Recommendations based on "Twilight of the Gods"

*An instant New York Times bestseller, USA Today bestseller, and Wall Street Journal bestseller*From Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend Rickson Gracie, a riveting memoir weaving the story of his stunning career with the larger history of his family dynasty and Jiu Jitsu.Undefeated through his final fight, Rickson Gracie belongs in the fighting pantheon with Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Mike Tyson. In Breathe, Rickson shares the full story of how his father and uncles came to develop Jiu Jitsu, what it was like to grow up among several generations of world-renowned fighters, and the principles and skills that guided him to his undefeated record. Gracie’s classic memoir offers indispensable insights into martial arts, human performance, and how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.

'A monumental work filled with first-person accounts of the master's life and a dizzying array of never-before heard details' Michael Imperioli, author of The Perfume Burned His Eyes The most complete and penetrating biography of the rock master, whose stature grows every year. Since his death ten years ago, Lou Reed's living presence has only grown. The great rock-poet presided over the marriage of Brill Building pop and the European avant-garde, and left American culture transfigured. In Lou Reed: The King of New York, Will Hermes offers the definitive narrative of Reed's life and legacy, dramatizing his long, brilliant, and contentious dialogue with fans, critics, fellow artists, and assorted habitués of the demimonde. We witness Reed's complex partnerships with David Bowie, Andy Warhol, John Cale, and Laurie Anderson; track the deadpan wit, street-smart edge, and poetic flights that defined his craft as a singer and songwriter with the Velvet Underground and beyond; and explore the artistic ambition and gift for self-sabotage he took from his mentor Delmore Schwartz. As Hermes follows Reed from Lower East Side cold-water flats to the landmark status he later achieved, he also tells the story of New York City as a cultural capital. The first biographer to draw on the New York Public Library's much-publicized Reed archive, Hermes employs the library collections, the release of previously unheard recordings, and a wealth of recent interviews to give us a new Lou Reed-a pioneer in living and writing about nonbinary sexuality and gender identity, a committed artist who pursued beauty and noise with equal fervor, and a turbulent and sometimes truculent man whose emotional imprint endures.

In the Limelight is the official Why Don’t We autobiography, full of never-before-seen photos and behind-the-scenes info about one of today’s hottest bands.When five guys decided to form a band, they never imagined that they would go from playing music online to playing tours across the world so quickly. Why Don’t We has been together for less than two years, and they’ve already headlined sold out shows, played at Madison Square Garden, and amassed millions of fans. And this is all just the beginning.This is the official Why Don’t We story, full of never-before-seen photos and everything you need to know about Corbyn, Daniel, Zach, Jonah, and Jack. Find out the secrets they’ve never shared with fans before, their embarrassing childhood stories, what they look for in a girlfriend, and how it felt to have their lives completely changed by this incredible journey.

From one of the greatest rock guitarists of our era comes a memoir that redefines sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.He was born in England, but raised in LA, spending an adolescence on the streets of Hollywood, discovering drugs, drinking, rock music and girls, all the while achieving notable status as a BMX rider. But everything changed the day when, aged 15, Slash first held the beat-up, one-string guitar his grandmother had discarded in a closet.The instrument became his voice and as soon as he could string chords and a solo together, Slash wanted to be in a band. He found that band in the form of four young men of equal minds: Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler and Duff McKagan. Together they became Guns N' Roses, one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands of all time. Dirty, volatile and as authentic as the streets that weaned them, they fought their way to the top with ground-breaking albums such as the iconic Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusions 1 and 2.Here, for the first time ever, Slash tells the tale that has yet to be told: how the band came together, how they wrote the music that defined an era, how they survived insane, never-ending tours, how they rode the most excessive rock 'n' roll wave of a generation and, ultimately, how it all fell apart. This is a window into the world of the notoriously private guitarist and a seat on the rollercoaster ride that was one of history's greatest rock and roll machines: always on the edge of self-destruction even at the pinnacle of success.Slash is also an intensely personal account of struggle and triumph: as Guns N' Roses journeyed to the top, Slash battled his demons, escaping the overwhelming reality with women, heroin, coke, crack, vodka and whatever else came to mind.He survived it all: lawsuits, rehab, riots, notoriety, debauchery and destruction, and ultimately found his creative evolution. From Slash's Snakepit to his current band, the massively successful Velvet Revolver, Slash found an even keel by sticking to his guns.Slash is everything the man, the myth, the legend inspires: it's funny, honest, jaw-dropping and in a word... excessive.

". . . some 10 years of painstaking enquiry are presented with sustained energy . . . Ezenwa-Ohaeto has completed a remarkable feat . . ." ―West Africa". . . a gold mine of a source for future researchers." ―The Literary Griot" . . . in this meticulously researched work, [Ezenwa-Ohaeto] provides a wealth of information that should prove invaluable to all future studies of Achebe." ―Library Journal"Great back-up for classes reading Achebe's Things Fall Apart." ―Booklist"This pioneering biography draws upon a wealth of printed and oral sources to produce a vivid record of the life and times of Africa's most influential novelist. Ezenwa-Ohaeto is Achebe's Boswell; nothing of importance, large or small, seems to escape him." ―Bernth Lindfors, University of TexasThis is the first biography of the internationally acclaimed author of Things Fall Apart, the most widely read African novel, first published in 1958 and now a classic, with more than 12 million copies in print. Things Fall Apart is a defining moment in African and world literature.Ezenwa-Ohaeto's biography is the first comprehensive account of Achebe's life to date. Based on extensive research and numerous interviews, this is also the first work to trace the story of Achebe's life while putting his achievement into a social and historical context.

The definitive biography of Joe Strummer, released with a new epilogue to mark the 60th anniversary of his birth.Chris Salewicz was an intimate friend of Strummer’s for over 25 years. Drawing on more than 300 interviews with family, friends and associates, this is a comprehensive, compelling insight into the man behind The Clash.The Clash was the most influential band of its generation, producing punk anthems including ‘London Calling’, ‘White Riot’ and ‘Tommy Gun’. For countless fans across the world, they are the ultimate iconic mainstays of their generation.With his talent, extreme good looks and laid-back attitude Joe Strummer was the driving force behind the band: he was the archetypal punk frontman. His untimely death in December 2002 shook the world to its core.Written with full approval and co-operation of relatives, companions and fellow musicians, this is the ultimate account of one of British rock & roll’s most fascinating idols: his life, his work and his immeasurable impact on the world.Redemption Song is the best and last word on the subject.

New Zealand Listener 's Top 100 Books of 2018 For the first time, Steven Adams shares the story behind his meteoric rise from Rotorua to his emerging stardom in the NBA. Adams overcame the odds to become a top prospect in the 2013 NBA draft. From there he went on to secure a four-year contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder - making him New Zealand's highest-paid sportsperson ever - and forge a reputation for his intense, physical style of basketball. In this intimate account of his life story so far, the seven-foot centre reflects on his humble upbringing, the impact of his father's death when he was just 13, the multiple challenges and setbacks he has faced, early career-defining moments, and what basketball means to him. Told with warmth, humour and humility, My Life, My Fight is a gripping account from one of New Zealand's most admired sporting stars.

A great artist who was also a good man. A genius born in poverty who became known in every corner of the world. An entertainer who knocked the Beatles off the top of the charts four decades after he cut his first record. Terry Teachout has drawn on a cache of important new sources unavailable to previous biographers to craft a sweeping new narrative biography of Louis Armstrong, the twentieth century's most influential jazz musician.

A revealing biography of Kanye West explores the artist—and the man.Kanye West is a star. His music has jumped from sensation to staple in the rap industry, while his personality, his philosophies, and his willingness to speak out for what he believes in regularly place him at the center of controversy. Kanye West: A Biography traces the star's life from his birth through the present day to paint a detailed picture of the artist and the man.Raised by a single mother who was an English professor in Chicago, West admits he came from "the wrong side of the mall" rather than the wrong side of the tracks. His name, his style, and the way he conducts his business are unique. His thoughtful reflections in interviews reveal a complex man few have taken the time to understand. This biography looks at that multifaceted star, exploring his career as singer and producer, but also looking at the forces that prepared him to chase his dreams—and chase off anyone who stood in his way.

A rollicking, effusive, and candid rock and roll memoir by the heavy metal musician and founding member of Black Sabbath, covering his years as the band’s bassist and main lyricist through his later-career projects, and detailing how one of rock’s most influential bands formed and prevailed. With over 70 million records sold, Black Sabbath, dubbed by Rolling Stone “the Beatles of heavy metal,” helped create the genre itself, with their distinctive heavy riffs, tuned down guitars, and apocalyptic lyrics. Bassist and primary lyricist Geezer Butler played a gigantic part in the band’s renown, from suggesting the band name to using his fascination with horror, religion, and the occult to compose the lyrics and build the foundation of heavy metal as we know it. In Into the Void, Butler tells his side of the story, a behind-the-scenes music memoir that starts from the band’s beginnings as a scrappy blues quartet in Birmingham through the struggles leading to the many well-documented lineup changes while touring around London’s gritty clubs (Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and The Who makes notable appearances!), and the band’s important later years. He writes honestly of his childhood in working-class Birmingham in a family of seven, his almost-life as an accountant, and how his disillusionment with organized religion and class systems would spawn the lyrics and artistic themes that would resonate so powerfully with fans around the world. Into the Void reveals the softer side of the heavy metal legend and the formation of one of rock’s most exciting 1970s rock bands, while holding nothing back. Like Geezer’s bass lines, it is both original, dramatic, and forever surprising. The Origins of Heavy Metal: Discover how Geezer’s fascination with horror, religion, and the occult became the lyrical foundation for a sound that defined a new genre. A Black Sabbath Biography: Get the untold story from the band’s founding bassist, from their beginnings as a scrappy blues quartet to global phenomenon, with appearances by rock royalty like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Heavy Metal History: An honest, no-holds-barred look at the band’s rise, from gritty London clubs to sold-out arenas, detailing the music, the mayhem, and the well-documented lineup changes. Rock Musician Autobiography: More than just rock clichés, this is a candid look at a working-class kid from Aston, his almost-life as an accountant, and the journey to becoming a legend.