Brian Solomon – författare

They were World Heavyweight Champions: Bob Backkland, Superstar Billy Graham and Bruno Sammartino. They were fan favourites: 'Superfly' Jimmy Snuka, Chief Jay Strongbow and Andre the Giant. They were the villains everyone loved to hate: Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd and the Fabulous Moolah. They were heroes, someone just like you that you could cheer for: Ivan Putski, Pedro Morales, Peter Maivia. They were the stars that shined the brightest, and left an indelible mark in the memories of countless fans. In a time when professional wrestling was divided into territories, no place created bigger Superstars than World Wrestling Entertainment. From the company's centrepiece in Madison Square Garden, legends were born. This one-stop guide to wrestling's most legendary heroes covers everything from their most famous matches to their biggest feuds. Illustrated with stunning photos of these all-time greats in action, this is a must for every wrestling fan!

The handsome multicolored streetcar is a nostalgic icon of the some of the most romantic and heritage-rich locales in America, including San Francisco, New Orleans and Chicago, immortalised on stage and screen in classics including ‘Meet Me In St Louis’ and ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Streetcars of America chronicles these vehicles from the earliest animal-drawn carriages to the height of their popularity in the 1920s, when there were more than 1,200 tram railways, to the turning of the tide in the mid-twentieth century when congestion and attacks from the automobile industry eventually pushed streetcars from most urban landscapes. But it also looks at the recent efforts to revive tram heritage that have led to vintage streetcars becoming a hip and environmentally-friendly daily commuter service, as well as tourist attraction, in more than thirty cities including Memphis and Washington DC.

The handsome multicolored streetcar is a nostalgic icon of the some of the most romantic and heritage-rich locales in America, including San Francisco, New Orleans and Chicago, immortalised on stage and screen in classics including ''Meet Me In St Louis'' and ''A Streetcar Named Desire''. Streetcars of America chronicles these vehicles from the earliest animal-drawn carriages to the height of their popularity in the 1920s, when there were more than 1,200 tram railways, to the turning of the tide in the mid-twentieth century when congestion and attacks from the automobile industry eventually pushed streetcars from most urban landscapes. But it also looks at the recent efforts to revive tram heritage that have led to vintage streetcars becoming a hip and environmentally-friendly daily commuter service, as well as tourist attraction, in more than thirty cities including Memphis and Washington DC.

The handsome multicolored streetcar is a nostalgic icon of the some of the most romantic and heritage-rich locales in America, including San Francisco, New Orleans and Chicago, immortalised on stage and screen in classics including ''Meet Me In St Louis'' and ''A Streetcar Named Desire''. Streetcars of America chronicles these vehicles from the earliest animal-drawn carriages to the height of their popularity in the 1920s, when there were more than 1,200 tram railways, to the turning of the tide in the mid-twentieth century when congestion and attacks from the automobile industry eventually pushed streetcars from most urban landscapes. But it also looks at the recent efforts to revive tram heritage that have led to vintage streetcars becoming a hip and environmentally-friendly daily commuter service, as well as tourist attraction, in more than thirty cities including Memphis and Washington DC.

Are you a real fan of World Wrestling Entertainment ®? Do you have ruthless aggression? Do you have to know it all -- and beyond? Now you can step up and prove it! Here for the first time, test just how much you really know in The Ultimate World Wrestling Entertainment Trivia Book. Not for the fan who just knows it all, but for the fan who lives it all!1. Vince McMahon™''s first role in the WWE™was as a TV announcer. What Hall of Famer was his first broadcast partner?a) Pat Pattersonb) Jesse "the Body" Venturac) Antonino Rocca2. What was the outcome of the Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan™ match at WrestleMania™ IV?a) Andre won by pinfallb) Double disqualificationc) Time-limit drawd) Hogan won by pinfall3. After losing his Hardcore Championship -- on February 7, 2002 -- Undertaker™ took out his frustration on The Rock®, giving him a Tombstone™ on top of what type of vehicle? a) Corvette b) Truckc) Zamboni d) Limousine4. Match the superstar with his/her hometown:a) Maven b) Brock Lesnarc) Trish Stratus d) Hardcore Hollye) Eddie Guerrerof) William Regal1) El Paso, Texas 2) Charlottesville, Virginia3) Minneapolis, Minnesota4) Toronto, Ontario5) Mobile, Alabama6) Blackpool, EnglandAnswers1. c) Antonino Rocca2. b) Double disqualification3. d) Limousine4. Match the superstar with his/her hometown:a-2) Maven-Charlottesville, Virginiab-3) Brock Lesnar-Minneapolis, Minnesotac-4) Trish Stratus-Toronto, Ontariod-5) Hardcore Holly-Mobile, Alabamae-1) Eddie Guerrero-El Paso, Texasf-6) William Regal-Blackpool, England

WWE Legends gives fans an inside look at more than fifty of the greatest wrestlers ever to slip between the ropes and enter the “squared circle.”They were World Heavyweight Champions: Bob Backlund, Superstar Billy Graham, and Bruno Sammartino. They were fan favorites: “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, Chief Jay Strongbow, and Andre the Giant. They were the villains everyone loved to hate: Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd, and the Fabulous Moolah. They were ethnic heroes, someone just like you that you could cheer for: Ivan Putski, Pedro Morales, Peter Maivia. They were the stars that shined the brightest, and left an indelible mark on the memories of countless fans. In a time when professional wrestling was divided into territories, no place created bigger Superstars than World Wrestling Entertainment. From the company''s centerpiece in Madison Square Garden, legends were born. WWE Legends is the every fan''s guide to the legends of the ring. They are all in here, from Andre the Giant to George “the Animal” Steele, with quick stats and descriptions of their most famous matches. No true wrestling fan should be without this book.

Superheroes! is the ultimate reference book about the men and women in tights who fight for what’s right and the comic book phenomenon that conquered the world. From their origins in stories created by barely grown men during an era of global war and printed on cheap paper for consumption by children, superheroes have grown into a popular culture whirlwind that has attracted millions of fans and crossed over into every form of media. Encompassing early coming books, indie outliers, and the mammoth fictional universes managed by DC and Marvel, Superheroes! chronicles the rise of a distinctly American invention, the modern-day evolution of the myths and legends of old. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Captain America, X-Men, the Justice League and the Avengers—they all represent our greatest hopes, and sometimes our darkest fantasies. Pop culture expert Brian Solomon tells a story that goes from the Golden, Silver and Bronze Ages of comic book history right up to the Modern Age of multimillion-dollar Hollywood movies, and beyond. Perhaps no fictional genre has endured and blossomed over the past eighty years the way superheroes have. Learn all about the creators who have brought them to life: artists like Jack Kirby and Jim Lee, writers like Stan Lee and Alan Moore, actors like Christopher Reeve and Robert Downey Jr., and directors like Tim Burton and Joss Whedon. They’re all here, in all their high-flying, eye-zapping, goon-punching glory. Up, up and away!

Superheroes! is the ultimate reference book about the men and women in tights who fight for what’s right and the comic book phenomenon that conquered the world. From their origins in stories created by barely grown men during an era of global war and printed on cheap paper for consumption by children, superheroes have grown into a popular culture whirlwind that has attracted millions of fans and crossed over into every form of media. Encompassing early coming books, indie outliers, and the mammoth fictional universes managed by DC and Marvel, Superheroes! chronicles the rise of a distinctly American invention, the modern-day evolution of the myths and legends of old. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Captain America, X-Men, the Justice League and the Avengers—they all represent our greatest hopes, and sometimes our darkest fantasies. Pop culture expert Brian Solomon tells a story that goes from the Golden, Silver and Bronze Ages of comic book history right up to the Modern Age of multimillion-dollar Hollywood movies, and beyond. Perhaps no fictional genre has endured and blossomed over the past eighty years the way superheroes have. Learn all about the creators who have brought them to life: artists like Jack Kirby and Jim Lee, writers like Stan Lee and Alan Moore, actors like Christopher Reeve and Robert Downey Jr., and directors like Tim Burton and Joss Whedon. They’re all here, in all their high-flying, eye-zapping, goon-punching glory. Up, up and away!

He is the Lizard King – well, the King of the Monsters – he can do anything. Since he first romped onto the silver screen in 1954, no other character in all of international cinema has been as beloved by American audiences as Godzilla. Despite the modern film industry's affinity for franchises and cinematic universes, he remains one of its most enduring and popular characters, with a total of twenty-eight motion pictures (not even including two American reboots!) under his massive belt. From his home base in Japan, where the legendary Toho Pictures first put him on the map, Godzilla has gone on to become an international phenomenon, a pop culture avatar, a movie monster unrivaled in both size and appeal. The latest installment in Applause Theatre and Cinema Books' FAQ series, Brian Soloman's Godzilla FAQ is a broad and varied exploration of the monumental, fire-breathing radioactive lizard that has roared his way into our hearts over a sixty-year reign of terror. By pairing a colloquial text with a wide array of illustrations and visual media, this 400-page survey encourages readers to drop in and out of the book, as every chapter serves as a self-supporting article on a given subject. Written by a lifelong Godzilla fan and pop culture critic, Godzilla FAQ offers a comprehensive rundown of every Godzilla film ever made, in-depth biographies of major players in the franchise's history, and enough raw information to rebuild a ravaged Tokyo. Don't miss out on this ideal gift for cinema fans, lizard lovers, and pop culture fiends of all ages!

He is the Lizard King – well, the King of the Monsters – he can do anything. Since he first romped onto the silver screen in 1954, no other character in all of international cinema has been as beloved by American audiences as Godzilla. Despite the modern film industry''s affinity for franchises and cinematic universes, he remains one of its most enduring and popular characters, with a total of twenty-eight motion pictures (not even including two American reboots!) under his massive belt. From his home base in Japan, where the legendary Toho Pictures first put him on the map, Godzilla has gone on to become an international phenomenon, a pop culture avatar, a movie monster unrivaled in both size and appeal. The latest installment in Applause Theatre and Cinema Books'' FAQ series, Brian Soloman''s Godzilla FAQ is a broad and varied exploration of the monumental, fire-breathing radioactive lizard that has roared his way into our hearts over a sixty-year reign of terror. By pairing a colloquial text with a wide array of illustrations and visual media, this 400-page survey encourages readers to drop in and out of the book, as every chapter serves as a self-supporting article on a given subject. Written by a lifelong Godzilla fan and pop culture critic, Godzilla FAQ offers a comprehensive rundown of every Godzilla film ever made, in-depth biographies of major players in the franchise''s history, and enough raw information to rebuild a ravaged Tokyo. Don''t miss out on this ideal gift for cinema fans, lizard lovers, and pop culture fiends of all ages!

Sport? Entertainment? Art form? Perhaps a bit of all three, with a certain intangible extra something thrown in for good measure, making professional wrestling a truly unique entity unto itself. From its origins in carnivals and sideshow attractions of the 19th century, right up to the multimillion-dollar, multimedia industry of the present day, and all the bizarre, wild, and woolly points in between, Pro Wrestling FAQ delves into the entire history and broad scope of one of popular culture's most enduring yet ever-changing spectacles.With chapters devoted to the many fascinating eras in the history of the business, as well as capsule biographies of some its most memorable and important figures, this book will serve as the ultimate one-volume reference guide for both long-time wrestling nuts and initiates to the grappling phenomenon.Revisit the legendary 1911 “Match of the Century” pitting World Champion Frank Gotch against archrival George Hackenschmidt, “the Russian Lion”; experience wrestling's TV golden age in the 1950s, a time of such colorful personages as Gorgeous George and Antonino Rocca; relive the glory days of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, when WWF impresario Vince McMahon took the business mainstream; and get the lowdown on recent favorites, such as John Cena, CM Punk, and others who have taken the business boldly into the 21st century.

Sport? Entertainment? Art form? Perhaps a bit of all three, with a certain intangible extra something thrown in for good measure, making professional wrestling a truly unique entity unto itself. From its origins in carnivals and sideshow attractions of the 19th century, right up to the multimillion-dollar, multimedia industry of the present day, and all the bizarre, wild, and woolly points in between, Pro Wrestling FAQ delves into the entire history and broad scope of one of popular culture''s most enduring yet ever-changing spectacles.With chapters devoted to the many fascinating eras in the history of the business, as well as capsule biographies of some its most memorable and important figures, this book will serve as the ultimate one-volume reference guide for both long-time wrestling nuts and initiates to the grappling phenomenon.Revisit the legendary 1911 “Match of the Century” pitting World Champion Frank Gotch against archrival George Hackenschmidt, “the Russian Lion”; experience wrestling''s TV golden age in the 1950s, a time of such colorful personages as Gorgeous George and Antonino Rocca; relive the glory days of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, when WWF impresario Vince McMahon took the business mainstream; and get the lowdown on recent favorites, such as John Cena, CM Punk, and others who have taken the business boldly into the 21st century.

The World's Great Rail Journeys describes over 50 of the world's most exciting, unusual and exotic railway journeys, including North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia, updated to include photographs of new trains travelling on the same spectacular routes. Each journey is accompanied by a route map and is described in terms of the technical challenges of the construction of the track as well as the stunning views to be seen while travelling on the trains. One of the most famous, the Orient Express route from Paris to Istanbul, is historical and no longer possible as a single journey but full details of how to trace the route today accompany the description of the original concept. Other journeys are included because of the exciting countryside they pass through, such as the spectacular railways in the Canadian Rockies, or the challenging nature of the route, such as India's Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, or the Indian Pacific which runs across Australia from Perth to Sydney. The World's Great Rail Journeys is perfect for all railway enthusiasts, whether actual or armchair travellers.