Amanda Holden always knew her destiny was to become a star. At the age of three she was singing, acting and directing plays for family and friends. 'I want to be a household name, like Fairy Liquid,' she told them. Ever the joker, for once Amanda wasn't kidding.From a bit-part in EastEnders she went on to star in hit TV series Cutting It and Wild At Heart and took the lead role in West End musical Thoroughly Modern Millie before Simon Cowell made her a judge in Britain's Got Talent.In this first ever biography of the star, Jim Maloney charts the highs and lows of her remarkable life -- from the heartbreak of having her father walk out on her when she was four, to marrying Les Dennis and her very public affair with Neil Morrissey. She eventually settled down and had her first child with record producer Chris Hughes. Read how Simon Cowell always fancied her and what she really thinks of him. And discover just what her eye-opening cat fight with rival Martine McCutcheon was really all about. Candid and outspoken Amanda Holden admits that her comments and behaviour often get her into trouble but she's proved she is a survivor who can cope with everything life throws at her...

Provides biographical sketches for nearly 850 composers along with articles on approximately 2,000 works.

"Spanning four centuries of operatic history and drawing on the expertise of more than fifty international contributors, The Penguin Opera Guide is an essential reference for opera enthusiasts and beginners alike. Each of the more than 150 composer entries - from Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Verdi to the most acclaimed contemporary composers - presents an outline of the artist's musical career and an overall assessment of his or her contributions to opera. There are entries on more than 450 operas, providing a discussion of the work's background, details of the cast of characters, a plot synopsis, and a musical analysis that directs the listener to highlights and points of interest. Covering both major and little-known composers and tracking the evolution of the operatic form, The Penguin Opera Guide (drawn from the acclaimed Viking Opera Guide) is the perfect companion for those seeking information before attending an opera, a commentary on the music while listening at home, or guidance on operas to see or to purchase on record."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The book, which was published early this year and is available unbundled from the CD-ROM for $69.95, contains information on more than 800 composers and examines some 1,500 operas in detail. Each composer's musical career is outlined, with an assessment of his or her overall contribution to opera. Opera entries include cast lists and orchestral forces, a commentary on the background of the work, a synopsis of the plot, and a musical analysis identifying musical highlights and points of interest. Recording and edition information is included. For those who don't like to turn pages, prefer to read from the screen, or just like the click-click of the mouse, the CD-ROM provides computer access via Windows to the information and pictures (small black and whites) of the book. The CD-ROM holds some enhancements: notably, three hours of music excerpts (unheard by this reviewer who lacks the needed 16-bit sound card; some, according to the press release, are as long as three to five minutes). Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The most famous names in music, sport and show business have got together for a game of consequences to raise money for the BBC Children in Need appeal. Each participating celebrity has written a section armed only with the information of the main character - a half-girl, half-dinosaur called Fi-Rex - and the final line of the previous part. This has resulted in a hilarious tale which twists and turns like no other. The contributors are Jamie and Jools Oliver, Amanda Holden, Ronan Keating, Bear Grylls, Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster, Coleen and Wayne Rooney, Denise Van Outen, Andy Murray, Keith Lemon, Tom Daley, Sir Paul McCartney, One Direction, Take That, Kate Moss, Annabelle Neilson, Nick Grimshaw and Kylie Minogue.

When a baby goes mising, a Texas marshal and a woman from his past discover there's a whole lot more behind this kidnapping… Holden Ryland certainly didn't become a marshal just to end up busting his ex, Nicky Hart, for taking files from Conceptions Fertility Clinic. But only Nicky knows just what was really stolen: a newborn being held for ransom. A newborn who is kin to both her and Holden. The missing boy is only the start of a mystery that snakes through Texas, winding its way through their families. Bad blood may linger between them, but Holden can protect his nephew back at the Silver Creek Ranch. If they can lay their past to rest to rescue this child, is it possible for them to have a future together?