Philip Ward – författare

Laura Nyro (1947-1997) was one of the most significant figures to emerge from the singer-songwriter boom of the 1960s. She first came to attention when her songs were hits for Barbra Streisand, The Fifth Dimension, Peter, Paul and Mary, and others. But it was on her own recordings that she imprinted her vibrant personality. With albums like Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry she mixed the sounds of soul, pop, jazz and Broadway to fashion autobiographical songs that earned her a fanatical following and influenced a generation of music-makers. In later life her preoccupations shifted from the self to embrace public causes such as feminism, animal rights and ecology – the music grew mellower, but her genius was undimmed. This book examines her entire studio career from 1967’s More than a New Discovery to the posthumous Angel in the Dark release of 2001. Also surveyed are the many live albums that preserve her charismatic stage presence. With analysis of her teasing, poetic lyrics and unique vocal and harmonic style, this is the first-ever study to concentrate on Laura Nyro’s music and how she created it. Elton John idolised her; Joni Mitchell declared her ‘a true original’. Here’s why.

Michael Arlen (1895-1956) was a literary shooting star among the smart set of the 1920s. The self-styled chronicler of Mayfair society, he became an international celebrity after the publication of his scandalous novel The Green Hat in 1924. Born into an immigrant Armenian community in Lancashire, following early breakthrough in London he led a millionaire’s life on the Riviera and dabbled in the Hollywood film industry before living out his final years, all but forgotten, in retirement in New York. For all his success as a purveyor of popular fiction, he remained forever an ‘outsider’, arousing both fascination and suspicion in the English-speaking world.Encounters with Michael Arlen is a set of overlapping essays that reflect how the novelist was seen by himself and by his contemporaries. Unlike a conventional biography, the emphasis is on his connections with other leading figures of the day, especially fellow writers such as D.H. Lawrence, Ernest Hemingway and Rebecca West.The book is also a rumination by the author on the sheer difficulty of writing literary biography. With its comprehensive timeline and listing of archive materials relating to Arlen, it should serve as a stimulus to future research on this neglected and enigmatic personality.

In this personal selection of his music journalism over the last fifteen years, Philip Ward sheds fresh light on some of the key musical figures he admires and the contributions they have made to folk, rock and the sound in between.Insightful pieces on the emerging singer-songwriters of the 60s and 70s including Richard and Linda Thompson, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake and Shelagh McDonald feature alongside celebrations of contemporary performers such as Rufus Wainwright, Olivia Chaney and Josienne Clarke who have taken inspiration from them.Making interesting and unexpected connections along the way, this informative collection of interviews, reviews and think pieces explores the borders between ‘folk’ and ‘rock’ music by examining some of the musically adjacent pioneers who defy classification such as Marianne Faithfull, Kate Bush and Paul Simon, artists who have sought to dissolve musical genres in their work to create something new and exciting.“Philip’s book is like he broke into my house and sifted through my LP collection. For those who think of LPs as ‘albums’ not ‘vinyl’, it’s a stroll down memory lane in comfy slippers.” – Patrick Humphries, biographer of Paul Simon and Richard Thompson

This book presents climate adaptation and flood risk problems and solutions in coastal cities, including an independent investigation of adaptation paths and problems in Rotterdam, New York and Jakarta. The comparison draws out lessons that each city can learn from the others. While the main focus is on coastal flooding, cities are also affected by climate change in other ways, including impacts that occur away from the coast. The New York City Water Supply System, for example, stretches as far as 120 miles upstate, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has undertaken extensive climate assessment, not only for its coastal facilities, but also for its upstate facilities which will be affected by rising temperatures, droughts, inland flooding and water quality changes. The authors examine key questions, such as: are current city plans climate proof or do we need to finetune our ongoing investments? Can we develop a flood proof subway system? Can we develop new infrastructure in such a way that it serves flood protection, housing and natural values?