David Plante's dazzling portraits of three influential women in the literary world, now back in print for the first time in decades. Difficult Women presents portraits of three extraordinary, complicated, and, yes, difficult women, while also raising intriguing and, in their own way, difficult questions about the character and motivations of the keenly and often cruelly observant portraitist himself. The book begins with David Plante’s portrait of Jean Rhys in her old age, when the publication of The Wide Sargasso Sea, after years of silence that had made Rhys’s great novels of the 1920s and ’30s as good as unknown, had at last gained genuine recognition for her. Rhys, however, can hardly be said to be enjoying her new fame. A terminal alcoholic, she curses and staggers and rants like King Lear on the heath in the hotel room that she has made her home, while Plante looks impassively on. Sonia Orwell is his second subject, a suave exploiter and hapless victim of her beauty and social prowess, while the unflappable, brilliant, and impossibly opinionated Germaine Greer sails through the final pages, ever ready to set the world, and any erring companion, right.

Jon Anderson is the enigmatic lead singer and founding member of Yes. He is also a composer, artist, writer, dreamer, lyricist, poet and musician, with a career spanning more than fifty years. Many books have been written about the band, but until now none have covered Jon's early years in his first band, The Warriors, in any sort of detail. This group played a key role in developing Jon's Anderson's vocal range, work ethic and determination to succeed, as well as giving him valuable experience in the music business, to be of invaluable help as his career blossomed. David Watkinson takes us on a journey from the Lancashire beat music scene in the early 1960s to the vibrancy of London later in the decade. In the short time The Warriors existed - from 1963 to 1967 - they released a single, appeared on TV and in a movie, and spent a year following in the Beatles footsteps as a working group in Germany. As well as providing a complete history of The Warriors, this book also follows Jon's subsequent career in London, via appearances with Gun and his brief solo career as Hans Christian. He finally met Chris Squire and found a home in Mabel Greer's Toyshop, as that group gradually morphed into Yes during the summer of 1968. The book includes new interviews with Jon and many members of The Warriors, through its various line-up changes, most for the very first time. It also features a newly-researched family tree, never before seen photographs, both of the Warriors and the first line up of Yes, plus many items of memorabilia and an exclusive look into the band's diaries. It closes with a comprehensive discography and a collectables section.This unique and meticulously researched book will delight both Yes fans and students of the 1960s music scene. It is essential reading for all lovers of the world's greatest progressive rock band, and fans of the genre's finest vocalist - Jon Anderson.

“Nothin’ to Lose brought back great memories of our days touring with KISS in the ‘70s. The book is an incredible ride through KISS’s early days and a must read for any KISS fan!” — Don Powell, Slade “Like taking a time machine back to the ‘70s, Nothin’ to Lose is a wild and no holds barred look at the rise of KISS.” — Eric Carmen, Raspberries “In Nothin’ to Lose you witness first-hand the extraordinary transformation of four struggling musicians from New York City overcoming almost insurmountable odds to become worldwide superstars. This is the definitive account of KISS’s early years.” — Kevin Cann, author of David Bowie: Any Day Now “The KISS boys will go down in history for their indefatigable work ethic, spirit, and insatiable appetite for all things honest-to-God outrageous rock ‘n’ roll. KISS is the real deal and this book is the real story of the American rock ‘n’ roll dream.” — Ted Nugent “Nothin’ to Lose is an electrifying look at a band that changed the course of rock and roll history by sticking to their guns and blazing their own trail of heavy metal thunder. I couldn’t put it down. Two thumbs up!” — Joe Perry, Aerosmith “Rises above the standard cookie-cutter anecdotes... [for] a unique look at the origins of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Anyone who wants to know what it was like to make it in rock ‘n’ roll in the seventies will need to pick this up.” — Dale Sherman, author of Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of KISS “Told with complete accuracy and attention to detail... Mandatory reading for every new artist. This is a masterpiece!” — Kenny Kerner, Co-producer of KISS and Hotter Than Hell “A joyous and mesmerizing exploration of the early history of the ‘Hottest Band in the World’... This book is addictive. You won’t be able to put it down!” — Julian Gill, author of the Kiss Album Focus series “From KISS’s earliest days playing crummy bars in front of 50 people to headlining arenas, Nothin’ to Lose is a gripping look at the underbelly of rock ‘n’ roll. And as one of the members of KISS’s original road crew, I should know, I was there.” — Peter "Moose" Oreckinto, KISS roadie (1973-1976) “The ultimate KISS book. . . Nothin’ to Lose gives the insider’s perspective any KISS fan must have — Charles R. Cross, author of Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain “Even casual fans will be enthralled.” — Robert Rodriguez, author of Revolver: How The Beatles Reimagined Rock 'N' Roll “Revel in the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd as they share it all, blow-by-blow, first hand.” — Paul Myers, author of A Wizard A True Star: Todd Rundgren In The Studio “A fascinating read about one of rock’s most outrageous bands.” — Simon Kirke, Bad Company/Free “I found the story of KISS’s fanatical determination, shockingly rare matter-of-fact common sense, raw luck, exquisite timing-not to mention the sheer brinksmanship of the whole lunatic enterprise-exhilarating and inspiring.” — Binky Philips, My Life in the Ghost of Planets: The Story of a CBGB Almost-Was “A vivid oral history of the early days of one of rock’s most outrageous and enduring bands, Nothin’ to Lose makes every reader an eyewitness to the dawn of Kiss. Here’s a book that screams out: C’mon and read me.” — David Browne, author of Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth “An incredibly vivid and gripping oral history that illustrates how Kiss went through a slow and steady transformation from a loft party band to the hottest concert attraction capable of blowing anybody and everybody off the stage.” — Daniel Siwek, House of Blues “If you thought you knew everything there was to know about KISS . . . well, you’d be wrong. . . Buy this book or just KISS off!” — Alice Cooper “A fascinating chronicle of the construction of a multimedia phenomenon.” — Publishers Weekly A rollicking oral history. — Kirkus Reviews Does the world really need another KISS book? Perhaps not, but the world really needs Sharp’s . . . KISS book. . . Full of extraordinary primary-source material that will keep KISS fans up at night, Sharp’s excellent work should serve as a blueprint for future rock oral histories.” — Library Journal (starred review)