Social Sciences

Every aspect of life in today’s world is affected by digital technology, be it the way we communicate, travel, or shop, or even how we identify ourselves.

Christians, believing that we are created by a living personal God who revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and came to us in Jesus Christ, try to make sense of their faith in this digital jungle.

iJesus explores the relationship between the culture of God as Trinity in relation to our highly complex digital cultures and reflects on how we as followers and disciples of Jesus Christ can live in a world shaped by digital communication, connectivity and artificial intelligence.

In the culture of the Trinity, we see a God who is the source of hospitality and generosity in everything he does and in every way that he reacts with His creation.

Nadim Nassar gives a prophetic vision of our faith interacting and being lied out in the changing cultures around us and shows how God can make himself known and understood in a digital age.

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Elstree Studios is a lavish tribute to ninety years of film and television production. These renowned film studios have been home to some of the most successful and enduring film and television programmes produced in the UK, from Star Wars, Indiana Jones and The Avengers to The King’s Speech and TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and Big Brother.

With contributions from actors, directors and behind-the-scenes personnel, this book traces the studios’ history, from humble beginnings, through the golden age of film, tough times and the threat of closure to becoming London’s go-to film and television studio today. This fascinating history is lavishly illustrated with over 250 photographs and film stills.

Published in association with the studios, this is a celebration of world-class film and TV, and provides an intriguing insight into the past glories and hurdles faced by Elstree Studios and the film and television industry, looking forward to an exciting future.

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Adland is a ground-breaking examination of modern advertising, from its early origins, to the evolution of the current advertising landscape. Bestselling author and journalist Mark Tungate examines key developments in advertising, from copy adverts, radio and television, to the opportunities afforded by the explosion of digital media – podcasting, text messaging and interactive campaigns.

Adland focuses on key players in the industry and features exclusive interviews with leading names in advertising today, including Jean-Marie Dru, Sir Alan Parker, John Hegarty and Sir Martin Sorrell, as well as industry luminaries from the 20th Century such as Phil Dusenberry and George Lois.

Exploring the roots of the advertising industry in New York and London, and going on to cover the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America, Adland offers a comprehensive examination of a global industry and suggests ways in which it is likely to develop in the future.

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Based on hundreds of interviews with the directors, as well as producers, stars, studio executives, spouses and girlfriends, this is the full story of the crazy world the directors ruled. Never before have so many celebrities talked so frankly about one another and the drugs, sex, and money that made so many of them crash and burn.

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A razor-sharp and achingly funny memoir of the men and movies that shaped one woman’s life…

A unique memoir, ‘Madame Depardieu and the Beautiful Strangers’ is the story of how a young female film critic’s love-life is affected and nearly ruined by her obsession with male movie stars. As her increasingly hapless hunt for the right man unfolds and her television and newspaper career unravels, our heroine finally begins to understand that difficult truth: that life is not like the movies.

Entwined with the narrative of her real-life love affairs is a kaleidoscope of digressions on great screen actors – her dream-life with Gerard Depardieu, a personal ad seeking out Tom Cruise, a disastrous climactic encounter with Jeff Bridges. It’s a helter skelter ride through love and the movies which reads like a screwball comedy. And the screwball is our heroine, who seems to know everything about movies and the human heart, and nothing about anything else.

Written in a fresh and utterly engaging voice, ‘Madame Depardieu and the Beautiful Strangers’ is both moving and hilarious, a bittersweet and endearingly honest one-off.

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‘A riveting read that skips along at pace. Illuminating and concerning, it lifts the lid on the tawdry world of Westminster powerbroking’ Tim Shipman, The Times

The explosive behind-the-scenes account of the plot to bring down Boris Johnson

YOU THINK YOU LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THE ELECTED ARE CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE.

THINK AGAIN.

When Boris Johnson came to power in 2019, he did so with the largest Conservative majority since Margaret Thatcher. Rewriting the political map, he united a party and shattered Labour’s fabled red wall. And yet, just three years later, he was ousted by the same members who had once greeted his leadership so rapturously.

What had gone so wrong?

The Plot is the seismic, fly-on-the-wall account of how the saviour of the Conservative Party became a pariah. Told with unparalleled access, from multiple inside sources talking with astonishing candour, it reveals the shocking truth about powerful forces operating behind the scenes in the heart of Westminster and those who became the architects of a Prime Minister’s downfall.

This is the story of a damning trail of treachery and deceit fuelled by an obsessive pursuit of power, which threatens to topple the very fabric of our democracy.

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This is not just another movie. We have a responsibility toward the world

remembering the Holocaust. It is a film about conscience’

Steven Spielberg

When Schindler’s List was released in 1993 it was acclaimed as both a motion picture masterpiece and a reaffirmation of the human spirit. In 1994 it had twelve Academy Award Nominations and won in seven categories including Best Picture and Best Director. This book is the moving story of how Steven Spielberg spent ten years bringing Thomas Keneally’s winning novel Schindler’s Ark to the screen. Written by Franciszek Palowski – guide, interpreter and consultant on the 1989 Booker Prize movie from Spielberg’s first research visit to Poland in 1992 – it is part diary, part chronicle of the massive undertaking in bringing the story to the screen, and part witness to the responsibility of telling the traumatic stories of the Schindler jews who are still alive today. The author acted as coordinator of the 1300 Schindler jews who travelled from all over the world to participate in re-telling the wartime events. Leopold Pfefferberg (now Page) who first inspired Thomas Keneally to write Schindler’s story supplied the photographs which served as a model for re-creating the past and many are reproduced in this book for the first time.

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The reader – from beginner making their first short film, through to experienced producer packagin an international multi-million pound co-production – is guided through the entire process of raising finance, in a book packed with interviews, case studies, expert tips and details of more than 200 funds.

The UK Film Funding Guide 2003/04 was originally published by Shooting People and went on to sell almost 4,000 copies amongst the UKÂ’s guerilla filmmaking scene. This second edition – the UK Film Finance Handbook 2005/06 – from the same authors, is published by Netribution and has been fully revised, updated and expanded.

• All forms of production finance fully explained – including the new UK 20% tax credit
• International and co-production incentives for over 20 countries
• 101 tips and tricks from low-budget filmmakers for more affordable films
• Directory comprising over 400 film contacts across all sectors
• Top level interviews including UK Film Council execs, the head of BBC Films and Nik Powell, co-founder of Virgin and one of the UK’s most seasoned producers.

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This work provides an insight into the rise and fall of Palace Pictures, one of the movie phenomena of the last decade. It is the story of two mavericks, Steve Woolley and Nick Powell, who through a combination of brash marketing tactics and inspired risk-taking, fought to produce and distribute films during a period when the world had written off the British film industry as dead and buried. Containing stories about Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Bob Hoskins, David Bowie, Miranda Richardson, John Hurt, Neil Jordan, Richard Branson and many other celebrities, it gives the inside story on the company whose films include “Absolute Beginners”, “The Company of Wolves”, “Mona Lisa”, “Scandal” and “The Crying Game”.

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Dad’s Army has been an enduring highlight of the small screen since its debut on British television in 1968. The show, which follows the exploits of the Home Guard of Walmington-on-Sea, a fictional seaside town on the south coast of England, ran for nine series in total, comprising 80 episodes, and regularly attracted viewing figures of over 18 million at the height of its popularity. Today, it is still shown weekly on BBC 2 and was recently placed fourth in a BBC poll of Britain’s Best Sitcoms Ever. The show has permeated British society, with the characters’ signature catchphrases (particularly Captain Mainwaring’s ‘Stupid boy!’) having entered the lexicon of popular culture. Such is its appeal that in August 2008 Jonathan Ross paid tribute to Dad’s Army with an hour-long special, looking back on the show’s success and reliving its funniest moments. Yet Dad’s Army is also credited with drawing attention to the important role that Local Defence Volunteers (later known as the Home Guard) played in the Second World War, in guarding coastal areas of Britain and other important industrial and military sites such as factories and explosives stores, and in observing and reporting enemy aircraft. Bill Pertwee found fame as ARP Warden Hodges in the series and has put together a comprehensive tribute to all aspects of the show. This book includes extensive features on the two creators of Dad’s Army, Jimmy Perry and David Croft, along with biographies of the whole cast of actors who brought this British comedy classic to life, paying particular attention to such memorable figures as Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring), John Le Mesurier (Sergeant Wilson), Clive Dunn (Corporal Jones) and Ian Lavender (Private Pike). As an integral part of the show itself, Bill Pertwee is uniquely positioned to give an intimate view of his co-stars, their families and the supporting production team. His colourful account includes many hilarious incidents on and off the set, such as filming for Columbia Pictures and being invited to tea at 10 Downing Street. Numerous colour photos as well as a fine selection of well-reproduced original stills supplement the informative text, and a full episode listing is included, together with articles on the many Dad’s Army spin-offs and side projects, including the highly successful stage play, movie adaptation and radio series.

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