The Empire

UNLOCK THE MAGIC OF THEATRE THIS CHRISTMAS - GO BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH WEST END LEGEND, MICHAEL BALL IN HIS FIRST MEMOIR<BR><BR> 'Love, laughter and tears abound in this warm, entertaining read' Woman and Home<BR><BR> 'Glittering' Daily Mail<BR><BR>'Wonderful' The Sun<BR><BR>In 1989, a young Michael Ball landed the lead role in the musical Aspects of Love. It was a moment that changed his life forever. It was the first time he worked with legends of the stage like Andrew Lloyd Webber and Trevor Nunn; the show featured his smash hit song, Love Changes Everything, which rode high in the charts for 15 weeks; it was then, also, that he first met his long-term partner Cathy McGowan and battled back against the stage fright that had threatened his career. Over three decades later, Michael returned to a new production of the same show where he made his name, and with a lifetime's worth of stories to tell.<BR><BR>In Different Aspects, Michael takes us backstage inside the making of a West End hit, while also diving back into his memories to share untold anecdotes and explore a glittering career that has made him a household name - from his first stage experiences in Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera, to delighting and shocking his audiences in equal measure in Hairspray and Sweeney Todd, as well as his chart-topping musical success (and some howlers too!). Exploring Michael's life, career and relationships alongside the pitfalls and pratfalls of modern theatre, Different Aspects is the story of a life lived on the stage. There will be laughter, tears and an abundance of heart. There's even some Roger Moore, though, famously, not quite enough.<BR><BR><BR>Take your seats ladies and gentlemen, the lights are dimming, the performance is about to start.<BR><BR>Readers are loving Different Aspects...<BR><BR>'A very funny, insightful glimpse of the highs and lows of a musical theatre star'<BR><BR>'If you love Michael Ball, you'll love this'<BR><BR>'His story made me smile'<BR><BR>'Filled with wonderful little stories'<BR><BR>'Interesting, honest and revealing'

Welcome to The Empire theatre<BR><BR>1922. When Jack Treadwell arrives at The Empire, in the middle of a rehearsal, he is instantly mesmerised. But amid the glitz and glamour, he soon learns that the true magic of the theatre lies in its cast of characters - both on stage and behind the scenes.<BR><BR>There's stunning starlet Stella Stanmore and Hollywood heartthrob Lancelot Drake; and Ruby Rowntree, who keeps the music playing, while Lady Lillian Lassiter, theatre owner and former showgirl, is determined to take on a bigger role. And then there's cool, competent Grace Hawkins, without whom the show would never go on . . . could she be the leading lady Jack is looking for?<BR><BR>When long-held rivalries threaten The Empire's future, tensions rise along with the curtain. There is treachery at the heart of the company and a shocking secret waiting in the wings. Can Jack discover the truth before it's too late, and the theatre he loves goes dark?<BR><BR>Musical theatre legend Michael Ball brings his trademark warmth, wit and glamour to this, his debut novel.<BR><BR>Enjoy the show!<BR><BR>Real readers love The Empire <BR><BR><BR>'A charming, captivating, majestic, electrifying, exciting and dazzling masterpiece' <BR><BR>'This book was perfect' <BR><BR>'The Empire is fantastic read, and one of my favourites of this year!' <BR><BR>'A real razzmatazz of a read' <BR><BR>'What a wonderful book, as full of warmth and wit as Michael himself . . . absolute magic!'<BR><BR> The Empire was a Sunday Times No. 3 bestseller for w/c 24/10/2022'

Compendium of Hydrogen Energy Volume 4: Hydrogen Use, Safety and the Hydrogen Economy focuses on the uses of hydrogen. As many experts believe the hydrogen economy will, at some point, replace the fossil fuel economy as the primary source of the world's energy, this book investigates the uses of this energy, from transport, to stationary and portable applications, with final sections discussing the difficulties and possibilities of the widespread adoption of the hydrogen economy.