of the largest provider of accommodations in the world. Now valued at $31 billion, Airbnb is in the very top tier of Silicon Valley’s ‘unicorn’ startups. 
 
Yet the company has not been without controversy – disrupting a $500 billion hotel industry makes you a few enemies. This is also a story of regulators who want to shut it down, hotel industry leaders who want it to disappear and neighbourhoods that struggle with private homes open for public rental. But beyond the headlines and the horror stories, Airbnb has changed the terms of travel for a whole generation – where a sense of belonging has built trust between hosts and guests seeking a more original travel experience that hotels have struggled to replicate. 
 
This is the first, definitive book to tell the remarkable story behind Airbnb in all its forms – cultural zeitgeist, hotel disruptor, enemy to regulators – and the first in-depth character study of its leader Brian Chesky, the company’s curious co-founder and CEO. It reveals what got Airbnb where it is today, why they are nothing like Uber, and where they are going next.

The Airbnb Story

How to Disrupt an Industry, Make Billions of Dollars … and Plenty of Enemies

How Three Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions of Dollars … and Plenty of Enemies

Amber Marks

Crime detection has gone to the dogs and squirrels are being busted for espionage. If you've never wondered about the new direction of 'intelligence-led policing' in our society, now is the time to start. 
 
It was a chance encounter with a police sniffer-dog that drew criminal lawyer Amber Marks into the hidden world of the science of smell and its law-enforcement applications. Soon she stumbled into a wonderland of contemporary surveillance, where the spying skills of bees, dolphins and a myriad other critters were being harnessed to build a 'secure world' of bio-intelligence. From the businesses, scientists and military departments developing new smell-based surveillance technologies, to good old-fashioned police dogs, Amber discovered a secret world of security forces, where animals and scent are as important as intelligence agents and CCTV. 
 
Part polemical exploration of our burgeoning surveillance society, part humorous memoir, this intriguing book will capture your imagination and get you wondering: just who stands to benefit from all this 'security'?

Headspace

Sniffer Dogs, Spy Bees and One Woman's Adventures in the Surveillance Society

Richard Branson

As far back as stories go, pioneers have reached for the skies. In the last two hundred years, they have mastered the air and made the modern world possible. Today they are bringing outer space within our reach. They're inventors and toymakers, amateurs and adventurers, visionaries, dreamers and, yes, crackpots. Some have called them irresponsible, even dangerous. But Richard Branson has met many of them. He has worked with them, funded them, and flown with them. He admires them, and trusts them, and thinks they and their kind are our future. 
 
In this book Richard Branson looks at the history of flight through the stories and people who have inspired him throughout his life. In these pages you will find tales of miraculous rescues; of records made and broken; of surprising feats of endurance and survival, including some of his own adventures, as well as developments in the future of air travel (and space travel). It is a story of pioneers, and of course it includes the world famous Montgolfiers and the Wright brothers, but he also wants to describe some of the lesser-known trailblazers. People like Tony Jannus, who in 1914 created the first scheduled commercial flight in the world, flying his passengers over the waters of Tampa Bay at an altitude of just fifty feet! The 'bird man' Leo Valentin, who in the 1950s jumped from 9,000 feet with wooden wings attached to his shoulders. And Branson's friend Steve Fossett, who dedicated his life to breaking records and having adventures. 
 
This is their story. It is also, in a small way, his own.

Reach for the Skies

Ballooning, Birdmen and Blasting into Space

Mick Middles

Factory Records' fame and fortune were based on two bands - Joy Division and New Order - and one personality - that of its director, Tony Wilson. At the height of the label's success in the late 1980s, it ran its own club, the legendary Haçienda, had a string of international hit records, and was admired and emulated around the world. But by the 1990s the story had changed. The back catalogue was sold off, top bands New Order and Happy Mondays were in disarray, and the Haçienda was shut down by the police. 
 
Critically acclaimed on its original publication in 1996, this book tells the complete story of Factory Records' spectacular history, from the label's birth in 1970s Manchester, through its '80s heyday and '90s demise. Now updated to include new material on the re-emergence of Joy Division, the death of Tony Wilson and the legacy of Factory Records, it draws on exclusive interviews with the major players to give a fascinating insight into the unique personalities and chaotic reality behind one of the UK's most influential and successful independent record labels.

Factory

The Story of the Record Label

Anuschka Rees

An inspirational yet practical guide to clothes, shopping more effectively and discovering and developing a strong sense of personal style. With modern, minimal page design and four-colour photography throughout, this pragmatic and practical book should be required reading for anyone familiar with staring at a closet full of clothes and still feeling like they don't have anything to wear. 
 
'This chic, thoughtful book is full of genius methods for taking control of your look, your habits, your budget, and your wardrobe.' -- Alison Freer, author of How to Get Dressed 
'A smart, straightforward manual that encourages readers to discover what they like and to develop a wardrobe that makes getting dressed easier.' -- Erin Boyle, author of Simple Matters 
'I loved this book. I've been trying for years to put together a capsule wardrobe...' -- ***** Reader review 
'If you want a well organised wardrobe then this is your book!' -- ***** Reader review 
'A wonderful, engaging and practical guide' -- ***** Reader review 
'The best style book ever' -- ***** Reader review 
'Legitimately changed my life (and bank balance) !!!' -- ***** Reader review 
 
*********************************************************************************************************** 
Get the wardrobe you've always wanted, filled with only those pieces that you love to put on and that make you look and feel amazing. 
 
Berlin-based style blogger Anuschka Rees will change your attitude and approach to clothes and shopping with her new minimal method. She rejects the clichéd fashion rules and instead encourages you to look in your wardrobe and at your life, as well as in the mirror. 
 
Using interactive prompts, infographic-style questionnaires and helpful check lists, all beautifully illustrated with photography and mood boards, create your own individual style guidelines that truly speak to you. 
 
A must-have guide that will help you shop in a more cost-effective and efficient way and discover and develop a strong sense of personal style.

The Curated Closet

Discover Your Personal Style and Build Your Dream Wardrobe

Jon Gaunt

Millions know him as a loudmouth radio shock-jock and Sun columnist. Yet, in his life Jon Gaunt has had to overcome unimaginable hardship, solitude, bankruptcy and despair. His mother died suddenly when he was just twelve, his hard-drinking, womanising father abandoned him to suffer appalling treatment in a children's home. At twenty-eight, his business had a million pound turnover, but a stroke of fate caused catastrophe. Undaunted, Jon Gaunt has always fought back. Behind the outspoken media personality, this is the very human story of self-preservation, personal growth and forgiveness, told in Jon's inimitable forthright style.

Undaunted

The True Story Behind the Popular Shock-Jock

Jayne-Anne Gadhia

Jayne-Anne Gadhia, the straight-talking CEO of Virgin Money, looks back at the events that have influenced, shaped and inspired her to become one of the most powerful women in banking. 
 
With anecdotes from her life before becoming a banker, including beating the bullies and experiencing racism as part of a mixed race marriage, through to building a business from scratch, working at RBS under Fred Goodwin just before the financial crash, and steering Virgin Money to become a listed business, breaking boundaries along the way, professionally and personally. 
 
Jayne-Anne shines a light on issues surrounding the role of women in banking and the alpha-male dinosaurs that dominate the industry. She draws on the relationships and deals that have shaped her career so far, including her personal experience with mental health issues, which has helped her attitude and approach to both her business and personal life. 
 
 This is not a conventional biography, nor a ‘how to do it’ business book. It is a candid, fresh and fascinating insight into being a woman in business, the financial crisis and the way in which business can be conducted as a force for good.

The Virgin Banker

Ann Harrison

This essential and highly acclaimed guide, now updated and revised in its ninth edition, explains the business of the British music industry. 
 
Drawing on her extensive experience as a media lawyer, Ann Harrison offers a unique, expert opinion on the deals, the contracts and the business as a whole. She examines in detail the changing face of the music industry and provides absorbing and up-to-date case studies. 
 
Whether you're a recording artist, songwriter, music business manager, industry executive, publisher, journalist, media student, accountant or lawyer, this practical and comprehensive guide is indispensable reading. 
 
Fully revised and updated, this edition focuses on the transformative effects artificial intelligence is already having on the industry as well as exciting future developments for creativity and copyright considerations.

Music: The Business (9th Edition)

Siân Pattenden

Thousands of people want to break into the exciting, glamorous and hard-working music industry, but don't know how to go about it. How to Make it in the Music Business is a genuine insider's guide for anybody who wants to become a rock star, journalist, publicist, band manager, DJ, A&amp;R person, songwriter or even a digital whiz kid. 
 
Fully updated with new information on the impact of new technology and digital music, this indispensable guide is a must for all budding music biz types.

How To Make it in the Music Business

John Motson

From Ronnie Radford to Wayne Rooney, John Motson's knowledge and passion for football are unrivalled. In Motty, he shares his story for the first time and guides us through a career which has spanned forty years and over 2,000 matches. From reporting on the exploits of the giant-killing Hereford team in the 1972 FA Cup that made his name on Match of the Day, to the estimated twenty-million viewers who tuned in to his commentary on England's match with Portugal at the 2006 World Cup, Motson's time in the commentary box has delivered some unforgettable anecdotes. In dozens of fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, we hear about the greatest football matches he has watched and the greatest players and managers he has been privileged to know. Many of them are football icons; Bill Shankly, Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough, Alf Ramsey, and Matt Busby, amongst countless others. 
Motty is essential reading for anyone who has grown up with the undisputed voice of football.

Motty

Forty Years in the Commentary Box

This essential and highly acclaimed guide, now updated and revised in its eighth edition, explains the business of the British music industry. 
 
Drawing on her extensive experience as a media lawyer, Ann Harrison offers a unique, expert opinion on the deals, the contracts and the business as a whole. She examines in detail the changing face of the music industry and provides absorbing and up-to-date case studies. 
 
Whether you're a recording artist, songwriter, music business manager, industry executive, publisher, journalist, media student, accountant or lawyer, this practical and comprehensive guide is indispensable reading. 
 
Fully revised and updated. Includes: 
· The current types of record and publishing deals, and what you can expect to see in the contracts 
· A guide to making a record, manufacture, distribution, branding, marketing, merchandising, sponsorship, band arrangements and touring 
· Information on music streaming, digital downloads and piracy 
· The most up-to-date insights on how the COVID-19 crisis has affected marketing 
· An in-depth look at copyright law and related rights 
· Case studies illustrating key developments and legal jargon explained.

Music: The Business (8th edition)

(8th edition)

Geoffrey Cain

*** Longlisted for the 2020 Financial Times &amp; McKinsey Business Book of the Year *** 
 
'Shines an incisive and entertaining light into the secretive world of the South Korean technology giant shaping our digital lives in ways we probably can't imagine' -- Brad Stone 
 
Can the Asian giant beat Apple? 
 
Based on years of reporting on Samsung for the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and Time from his base in South Korea, and his countless sources inside and outside the company, Geoffrey Cain offers the first deep look behind the curtains of the biggest company nobody knows. 
 
How has this happened? Forty years ago, Samsung was a rickety Korean agricultural conglomerate that produced sugar, paper, and fertilizer. But with the rise of the PC revolution, Chairman Lee Byung-chul came up with an incredibly risky multimillion dollar plan to make Samsung a major supplier of computer chips. Lee had been wowed by a young Steve Jobs who sat down with the chairman to offer his advice, and Lee quickly became obsessed with creating a tech empire. 
 
Today, Samsung employs over 350,000 people - over four times as many as Apple - and their revenues have grown 40 times their 1987 level. Samsung alone now make up more than 20% of South Korea's exports and sells more smartphones than any other company in the world. And furthermore, they don't just make their own phones, but are one of Apple's chief supplier on technology critical to the iPhone. Yet their disastrous recall of the Galaxy Note 7, with numerous reports of phones spontaneously bursting into flames, reveals the dangers of the company's headlong attempt to overtake Apple at any cost. 
 
A sweeping, insider account of the Korean's company's ongoing war against the likes of Google and Apple, Samsung Rising shows how a determined and fearless Asian competitor is poised to take on the giants of the tech world.

Samsung Rising

Inside the secretive company conquering Tech

Mark Leigh

Advertising. Is it really 'the greatest art form of the twentieth century' 
(Marshall McLuhan)? Whatever your views, it is undeniably one of the most 
popular career choices going-and one of the most difficult to get into. If 
you want to be creative and make money, or simply fancy trying your hand 
at a job in one of the most powerful industries around, then this 
indispensable guide is all you'll need to get a foot in the door and keep a 
step ahead of the competition. It's a careers guide with a difference, using 
the experience and wisdom of some of the industry's top people. You'll find 
essential advice on how to get started and how to get ahead, as well as 
the insider's view of the genuine pros and cons of each job, from copywriter 
to account handler. Your new career starts here.

How To Make It In Advertising

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