Chris Heath

1989. Los Pet Shop Boys —el elegante y carismático Neil Tennant (voz) y el esquivo Chris Lowe (teclados)—, quizás el dúo más brillante del pop británico de los ochenta, que hasta la fecha había lanza

An intimate, funny and frank account of the moments behind the music, of the truth behind the headlines and of the fascinatingly complicated man behind the imperious entertainer, Reveal is Robbie Williams as you've never seen him before. More than twelve years ago, Robbie Williams and Chris Heath published a ground-breaking memoir, Feel, about Robert P. Williams' rise to fame; a book that was met with worldwide acclaim, from critics and fans alike. Since that time, Robbie has released six solo albums, reunited with his old band Take That and, in the wake of his twelfth UK number-one album, has returned to the stage with a sold-out run at Wembley Stadium. In Reveal, bestselling author Chris Heath has been working closely with Robbie for many years to create a personal and raw account of fame, fortune, family and music; a vivid and detailed story of the real highs and lows as Robbie has found his way forward, that is unprecedented in its intimacy and honesty. Long-awaited by millions, Reveal is the uncensored and compelling portrait of the man as you've never seen him before. "It's a diary of a very modern entertainer and his ever-changing thoughts, the story of somebody who escaped Butlins, and the tale of a pop star trying to find his feet again after coming out of early retirement. It's true, and funny, and occasionally sad, and well-written, and very entertaining. I hope people enjoy it." Robbie

The true story of how 12 Jewish men escaped a Nazi killing pit in Ponar Lithuania and how the trauma lived with them in their later lives

First came Ebury''s massively successful, 2001 illustrated account of Robbie''s touring world, SOMEBODY SOMEDAY. Now the time has come for the complete, intimate story of Robert P Williams. Spanning his childhood through Take That to his current status as rock icon, probing his love life and his family relationships, this is closer than you''d ever thought you''d get to Robbie Williams. Written by Chris Heath, who has spent nearly two years working with Rob on this book, every word is imbued with Rob''s humour, charisma, talent, memories and complexity. But more than ever before, this book tells the truth about his extraordinary life. Billy Connolly told his story through his wife, and with Rolling Stone journalist, Chris Heath, Robbie''s own story promises to be as brilliantly and insightfully told. You may have seen his face a million times, heard his music every day, followed him from the beginning of Take That, but this is a man with some serious surprises in store. The World According to Robert P Williams - a ground-breaking package; a truly original and brilliantly written book; a grippingly honest story of an extraordinary man.

A stunning book a powerful investigation utterly compelling James Holland The Daily Telegraph Five stars Ponar Lithuania 1944 The Nazis have enslaved Jewish men to exhume and incinerate the bodies of more than 70 000 Jews previously shot to death in the forest Trapped in almost unimaginable horror a group develop an audacious escape plan Despite being guarded day and night they dig a tunnel with their bare hands Twelve men escape an act of great bravery and desperation as well as extraordinary imagination Based on first person accounts of the escapees and on every scrap of evidence that has been documented repressed or amplified since No Road Leading Back resurrects the lives of the twelve and their acts of witness as well as providing an urgent analysis of why their story has rarely been told and never accurately Author Chris Heath explores the cultural use and misuse of Holocaust testimony and the need for us to face uncomfortable historical truths with honesty and accuracy This shattering and inspiring true story of prisoners who dug their way out of torture and imprisonment by the Nazis is both a stunning escape narrative and an object lesson in how we remember and continually forget the particulars of the Holocaust

An intimate, funny and frank account of the moments behind the music, of the truth behind the headlines and of the fascinatingly complicated man behind the imperious entertainer, Reveal is Robbie Williams as you've never seen him before. More than 12 years ago, Robbie Williams and Chris Heath published a groundbreaking memoir, Feel, about Robert P. Williams' rise to fame - a book that was met with worldwide acclaim from critics and fans alike. Since that time Robbie has released six solo albums, reunited with his old band Take That and, in the wake of his 12th UK number-one album, returned to the stage with a sold-out run at Wembley Stadium. In Reveal, best-selling author Chris Heath has been working closely with Robbie for many years to create a personal and raw account of fame, fortune, family and music - a vivid and detailed story of the real highs and lows as Robbie has found his way forward, that is unprecedented in its intimacy and honesty.

No other pop group in recent history has faced fame with such intelligence, humour and shrewdness as the Pet Shop Boys. In 1991, the band toured North America for the first time shadowed by journalist Chris Heath and legendary rock photographer Pennie Smith. They visited fourteen cities in one month, confronting the American music industry and colliding with the likes of Liza Minnelli, Steven Spielberg and Axl Rose. This is more than a documentary of a tour; it is an unusually intimate portrait of two maverick British musicians always reluctant to compromise.There was a time when the Pet Shop Boys seemed to exist entirely on radio, television and in magazines. This is the other world of the Pet Shop Boys in concert, travel and backstage, as they bring their art and glamour to America. Its funny too. Johnny MarrA brilliant book, to be read over and over again. How could anyone not love these men? NME

The Pet Shop Boys are one of the most successful and unusual bands of the last five decades. They are the pop duo that proves pop music can be modern, ecstatic and playful as well as serious and intelligent, winning them legions of devoted fans throughout the world.In 1989, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe invited journalist Chris Heath and photographer Lawrence Watson to shadow them around Hong Kong, Japan and the UK as they embarked on their first-ever tour. This book is the result: an immersive portrait giving access into the duos inner sanctum, showing them in brilliantly observed detail as they work, relax, gossip, argue and occasionally try to make sense of what they do.As clear a picture as could be wished for of the seething mass of elegant contradictions that is the Pet Shop Boys on-the-road experience. Independent on SundayThis superbly reported book transcends tired rock journalism cliche. Its about what it means to be a pop star, what it means to be a Pet Shop Boy how to love pop, hold it to a higher standard and subvert its expectations. Laura Snapes

A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FINALIST CHAUTAUQUA PRIZE FINALIST This by turns shattering and hope-giving account of prisoners who dug their way to freedom from the Nazis is both a stunning escape narrative and an object lesson in the ways we remember and continually forget the particulars of the Holocaust.No Road Leading Back is the remarkable story of a dozen prisoners who escaped from the site where more than 70,000 Jews were shot in the Lithuanian forest of Ponar after the Nazi invasion of Eastern Europe in 1941. Anxious to hide the incriminating evidence of the murders, the S.S. later in the war enslaved a group of Jews to exhume every one of the bodies and incinerate them all in a months-long laboran episode whose specifics are staggering and disturbing, even within the context of the Holocaust.From within that dire circumstance emerges the improbable escape made by some of the men, who dug a tunnel with bare hands and spoons while they were trapped and guarded day and nightan act not just of bravery and desperation but of awesome imagination. Based on first-person accounts of the escapees and on each scrap of evidence that has been documented, repressed, or amplified since, this book resurrects their lives, while also providing a complex, urgent analysis of why their story has rarely been told, and never accurately. Heath explores the cultural use and misuse of Holocaust testimony and the need for us to face itand all uncomfortable historical truthswith honesty and accuracy.

1989. Los Pet Shop Boys —el elegante y carismático Neil Tennant (voz) y el esquivo Chris Lowe (teclados)—, quizás el dúo más brillante del pop británico de los ochenta, que hasta la fecha había lanzado hits imperecederos como "West End Girls", "Opportunities", "It's a Sin", "Left to My Own Devices" o "Domino Dancing" y cuatro álbumes que habían arrasado en las listas de éxitos, por fin se decidían a emprender la que sería su primera gira internacional. Hasta entonces, su obsesión por el control de todos los detalles de su producción musical, cierto pánico escénico y la ambiciosa puesta en escena que pensaban que sus actuaciones frente al público debían tener habían frustrado cualquier intento de ofrecer un directo. Por fin, en verano de 1989, el dúo aceptó dar una serie de conciertos fastuosos que los llevarían a Hong Kong y Japón, más unas fechas ya de regreso en el Reino Unido. En este periplo, los acompañaría —además de la troupe de bailarines y músicos de soporte, su equipo de management y el fotógrafo Lawrence Watson— el periodista Chris Heath, al que encomendaron la ardua tarea de escribir un libro sobre la experiencia y, por extensión, componer un retrato de los PSB. El resultado fue "Pet Shop Boys, literalmente", publicado originalmente en 1990 y recientemente reeditado y ampliado, un clásico de la literatura musical que nos muestra con humor y sin filtros la vida de estos dos genios del pop. Además de las peripecias acaecidas durante la gira, Heath nos revela la singular personalidad —a veces altiva, a veces prosaica— de Tennant/Lowe y la de su peculiar séquito de acompañantes para componer un fresco inolvidable del momento álgido de uno de los grupos más influyentes de todos los tiempos.

A stunning book, a powerful investigation, utterly compelling, James Holland, The Daily Telegraph, Five starsPonar, Lithuania. 1944. The Nazis have enslaved Jewish men to exhume and incinerate the bodies of more than 70,000 Jews previously shot to death in the forest. Trapped in almost unimaginable horror, a group develop an audacious escape plan. Despite being guarded day and night, they dig a tunnel with their bare hands. Twelve men escape - an act of great bravery and desperation as well as extraordinary imagination.Based on first-person accounts of the escapees and on every scrap of evidence that has been documented, repressed or amplified since, No Road Leading Back resurrects the lives of the twelve and their acts of witness, as well as providing an urgent analysis of why their story has rarely been told - and never accurately. Author Chris Heath explores the cultural use and misuse of Holocaust testimony and the need for us to face uncomfortable historical truths with honesty and accuracy.This shattering and inspiring true story of prisoners who dug their way out of torture and imprisonment by the Nazis is both a stunning escape narrative and an object lesson in how we remember and continually forget the particulars of the Holocaust.