Steve Martin

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “This extraordinary book is not only a chronicle of Ron’s and Clint’s early careers and their wild adventures, but also a primer on so many topics—how an actor prepares, how to survive as a kid working in Hollywood, and how to be the best parents in the world! The Boys will surprise every reader with its humanity.”   — Tom Hanks "I have read dozens of Hollywood memoirs. But The Boys stands alone. A delightful, warm and fascinating story of a good life in show business.”   — Malcolm Gladwell Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, Gentle Ben—these shows captivated millions of TV viewers in the ’60s and ’70s. Join award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors. “What was it like to grow up on TV?” Ron Howard has been asked this question throughout his adult life. in The Boys, he and his younger brother, Clint, examine their childhoods in detail for the first time. For Ron, playing Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days offered fame, joy, and opportunity—but also invited stress and bullying. For Clint, a fast start on such programs as Gentle Ben and Star Trek petered out in adolescence, with some tough consequences and lessons. With the perspective of time and success—Ron as a filmmaker, producer, and Hollywood A-lister, Clint as a busy character actor—the Howard brothers delve deep into an upbringing that seemed normal to them yet was anything but. Their Midwestern parents, Rance and Jean, moved to California to pursue their own showbiz dreams. But it was their young sons who found steady employment as actors. Rance put aside his ego and ambition to become Ron and Clint’s teacher, sage, and moral compass. Jean became their loving protector—sometimes over-protector—from the snares and traps of Hollywood. By turns confessional, nostalgic, heartwarming, and harrowing, THE BOYS is a dual narrative that lifts the lid on the Howard brothers’ closely held lives. It’s the journey of a tight four-person family unit that held fast in an unforgiving business and of two brothers who survived “child-actor syndrome” to become fulfilled adults.

Would understanding how people typically think and behave beforeyou engage in a difficult conversation, tough negotiation, or make a simple request be helpful? Of course. Brian Ahearn's new book, Influence PEOPLE, explores the science behind the influence process--what drives people to take the actions you want them to take, without manipulation or trickery. Throughout the book you'll learn how to influence PEOPLE, in the workplace, at home, and in social interactions. This book isn't about changing people's minds or simply convincing them what you want them to do is right. It's much more than that; it's about changing people's behavior. Positive thoughts, and even agreement from others, only go so far--and seldom lead to a change in behavior. This book will help you bridge the gap between good intentions and actions. With more than 30 years of business experience and 15 years studying the influence process, Brian Ahearn shares with you the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to moving people to action. Tired of hearing prospective clients say they need to "think it over" when you make a proposal? Ever leave a situation only to find yourself thinking, "I should have said..."? It does you little good to come up with the right word or phrase after the moment has passed. Does trying to gain consensus with your co-workers or team bear a striking resemblance to herding cats?Here's just a handful of thought-provoking things you'll learn: How a major insurance company quickly recovered from a $700,000 mistake using Post It(TM) notes.Why J.C. Penney's move to simplified pricing was a disaster despitebeing conceived by some very smart marketing executives. How Bernie Madoff "made off" with our money. The unrecognized power of saying thanks and responding properly to thanks.How persuasion can help double your response rate at half the cost. Only 20 people in the world hold the Cialdini Method Certified Trainer(R) designation and Brian Ahearn is one of the chosen few. He illustrates the practical application of the principles of influence popularized by Robert Cialdini in his bestselling books Influence: Science and Practice. After reading Influence PEOPLE, Cialdini wrote: "Influence PEOPLE is a treasure trove of instructive and entertaining personal accounts, informative research results, and extraordinarily useful tips for becoming consistently more influential. It shouldn't be missed." Dave Lakhani, author of Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want and Subliminal Persuasion said: "In Influence PEOPLE, Brian breaks persuasion down into manageable and easy to use chunks that anyone can learn and apply. He takes an idea that can be as complex as you'd like to make it and helps you learn in a fun, easy style." Don't wait any longer! Get your copy of Influence PEOPLE today. You can start applying the strategies immediately and see how seemingly small adjustments to your communications can have outsized impact. It's all about seizing those Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical.

Hot Cold Heavy Light collects 100 writings—some long, some short—that taken together forma group portrait of many of the world’s most significant and interesting artists. From Pablo Picasso to Cindy Sherman, Old Masters to contemporary masters, paintings to comix, and saints to charlatans, Schjeldahl ranges widely through the diverse and confusing art world, an expert guide to a dazzling scene. No other writer enhances the reader’s experience of art in precise, jargon-free prose as Schjeldahl does. His reviews are more essay than criticism, and he offers engaging and informative accounts of artists and their work. For more than three decades, he has written about art with Emersonian openness and clarity. A fresh perspective, an unexpected connection, a lucid gloss on a big idea awaits the reader on every page of this big, absorbing, buzzing book.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the ingenious comic performer, founding member of Monty Python, and creator of Spamalot, comes an absurdly funny memoir of unparalleled wit and heartfelt candor We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python—from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on a remarkable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film. Coming of age as a writer and comedian during the Sixties and Seventies, Eric stumbled into the crossroads of the cultural revolution and found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of George Harrison, David Bowie, and Robin Williams, all of whom became dear lifelong friends. With anecdotes sprinkled throughout involving other close friends and luminaries such as Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Lorne Michaels, and many more, as well as John Cleese and the Pythons themselves, Eric captures a time of tremendous creative output with equal parts hilarity and heart. In Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, named for the song he wrote for Life of Brian and which has since become the number one song played at funerals in the UK, he shares the highlights of his life and career with the kind of offbeat humor that has delighted audiences for five decades. The year 2019 marks the fiftieth anniversary of The Pythons, and Eric is marking the occasion with this hilarious memoir chock full of behind-the-scenes stories from a high-flying life featuring everyone from Princess Leia to Queen Elizabeth.