A contemporary of blues greats Blind Blake, Tampa Red, and Papa Charlie Jackson, Chicago blues artist William "Big Bill" Broonzy influenced an array of postwar musicians, including Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim, and J. B. Lenoir. In Blue Smoke, Roger House tells the extraordinary story of "Big Bill," a working-class bluesman whose circumstances offer a window into the dramatic social transformations faced by African Americans during the first half of the twentieth century. One in a family of twenty-one children and reared by sharecropper parents in Mississippi, Broonzy seemed destined to stay on the land. He moved to Arkansas to work as a sharecropper, preacher, and fiddle player, but the army drafted him during World War I. After his service abroad, Broonzy, like thousands of other black soldiers, returned to the racism and bleak economic prospects of the Jim Crow South and chose to move North to seek new opportunities. After learning to play the guitar, he performed at neighborhood parties in Chicago and in 1927 attracted the attention of Paramount Records, which released his first single, "House Rent Stomp," backed by "Big Bill's Blues." Over the following decades, Broonzy toured the United States and Europe. He released dozens of records but was never quite successful enough to give up working as a manual laborer. Many of his songs reflect this experience as a blue-collar worker, articulating the struggles, determination, and optimism of the urban black working class. Before his death in 1958, Broonzy finally achieved crossover success as a key player in the folk revival movement led by Pete Seeger and Alan Lomax, and as a blues ambassador to British musicians such as Lonnie Donegan and Eric Clapton. Weaving Broonzy's recordings, writings, and interviews into a compelling narrative of his life, Blue Smoke offers a comprehensive portrait of an artist recognized today as one of the most prolific and influential working-class blues musicians of the era.

Parenting Is Hard and Then You Die provides a biblical and comprehensive strategy for raising healthy kids in a world that is morally bankrupt, spiritually desolate, and increasingly dangerous. That strategy is clear and specific, rooted in the Bible, proved successful, and communicated in a fun, entertaining way. Dr. David Clarke has written many books on family. This book stands out for all of the following: Extremely practical Clarke's trademark humor Gives good attention to the teen years Strategies tested in his own home and by counseling clients

Steve and Blue build a tent to help Blue go to sleep.

The One That Got Away. . . It starts the morning that L.A. film production manager Virginia "Ginny" Bluebell wakes up with her boyfriend Nate's arm draped around her and realizes that the warning bells she's ignored for months have become a deafening siren. Ginny knows that Nate is not the man for her. Turns out, Nate knows it too, and moves out before Ginny can deliver her well-practiced "maybe this isn't working" speech. Or The One And Only? Newly single and not-so-newly confused about what went wrong this time, Ginny sets out to reconnect with old boyfriends in an attempt to avoid repeating past mistakes. Don the Devout, Hairy Larry, Mr. Famous Actor, Jackson Wright. . .well, Jackson doesn't really count, being more of a longtime friend than an official ex. And yet the deeper Ginny delves into the Ex-Files, the clearer it becomes that Jackson does count. A lot. In fact, on a path designed to help her find the perfect relationship, Ginny is starting to wonder if it's been hiding in plain sight all along. . .

Tyler is an average 4 year old child, who has a hard time going to bed at night due to his wild imagination. His mom is trying to get him to understand that if he goes to bed on time he can have as much fun in his dreams as he does in real life. Will Tyler go to bed on time or will he stay up and play?

The ultimate guide to drumming styles by the co-author of the best-selling instructional book The Best Beginner Drum Book. Brandon Toews and Drumeo present... THE DRUMMER'S TOOLBOX! The Drummer's Toolbox presents drummers of all skill levels with the most comprehensive introduction to 100 different drumming styles from the past century. This ultimate guide includes more than 900 groove examples, as well as listening suggestions for 1000 recommended recordings. Throughout the book, drummers will also learn about the history of each drumming style, effective techniques for playing them, and how to break down different grooves limb-by-limb. The Drummer's Toolbox is for any drummer who's serious about expanding their musical vocabulary and becoming more versatile behind the drum-set. You will learn how to play: - Rock: Surf Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock... - Jazz: 4/4 Swing, Up-Tempo Swing, Contemporary Jazz... - Blues: Texas Blues, Chicago Blues, Flat Tire Shuffle... - Country: Train Beat, Two-Step, Rockabilly... - Soul & Funk: Motown, Neo-Soul, New Orleans Funk... - Metal: Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Metalcore... - Electronic: Hip-Hop, Drum and Bass, Trap... - Afro-Cuban: Mambo, Nanigo, Songo... - Afro-Brazilian: Samba, Marcha, Bossa Nova... - Afro-Caribbean: Merengue, Reggae, Zouk... - And many more!