Books by Howard Jackson

''CROOKS FOR WHOM GOOD TIMES WOULD NEVER BE ENOUGH, AND LOSERS LIVING LIVES AS LONELY AS THE DOLLARS IN THEIR POCKETS''''Offended Shadows'' remembers 40 movies that do not deserve to be forgotten. In each chapter a minor character from a film noir movie describes another character, usually but not always the hero or villain''Offended Shadows'' also adds imaginary scenarios and histories that complement and extend the Hollywood film noir imagination. In ''Offended Shadows'' characters from one movie will appear in other film noirs. More narrative spice is added to the fun by the presence of the Black Dahlia and the mysterious identity of her killer. And just what is supposed to be happening in Bridgeport, California?

The TV show 'Breaking Bad' is not just habit forming but dangerous. Walter White was killed, and Jesse Pinkman has had to rebuild a new and perhaps innocent life in Alaska. But, without taking crystal meth or contravening the law, fans of the hit TV show now at least have an excuse or another reason to 'go break bad.' And those who are not fans? Well, you have to start somewhere, especially if you have a curious nature. 'Breaking Bad' was more than a hit TV show. Walter White and his adventures deserve to be remembered.'Go Break Bad' avoids the format of the other books written about the TV hit 'Breaking Bad'. Rather than work through the shows chronologically and offer thematic analysis for each episode, 'Go Break Bad', like Combo and Skinny Pete on the streets in ABQ, searches for the street corners. It lingers in places where it is not expected.'Go Break Bad' is driven by different and at times what might appear to be unrelated topics. Main men like Franz Kafka, William Shakespeare, Samuel Beckett and Herman Melville make an appearance but within 'Go Break Bad' there is plenty of room for the unexpected. The odd but illuminating connections include motor transport, economic theory, nuclear weaponry, education, the work ethic, left wing politics, the family, Hollywood cinema and more. 'Go Break Bad' can be read using natural daylight or at night on the roadside and under the glow from a streetlamp. Whichever way you read 'Go Break Bad' worry about what might be on the road ahead.

'IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO IS IN POWER. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING. NONE OF IT WORKS' It is May 2018 and below the equator the summer is over. Argentina is in the middle of another economic crisis and the Government is being given budgetary warnings by the International Monetary Fund. Inflation is high and the value of the Argentinean peso is falling. One Englishman returns to South America after an absence of ten years.NO TALL HEELS TO TANGO remembers a 3000 mile journey made by a seventy year old lone traveller around a troubled Argentina. He visits Buenos Aires, wanders south to Patagonia and then travels north to the towns below the Andes. The Englishman meets people who want to talk about politics and football. Sometimes, though, they remember high heels and the tango and wonder whatever happened.

'THE BEST WE CAN DO IS WONDER AND ENJOY BEING PUZZLED'Books on Jack the Ripper can be hard work. Authors have felt obliged to pack information around a chronological account of the murders. Participants in the events appear and reappear leaving a reader confused. Often an unconvincing suspect is identified. Light Work is different and serious, but sometimes sardonic. The story or legend of Jack the Ripper is separated into self-contained topics. The range within Light Work is wide and contains some surprises - London smog, music hall entertainers, Irish revolutionaries, female political radicals, a Texan serial killer, modern Jack the Ripper tours, and even a surreal visit to a lake filled with corpses. 'Light Work' offers a fresh, independent and common sense perspective on the events in Whitechapel in 1888.

'Nightmares And Lying Rogues, is the third and final movie book by Red Rattle Books author Howard Jackson. It complements the previously published collections, 'Horror Pickers' and 'Mean And Dark'. Howard Jackson again provides independent thought and analysis on a wide-ranging selection of films that includes both the famous and obscure.In 'Nightmares And Lying Rogues' half of the reviews address horror movies. The other half are movies from the Film Noir and Western genres. All the selected films are rooted in the dark, neurotic and sinister.Both the selection of movies and the opinions about them contain surprises, and each of the reviewed movies has a link to a contemporary political issue.This time Howard Jackson attempts to make sense of what we have been told by both movie-makers and politicians and to understand the nightmares they leave behind.

In HORROR PICKERS Howard Jackson examined and dissected forty horror films. This time in MEAN AND DARK he also adds a few film noir favourites to the mix. All the selected movies have baffled people in trouble. But in examining the films Howard Jackson makes a bold attempt to explain what really haunts and perhaps inspires us. The combination of gloomy ideas, defiant opinion, perceptive analysis and sly humour makes MEAN AND DARK an addictive read and a must for film fans.As before, the collection of films that Howard Jackson probes for meaning and ideas ranges from 1945 to the present day and includes dark and chilling cinema from the USA, Europe, the UK, South America, Scandinavia and Asia. The list incluses familiar favourites and some surprises.Praise for HORROR PICKERS'A wonderous collection of horror film criticism, delivers exquisite insight into our favourite fright flicks.'David Saunderson, The Spooky Isles.'Marvellous and entertaining.'Crime Cronicles

'NO MONEY HONEY' is an entertaining and a provocative look at some of the personalities of 2012. Written by a left-wing Elvis fan, it serves as a quirky reminder of what happened in a year that was difficult but never dull. 'NO MONEY HONEY' includes a wide range of topics and mixes political indignation, high seriousness and rock and roll. 'Jackson brings together the two sides of one fascinating coin as he explores politics through the voice of rock and roll.' Annajoy David, Red Wedge. 'Jackson is the king of left-wing Elvis fandom. He uses his status to create a satisfying demolition of the Tories.' Tom Watson, M.P.

This practical guide gives students a command of grammar, spelling and punctuation, enabling them to improve the quality and accuracy of their writing.

An exploration of the semantic approach to grammar. Topics covered in this work range from co-ordination and conjunction in combining propositions, to tense, aspect and modality in specifying states, events and actions.

An examination of the rise of the English dictionary, the kinds of dictionary available, the range of information they contain, factors affecting their usage and public attitudes towards them. The advantages of a thesaurus-like approach over the traditional format are discussed.