Michael Richardson

Surrealism and Photography in Czechoslovakia: On the Needles of Days sheds much-needed light on the location of the greatest concentration of Surrealist photography and examines the culture and tradition within which it has taken root and flourished. The volume explores a rich and important artistic output, very little of which has been seen outside of its land of origin. Based on extensive research at museums in Prague and Brno and many conversations with participants in and historians of the movement, Krzysztof Fijalkowski, Michael Richardson and Ian Walker analyse how this photographic work has developed cohesively and rigorously, from the beginnings of Czech Surrealism in 1934, to the intriguing researches of the present-day Czech and Slovak Surrealist group by way of mysterious veiled responses to the repressive contexts with which they were faced from the 1950s to the 1980s. The main chapters, ordered chronologically, are intersected with shorter texts examining specific works. The reader will find in this volume images that present challenges to our understanding of how photographic work has been used within surrealism, pinpointing individual pictures whose dynamic charge may induce instants of compelling interrogation and disruption.

After 9/11, the United States became a nation that sanctioned torture. Detainees across the globe were waterboarded, deprived of sleep, beaten by guards, blasted with deafening music and forced into obscene acts. Their torture presents a profound problem for literature: torturous pain and its traumatic aftermath have long been held to destroy language, shatter experience, and refuse representation. Challenging accepted thinking, Gestures of Testimony asks how literature might bear witness to the tortures of a war waged against fear itself. Bringing the vibrant field of affect theory to bear on theories of torture and power, Richardson adopts an interdisciplinary approach to show how testimony founded in affect can bear witness to torture and its traumas. Grounded in provocative readings of poems by Guantanamo detainees, memoirs of interrogators and detainees, contemporary films, the Bush Administration’s Torture Memos, and fiction by George Orwell, Franz Kafka, Arthur Koestler, Anne Michaels, and Janette Turner Hospital, Michael Richardson traces the workings of affect, biopower, and aesthetics to re-think literary testimony. Gestures of Testimony gives shape to a mode of affective witnessing, a reaching beyond the page in the writing of torture that reveals violent trauma — even as it embodies its veiling.

Youth Theatre: Drama for Life defines the youth theatre process, by outlining its constituent parts and explaining how these activities work in order to support young people’s development. As well as describing what is done in youth theatre, it also explores why it’s done and how to ensure the best possible outcomes. The book is in four parts: Part 1 explores the nature and purpose of youth theatre, drawing on Michael Richardson’s extensive personal experience as a practitioner and manager. Part 2 explains, in detail, the youth theatre process: warming up, playing games, voice work, developing skills, devising and the presentation of devised work. Part 3 discusses how to create an appropriate environment within which the youth theatre process can be most effectively applied. Part 4 covers the most common applications of the youth theatre process, namely using it in different education environments; and youth theatre productions and performance.On top of this, two appendices give a list of over 60 games that are useful to use in youth theatre; and a list of recommended further reading that supports this book.As well as giving key tips and advice from his own invaluable experience, Richardson offers comments from practitioners and participants on what makes a successful youth theatre experience.Michael Richardson has worked in youth theatre for over 20 years, has been involved in the training of other practitioners, and in the strategic development of the youth theatre sector in the UK.

Youth Theatre: Drama for Life defines the youth theatre process, by outlining its constituent parts and explaining how these activities work in order to support young people’s development. As well as describing what is done in youth theatre, it also explores why it’s done and how to ensure the best possible outcomes. The book is in four parts: Part 1 explores the nature and purpose of youth theatre, drawing on Michael Richardson’s extensive personal experience as a practitioner and manager. Part 2 explains, in detail, the youth theatre process: warming up, playing games, voice work, developing skills, devising and the presentation of devised work. Part 3 discusses how to create an appropriate environment within which the youth theatre process can be most effectively applied. Part 4 covers the most common applications of the youth theatre process, namely using it in different education environments; and youth theatre productions and performance.On top of this, two appendices give a list of over 60 games that are useful to use in youth theatre; and a list of recommended further reading that supports this book.As well as giving key tips and advice from his own invaluable experience, Richardson offers comments from practitioners and participants on what makes a successful youth theatre experience.Michael Richardson has worked in youth theatre for over 20 years, has been involved in the training of other practitioners, and in the strategic development of the youth theatre sector in the UK.

Durham City is one of the North East’s hidden gems, rich in history with its Norman cathedral and castle, built on a rocky peninsula and surrounded on three sides by the River Wear. Its medieval market place and street plan remain almost untouched, and the city is full of hidden vennels, lanes and passageways. Dedicated local author Michael Richardson has assembled a unique collection of photographs and postcards of Durham, and takes us on a tour through the history of the city from the 1850s to the 1960s. This book is a valuable record of Durham’s history and will appeal to all those who know and love this great city.

Surrealism and Photography in Czechoslovakia: On the Needles of Days sheds much-needed light on the location of the greatest concentration of Surrealist photography and examines the culture and tradition within which it has taken root and flourished. The volume explores a rich and important artistic output, very little of which has been seen outside of its land of origin. Based on extensive research at museums in Prague and Brno and many conversations with participants in and historians of the movement, Krzysztof Fijalkowski, Michael Richardson and Ian Walker analyse how this photographic work has developed cohesively and rigorously, from the beginnings of Czech Surrealism in 1934, to the intriguing researches of the present-day Czech and Slovak Surrealist group by way of mysterious veiled responses to the repressive contexts with which they were faced from the 1950s to the 1980s. The main chapters, ordered chronologically, are intersected with shorter texts examining specific works. The reader will find in this volume images that present challenges to our understanding of how photographic work has been used within surrealism, pinpointing individual pictures whose dynamic charge may induce instants of compelling interrogation and disruption.

"Durham City: Past and Present" is a new book which brings together about 400 photographs of the city. Each old picture is accompanied by a recent image to show the reader how the city has changed. Parts of the city have been altered beyond recognition in the last 40 years or so, and this book has been compiled as a permanent record of what was once there and now has gone. The book is broadly divided into areas: the City Centre, North Road, Old Elvet and New Elvet, Crossgate, Claypath and Gilesgate. Whether you are a resident of Durham or a visitor, this book will appeal to all. Many of the old bygone scenes are now lost and can only be identified by matching up with a recent image. Like Michael's previous books, this is a welcome addition and companion to his other Breedon titles and will no doubt become another treasured possession.

Durham City in Colour 1960 - 1970 is a fascinating account of an ancient city and its people at work and play. This is the first time such a pictorial record of the 1960s has been collected in book form. The styles of the era are well covered, along with the many changes that occurred with the demolition of buildings and construction of new roads. Long-forgotten public houses and business premises are shown, alongside numerous vehicles of the period. The photographs, 180 in total, complete with informative captions, have been carefully chosen to appeal to all ages; partly with help from a younger generation, in the form of Michelle Richardson, Michael's daughter. This volume is a valuable record of a particular period of great change and will appeal to all who have affection for the city.

The efficacy of sound to penetrate the seas made acoustic systems in the past century the leading tools for sensing objects in and measuring properties of the seas. For over sixty years The United States Office of Naval Research (ONR) has been a major sponsor of undersea research and development at universities, national laboratories, and industrial organizations. App- priately ONR is the sponsor of this monograph series. The intent of the series is to summarize recent accomplishments in, and to outline perspectives for, underwater acoustics in specific fields of research. The general field has escalated in importance and spread broadly with ri- ness and depth of understanding. It has also, quite naturally, become more specialized. The goal of this series is to present monographs that critically review both past and recent accomplishments in order to address the sho- comings in present understanding. In this way, these works will bridge the gaps in understanding among the specialists and favorably color the direction of new research and development. Each monograph is intended to be a stand-alone advanced contribution to the field. We trust that the reader will also find that each is a critical introduction to related specialized topics of interest as well.

Fulfilling sex nourishes love, increases vitality and boosts mental health. Unfortunately, prevailing attitudes about male sexuality and what is good sex work against these innate features by focusing on the excitement of ejaculation as the one and only goal. Using the tantric guidelines they have practiced for more than 25 years, Diana and Michael Richardson show men how to move beyond their preconceptions of sex as a goal-oriented - and often unintentionally stressful - event so they can relax into sex as a meditative union of complementary energies. They explain how retaining semen allows for increased vitality and extended lovemaking sessions and show the relationship-strengthening benefits of deep, sustained penetration. They, also, explain how to perform soft penetration and how to avoid premature ejaculation. TANTRIC SEX FOR MEN includes tried-and-true foreplay approaches, diagrams of sexual position sequences, ways to increase sexual sensitivity through awareness and how to have ecstatic experiences through reaching a woman's body on a sexually deeper level. The authors, also, demonstrate how the sexual organs can be used to heal both men and women physically, emotionally and spiritually.

This is a beautifully written study, mixing film studies with cultural studies, of how the Hollywood film industry has treated the 'Other' throughout its history. In "Otherness in Hollywood Cinema", Michael Richardson argues that the Hollywood system has been the only national cinema with the resources and inclination to explore images of others through stories set in exotic and faraway places. He traces many of the ways in which Hollywood has constructed otherness, and discusses the extent to which those images have persisted and conditioned today's understanding. Hollywood was from the beginning teeming with people who had experienced cultural displacement. Coaxing the finest talents from around the world and needing to produce films with an almost universal appeal, Hollywood confounded American insularity while simultaneously presenting a vision of 'America' to the world. The book examines a range of genres from the perspective of otherness, including the Western, film noir, and zombie movies. Films discussed include "Birth of a Nation", "The New World", "The Searchers", "King Kong", "Apocalypse Now", "Blade Runner", "Jaws", and "Dead Man". Erudite and highly informed, this is a sweeping survey of how the American film industry has portrayed the foreign and the exotic.

This is a beautifully written study, mixing film studies with cultural studies, of how the Hollywood film industry has treated the 'Other' throughout its history. In "Otherness in Hollywood Cinema", Michael Richardson argues that the Hollywood system has been the only national cinema with the resources and inclination to explore images of others through stories set in exotic and faraway places. He traces many of the ways in which Hollywood has constructed otherness, and discusses the extent to which those images have persisted and conditioned today's understanding. Hollywood was from the beginning teeming with people who had experienced cultural displacement. Coaxing the finest talents from around the world and needing to produce films with an almost universal appeal, Hollywood confounded American insularity while simultaneously presenting a vision of 'America' to the world. The book examines a range of genres from the perspective of otherness, including the Western, film noir, and zombie movies. Films discussed include "Birth of a Nation", "The New World", "The Searchers", "King Kong", "Apocalypse Now", "Blade Runner", "Jaws", and "Dead Man". Erudite and highly informed, this is a sweeping survey of how the American film industry has portrayed the foreign and the exotic.

What happens when suddenly the wind changes and the loving connection between two partners is disrupted for hours or even days? Why is love associated with ups and downs? The answer is simple although not obvious - usually a wave of emotion which has roots in the past floods the atmosphere. The authors show in easy-to-follow steps how to recognise emotions, to leave them behind, and to create space for the expression of real feelings where love has a chance.

Dedicated local author, Michael Richardson has assembled a unique archive of photographs and postcards of Durham which chronicles the history of the city from 1855 into the 1960s. In this, his fourth book on Durham and its people, the author presents hitherto unpublished photographs, many dating back a hundred years or more. The cathedral is the visual focus of the city, and Durham: Cathedral City highlights the central role that this unique building has played in the lives of Durham inhabitants, whether they be clergy, academics, students or miners. However, Durham is more than its Cathedral, and as Michael Richardson's photographs clearly illustrate, there is great diversity of everyday life and a host of special events occurring in the city. Events included are, the annual Miner's Gala, the visit of Ribbentrop in 1936 and the part played by Durham citizens during the First and Second World Wars. This book is a valuable record of Durham's past which will appeal to both resident and visitor, and all who know and love the Cathedral city.

Around Durham Through Time is a lavishly illustrated book which explores the villages lying to the east, within the present city boundary. These include Carrville, Belmont, West Rainton, Leamside, Low and High Pittington, Littletown, Sherburn Hill, Shadforth, Ludworth, Sherburn Village, Sherburn House, High Shincliffe, Shincliffe, Houghall and Old Durham. Although some have an ancient history, most developed with the sinking of coal-mines. Much of the area has been transformed from the days when the villages consisted of long dreary colliery-rows and pit-heaps. Perhaps, after reading this book, you will see some of these villages in a different light.

In recent years Michael Richardson has collected a unique archive of old photographs and memorabilia relating to Durham. Many pictures have been donated by Durham people, and this collection focuses on the city's inhabitants at work and play, between the 1860s and the 1960s. Over two hundred well-chosen photographs, most of them hitherto unpublished, create a fascinating record of trades, transport, festivities, military matters, street scenes, royal visits, sport and leisure. An introduction puts the images in the context of Durham's history, while each picture is fully captioned. Durham People will evoke nostalgic memories for many, and will give pleasure to all who know and love the city.