Biography: general Books

Book SynopsisSome summers are destined to generate cherished memories. For married high school sweethearts Don and Nancy Hammond, they happened in 1972 and 1973, when Don's lifelong dream of being a United States Forest Service fire lookout came true.Don's first post, the Dunn Peak Lookout, was located eight miles northwest of Avery in Idaho's St. Joe National Forest. Once they arrived, they breathlessly lugged provisions and water up steep stairs to its fifteen-by-fifteen-foot cab two stories above the forest floor. Furnishings included a single bed, small bookcase, cabinet, and table, and a wood stove. There was no electricity or running water. A battery powered two-way Motorola radio would be their only connection to the outside world. That night--engulfed by lightning strikes and filled with adrenalin--they faced their first storm.Unless it was foggy or raining, the Forest Service required Don to conduct binocular searches from the catwalk at least twenty minutes of every hour while he was on duty. He watched for smoke during the day and the glow of fire at night, and learned to distinguish between blue smoke plumes and white wisps of fog. Despite the primitive conditions, Don, Nancy, and their Dalmatian, Misty, settled in and came to love their lookout life. They spotted wildfires, were startled by their first cougar scream, encountered a wide variety of human and animal visitors, discovered delectable huckleberry patches, and simply enjoyed the enchanting beauty all around them.The Forest Service decided to close the Dunn Peak Lookout, so the couple spent the summer of 1973 at the Middle Sister Peak tower, ten miles southeast of Avery. In The Last Lookout, Nancy shares stories from those two exciting, magical fire seasons, along with their return as volunteers 37 years later. Interspersing regional fire history as well as dangers and details of the work, she journeys back to the narrow catwalks and stunning panoramas--a place where storms are building, the forest is dry, and any lightning strike could ignite a raging wildfire.Table of ContentsPrefacePART IDUNN PEAK LOOKOUT 19721. When You Wish Upon A Star2. Where Are The Trees? 3. What If I Spot A Smoke? 4. Lassie Saved Him5. A Mouthful of Spaghetti6. Livin' La Vida Lookout7. Black and White and Purple8. A Fireball, Ants, And A Serial Killer9. The Last Lookout On Dunn Peak PART IIMIDDLE SISTER PEAK LOOKOUT 197310. Step Number Next11. The High World12. The Burning Index13. Visitors14. The Birds And The Bees…And A Bear15. August On Fire16. Put Back The Trees17. Locked In A ForestPART IIIBETWEEN MOUNTAINS18. Indiana, Idaho, Pennsylvania And WashingtonPART IVA ONE NIGHT STAND 199319. The Kabuki Dancer's SwordPART V20. What Were We Thinking? 21. Summer Time…And The Livin' Ain't Easy 22. I've Looked At Clouds From Both Sides Now23. August, 2010Sources

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA bracing and fresh look at a lifelong struggle with depression and mental illnessPlagued by depression her entire life, it wasn’t until her early fifties that writer and book critic Bethanne Patrick, advocating for her own care, received a medical diagnosis that would set her on the path to wellness and stability.Recognizing the intergenerational effects of trauma and mental health struggles, Patrick unearths the stories of her past in order to forge a better future for herself and her two daughters, dismantling the stigmas surrounding mental health challenges that can plague families into silence and resignation. Life B is an intimate portrait we haven’t yet seen—of a lifelong struggle with depression, of midlife diagnosis and newly found strength. Most important, it’s a life-affirming blueprint of how to accept and transcend the limitations of mental illness.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBCALA Literary Award WinnerFinalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy AwardThe intimate and heartbreaking story of a Black undercover police officer who famously kneeled by the assassinated Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?and a daughter?s quest for the truth about her fatherIn the famous photograph of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony of Memphis?s Lorraine Motel, one man kneeled down beside King, trying to staunch the blood from his fatal head wound with a borrowed towel.This kneeling man was a member of the Invaders, an activist group that was in talks with King in the days leading up to the murder. But he also had another identity: an undercover Memphis police officer reporting on the activities of this group, which was thought to be possibly dangerous and potentially violent. This kneeling man is Leta McCollough Seletzky?s father.Marrell McCollough was a Black man working secretly with the white power structure, a spy. This was so far from her understanding of what it meant to be Black in America, of everything she eventually devoted her life and career to, that she set out to learn what she could about his life, his actions and motivations. But with that decision came risk. What would she uncover about her father, who went on to a career at the CIA, and did she want to bear the weight of knowing?

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis2021 Choice Outstanding Academic Title In this timely and provocative book, Damon Root reveals how Frederick Douglass’s fight for an antislavery Constitution helped to shape the course of American history in the nineteenth century and beyond. At a time when the principles of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were under assault, Frederick Douglass picked up their banner, championing inalienable rights for all, regardless of race. When Americans were killing each other on the battlefield, Douglass fought for a cause greater than the mere preservation of the Union. “No war but an Abolition war,” he maintained. “No peace but an Abolition peace.” In the aftermath of the Civil War, when state and local governments were violating the rights of the recently emancipated, Douglass preached the importance of “the ballot-box, the jury-box, and the cartridge-box” in the struggle against Jim Crow. Frederick Douglass, the former slave who had secretly taught himself how to read, would teach the American people a thing or two about the true meaning of the Constitution. This is the story of a fundamental debate that goes to the very heart of America’s founding ideals—a debate that is still very much with us today. Trade Review"Root champions Douglass as an important legal and political thinker, a determined fighter for full citizenship rights and freedom for all Americans regardless of race."—J. D. Smith, Choice"Refreshing and thoughtful, written in accessible prose. It would be an excellent starting point for any undergraduate class not only on Douglass but also the debates over slavery into which he entered."—J. W. Mills, Intellectual History Review"In his brilliant new book A Glorious Liberty: Frederick Douglass and the Fight for an Antislavery Constitution, Damon Root convincingly argues that in addition to being remembered for his courageous and inspiring life story, 'Douglass deserves to be remembered as a significant legal and political thinker in his own right, as an intellectual firebrand who spent the better part of his life grappling with fundamental questions about the meaning of freedom and the role of government—questions that still remain powerfully relevant today.'"—Stephen F. Rohde, Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine“Today, once again, the original Constitution is being vilified, as a validation of slavery, by people with disreputable agendas and negligible understanding. Damon Root, who explicates the great document as well as anyone writing today, brings the patience of Job and a noble ally—Frederick Douglass—to the task of refuting this recycled canard. Root and Douglass, like root beer and ice cream, are an irresistible American combination.”—George F. Will“Is the Constitution an antislavery ‘glorious liberty document’ or a proslavery ‘agreement with hell’? The antebellum debates between William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass are as relevant today as they were two centuries ago. In this important new book, Damon Root methodologically and accessibly walks you through this formative constitutional debate and shows why Douglass rightfully belongs ‘in the pantheon of American civic philosophers.’”—Josh Blackman, professor of constitutional law at South Texas College of Law Houston“Damon Root has written a meticulously researched celebration of the intellectual legacy of Frederick Douglass. . . . As we continue to debate the legacy of slavery, Root convincingly argues that in reconciling the country’s most profound moral incongruity—that a nation purporting to be a beacon of liberty could be so inextricably rooted in human bondage—Douglass should be mentioned in the same breath as the Founding Fathers, perhaps even more so, as a historical figure who not only championed the ideas that made America great, but in pointing out where it fell short of those values demanded that the country become a better version of itself.”—Radley Balko, investigative journalist at the Washington Post and coauthor of The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American SouthTable of ContentsIntroduction: Frederick Douglass’s Constitution 1. “A Faithful Disciple of William Lloyd Garrison” 2. “An Anti-slavery Instrument” 3. “This Hell-Black Judgment of the Supreme Court” 4. “Men of Color, to Arms!” 5. “One Nation, One Country, One Citizenship” Epilogue: A Legacy of Liberty Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnya Seton was the bestselling author of ten historical novels, including the masterpieces Katherine and The Winthrop Woman, which are still widely beloved over sixty years after their original publication. Yet there has never before been a book-length biography of this great American writer. Author Lucinda MacKethan, with the support of Seton’s daughters and unprecedented access to the novelist’s decades’ worth of journals detailing her writing throughout her career, has crafted an intimate look at the writer in her own words. Ann Seton was born in 1904 the daughter of two celebrity writers: Ernest Thompson Seton, a renowned naturalist and illustrator, and Grace Gallatin Seton, a women’s suffrage leader who received medals for her volunteer work in France during World War I. The pair’s literary output gave them enduring fame, but as a teenager Ann explicitly rejected her parents’ careers—because, she said, they showed her the drudgery of a writer’s life. Still, she was always confident that she had inherited her parents’ talent. At age thirty-six and self-renamed Anya, she placed her first novel with a major publisher. Anya the author was protective of her private life yet also mused, “I suppose I write myself over and over again in the heroines” of her books. She reinvented herself within carefully researched historical settings and biographical frameworks that provided both escape and wish fulfillment. Through Seton’s own journal entries, letters, and self-analyses, MacKethan provides an intimate study of what it meant to her to be a writer. She details Seton’s creative process, as well as the difficulties she faced balancing writing with the duties of homemaking and raising three children, and the gratitude or more often frustration she felt toward editors and reviewers. A compelling portrait emerges of a deeply dedicated writer whose life was full of inner turmoil, most of it self-inflicted. Trade Review"Anya Seton is truly one of the most beloved godmothers of women writers of my generation (including me), and this long-overdue biography gives texture and insight into her life, her process, and her books. I grieved for the very real challenges she faced as a woman of letters, and cheered for her triumphs. Kudos to Lucinda H. MacKethan for bringing us this rich, thoughtful material." -- Barbara O'Neal, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids"Lucinda MacKethan brings Anya Seton's creative process to vivid and memorable life, illuminating the thoughts and emotions of an important but perhaps underappreciated writer of historical fiction. Both fans and new initiates to Seton's work will enjoy this sensitive, thoughtful portrayal. This Writing Life will stick in the reader's mind long after the book is closed." -- Carrie Callaghan, author of Salt the Snow and A Light of Her Own"Lucinda H. MacKethan takes a lovely, bold, deep dive into Anya Seton's writing life, chronicling her passionate longings, tragedies, and triumphs -- and, most crucially, the dailiness of writing. Anya Seton is a fascinating quest featuring a real-life heroine who found freedom through fiction -- and her identity as a storyteller -- as she struggled to define herself apart from the authorial acclaim of her parents and the rigid labels of society." -- Christina Lane, author of Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock"The author's fans will appreciate this workmanlike volume." -- Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe best-known educator of the twentieth century was a scammer in cashmere. “The most famous reading teacher in the world,” as television hosts introduced her, Evelyn Wood had little classroom experience, no degrees in reading instruction, and a background that included work at the Mormon mission in Germany at the time when the church was cooperating with the Third Reich. Nevertheless, a nation spooked by Sputnik and panicked by paperwork eagerly embraced her promises of a speed-reading revolution. Journalists, lawmakers and two US presidents lent credibility to Wood’s claims of turbocharging reading speeds through a method once compared to the miracle at Lourdes. Time magazine reported Woods grads could polish off Dr. Zhivago in one hour; a senator swore that Wood's method had boosted his reading speed to more than ten thousand words per minute. But science showed that her method taught only skimming, with disastrous effects on comprehension—a fact Wood was aware of from early in her career. Fudging test results, and squelching critics, she founded a company that enrolled half a million. The course’s popularity endured even as evidence of its shortcomings continued to accumulate. Today, as apps and online courses attempt to spark a speed-reading revival, this engaging look at Wood’s rise from mission worker to marketer exposes the pitfalls of embracing a con artist's worthless solution to imaginary problems. Trade Review"I read Scan Artist in thirty minutes! Actually, I didn't, because the Evelyn Wood method doesn't work. But when I did mosey my way through this enjoyable book, I found a great tale of American hucksterism." -- Jonathan Alter, New York Times bestselling author of The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies" Scan Artist is a riveting portrait of an underrepresented archetype: the female con artist. Meticulously researched and cinematically plotted, Marcia Biederman's book excavates biographical details that paint a comprehensive picture of Evelyn Wood's milieu and motivations. Though I did not read at the rate of thousands of words per minute, as Wood may have claimed, my pages turned rapidly as I devoured this dastardly, delightful character." -- Elizabeth Greenwood, author of Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Dead Fraud"If Americans could split the atom, track satellites in outer space, and build missiles, why shouldn't reading methods also make spectacular advances? The fact that supersonic reading becomes skimming did not deter Utah teacher Evelyn Wood. Beiderman's thoroughly researched biography deserves to be read slowly. It is a fascinating case study of the thin line between adroit marketing and misleading hyperbole." -- Robert L. Hampel, author of Fast and Curious: A History of Shortcuts in American Education"This is an intriguing and surprising biography of a woman who was once a household name" -- Booklist"A highly recommended examination of the life of Evelyn Wood and her Reading Dynamics program." -- She Treads Softly"...a compelling biography wrapped in the rare true story from the education sector. A page-turner, it could easily be read one sitting... maybe even an hour for a faster reader." -- Plucked from the Stacks" Scan Artist thoroughly portrays Wood's rise and fall as well as the need to beware the deal that seems too good to be true. It always is." HistoryNet

Read more less

Book Synopsis“As a young Afghan woman who dreamed of becoming an air force pilot, Niloofar Rahmani confronted far more than technical challenges; she faced the opprobrium of an entire society.” —Pamela Constable, author of Playing with Fire and former Kabul and Islamabad bureau chief for the Washington Post The true story of Niloofar Rahmani and her determination to become Afghanistan’s first female air force pilot—as seen on Anderson Cooper and ABC News In 2010, for the first time since the Soviets, Afghanistan allowed women to join the armed forces, and Niloofar entered Afghanistan’s military academy. Niloofar had to break through social barriers to demonstrate confidence, leadership, and decisiveness—essential qualities for a pilot. Niloofar performed the first solo flight of her class—ahead of all her male classmates—and in 2013 became Afghanistan’s first female fixed-wing air force pilot. The US State Department honored Niloofar with the International Women of Courage Award and brought her to the United States to meet Michelle Obama and fly with the US Navy’s Blue Angels. But when she returned to Kabul, the danger to her and her family had increased significantly. Rahmani and her family are portraits of the resiliency of refugees and the accomplishments they can reach when afforded with opportunities Trade Review"As a young Afghan woman who dreamed of becoming an air force pilot, Niloofar Rahmani confronted far more than technical challenges; she faced the opprobrium of an entire society." -- Pamela Constable, author of Playing with Fire and former Kabul and Islamabad bureau chief for the Washington Post"Niloofar Rahmani's story would be remarkable anywhere. But set as it is in Afghanistan, it soars beyond. Not only was her epic struggle to prove her worth as a fighter pilot compounded by intense threats from the Taliban, but she found little support from the men who should have been her brothers in arms. Her story of perseverance and triumph will be an inspiration not only for women but for anyone striving to achieve a difficult goal in the face of opposition." Jim DeFelice, coauthor of American Sniper , Code Name: Johnny Walker , and Every Man a HeroTable of ContentsPreface 1: My Father 2: The Soviets 3: Courtship 4: Civil War 5: Escape 6: The Refugee Camp 7: Karachi 8: Our Return 9: Life Under the Taliban 10: September 11, 2001 11: Invasion and Freedom 12: School 13: Not Everything Changes 14: Dreams Form 15: University 16: A Commercial 17: Recruitment 18: Basic Training 19: Friends, Reflection, and Graduation 20: Joining the Air Force 21: Medical Test and More Tests 22: English Is a Requirement 23: Move West 24: Flight Training 25: First Flight 26: Things Change 27: Up Where I Belong 28: Outed 29: Graduation 30: The Squadron 31: Flying Operations 32: The Threats Come 33: India and AWOL 34: Back in the Air 35: Contacts 36: The United States 37: My Return 38: Everything Crumbles 39: Escape 40: Back in Training 41: Asylum 42: What’s Next Afterword

Read more less

Book SynopsisNora Ephron was one of the most popular, accomplished, and beloved writers in American journalism and film.Nora Ephron: A Biography is the first comprehensive portrait of the Manhattan-born girl who forged a path of her own, earning accolades and adoration from critics and fans alike. Author Kristin Marguerite Doidge explores the tremendous successes and disappointing failures Ephron sustained in her career as a popular essayist turned screenwriter turned film director. She redefined the modern rom-com genre with bestselling books such as Heartburn and hit movies including When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie & Julia. Doidge also examines the private life Ephron tried to keep in balance with her insatiable ambition. Based on rare archival research and numerous interviews with some of Ephron's closest friends, collaborators, and award-winning colleagues including actors Tom Hanks and Caroline Aaron, comedian Martin Short, composer George Fenton, and lifelong friends from Wellesley to New York to Hollywood—as well as interviews Ephron herself gave throughout her career—award-winning journalist and cultural critic Doidge has written a captivating story of the life of a creative writer whose passion for the perfect one-liner and ferocious drive to succeed revolutionized journalism, comedy, and film.The first in-depth biography to explore the complex themes that ran through Ephron's work and to examine why so many of them still grab our attention today.Trade Review"I can say, I believe with understandable pride, that I put Nora on a pedestal before the rest of you. I was seven years old, away from home for the first time, at summer camp in Arizona . . . and there was Nora, eleven years old, the undeniable star of the camp, showing the brilliance, the warmth, the wit, the spirit, the many facets and colors that would mark all her years. Doidge lets us accompany Nora on her journey, capturing all those qualities as well as her triumphs and heartbreaks, taking us behind the scenes of her life with understanding and insight. A masterful job." Victoria Riskin, writer, producer, former president of the WGA"With the astuteness of a journalist and the heart of a true film fan, Kristin Marguerite Doidge has written an important and compelling primer of the life and career of Nora Ephron. Doidge's delicious prose and deep empathy for her subject's complexity enable her to capture both the sunlight and the shadow of Ephron and reveal her to be a great inspiration : She was the daughter of prominent screenwriters who happened to also be difficult alcoholics, a twice-divorced mother who found the love of her life by being courageous enough to open her heart again, and a talented writer-director who brought two of the most significant romantic comedies in American history to the screen despite the odds being stacked against a woman succeeding. Ephron died in 2012, before the rampant adoption of social media, the Women's March, the most recent movement to close the gender pay gap, and a number of other significant cultural movements that would have likely galvanized her status as a leading feminist icon for another generation and beyond had she lived to participate in them. Now a decade after Ephron's death, we are lucky to have Doidge's reminder of the importance and beauty of Ephron's life and work, and how relevant they are to our current cultural conversations. This book is sure to inspire the next generation of Ephron fans to pick up her writing, turn on her films, and dream another dream of what is possible in their lives." Holly Van Leuven, author of Ray Bolger: More than a ScarecrowTable of ContentsPROLOGUE: WHY NORA EPHRON (STILL) MATTERS ACT ONE: GROWING UP EPHRON (The early years: 1941-1958) CHAPTER ONE: “Can I Read Your Work?” CHAPTER TWO: “The Business” CHAPTER THREE: Beverly Hills HighACT TWO: THE WELLESLEY YEARS (1958-1962) & NEW JOURNALISM (1962-mid-70’s) CHAPTER FOUR: Take Her, She’s Mine CHAPTER FIVE: Mail Girl CHAPTER SIX: WallflowerACT THREE: BERNSTEIN AND BERNIE (1976-1987) CHAPTER SEVEN: Ms. Ephron Goes to Washington CHAPTER EIGHT: When Nora Met Jacob CHAPTER NINE: Saved by a Building (1980-87)ACT FOUR: NORA THE FILMMAKER (1989-2000’s) CHAPTER TEN: What Nora’s Having CHAPTER ELEVEN: This is My Life CHAPTER TWELVE: SleeplessACT FIVE: IN THE END (2000-2012) CHAPTER THIRTEEN: More writing than ever CHAPTER FOURTEEN: “I have this blood thing.” CHAPTER FIFTEEN: A softer NoraPROLOGUE: POST-EPHRON (2012-present) (or The Sound of Silence)ACKNOWLEDGMENTSNOTESSOURCES/REFERENCES

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis"An absorbing, perceptive biography...Deftly crafted history illuminates the nation's earliest days." —Kirkus Reviews Sometime between 1610 and 1611, William Shakespeare wrote The Tempest. The idea for the play came from the real-life shipwreck in 1609 of the Sea Venture, which was caught in a hurricane and grounded on the coast of Bermuda during a voyage to resupply England’s troubled colony at Jamestown, in present-day Virginia. A lesser known passenger was Stephen Hopkins. During the ten months the Sea Venture passengers were marooned on Bermuda, Hopkins was charged with trying to incite a mutiny and condemned to die, only to have his sentence commuted moments before it was to be carried out. In 1620, Hopkins signed on to another colonial venture, joining a group of religious radicals on the Mayflower. The Pilgrims encountered their own tempest, a furor that started when they anchored off Cape Cod and lasted for their first twelve months in the New World. Disease and sickness stole nearly half their number, and their first contacts with the Indigenous Americans were contentious.The entire enterprise hung in the balance, and it was during these trials that Hopkins became one of the expedition’s leaders, playing a vital role in bridging the divide of suspicion between the English immigrants and their Native neighbors.Trade Review"Jonathan Mack has written an unforgettable story of Stephen Hopkins and how his indenture of seven years at Jamestown later helped in the settlement of Plymouth Colony. Bit by bit, Mack extracts from early extant writings an intimate and insightful account of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower. Mack tells of Hopkins's critical role as liaison between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe with new insight and intimate detail. If you think you knew the story but wish for more, this deeper understanding of Hopkins and his service in the founding of Plymouth Colony will delight you." Linda Longley, Historian, California Mayflower Society"We didn't know enough about Stephen Hopkins, whose enterprising spirit and rapport with Native Americans contributed to the nation's founding. Mack fills the gap with tireless research and storytelling skills, bringing a complex historical figure to life." Amy Finnerty, Culture Writer and Editor"An absorbing, perceptive biography...Deftly crafted history illuminates the nation's earliest days." Kirkus Reviews

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn addition to hundreds of whimsical welded sculptures, Tom Every poured most of his effort into the Forevertron, the world’s largest sculpture built by a single person, and in the process, he discovered his alter ego: Dr. Evermor. With the full participation of Tom and Eleanor Every, Every’s amazing life is keenly documented, including never published family photos, sketches, and personal memories, producing a detailed portrait of a unique self-taught artist. From a very early age, Every collected, modified, and resold cast-off industrial material. His work as a salvager led him to Alex Jordan Jr., creator of the House on the Rock. When the time is right (and only Dr. Evermor will know when) the famous, enigmatic scientist will climb the winding staircase of the Forevertron and enter its egg-shaped travel chamber, power up the dynamos and flip on the thrusters, and fly away on a “highball to heaven,” propelled by an electromagnetic lighting force beam. Or so the story goes. Anyone who has spent time at the elaborate visionary environment created by Tom Every has heard some variation of the Evermor myth. Lesser known is the story behind the story, the fascinating history of this one-of-a-kind creative spirit.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen seven-year-old Hilde Lysiak found out her new town didn’t have a paper, she grabbed a notepad and began to work. Hilde Lysiak spent her early childhood in New York City with a passion for journalism. When her family moved to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, Hilde didn’t complain. Instead, she started reporting. Hilde began by reporting on the birth of her sister, the newest resident on Orange Street, then began expanding her coverage to the entire city. She interviewed hundreds of locals in her effort to deliver “All the News Fit for Orange Street”: a seed exchange at the local library, a fundraiser for a hospital’s neonatal unit, a fire at a church, and a mysterious vandal destroying landscaping on city property. Everything changed when Hilde received a tip that a terrible crime had happened just blocks from her house. By using the tools she had learned on the beat, the enterprising young reporter was able to confirm the facts and get the important information out to the public several hours before the other local media. Hilde was proud of her work, but not everyone in her small town felt that way. Cyberbullies targeted her, zeroing in on her age and gender. Hilde considered ignoring them but decided she had to stand up to the haters to protect the reputation she had worked so hard to earn. Her response went viral, and nearly every major news organization took notice. Hilde hasn’t let anything stand in her way since.Table of Contents1 The Beginning 2 Another Language 3 Life’s No Parade 4 Change of Plans 5 A Small Silver Lining 6 The Last Teacher on the Stage 7 The Long One 8 The Bridge 9 An Adventure 10 Chocolate Chip Pancakes 11 Settling In 12 Tuesday Nights 13 The Some Times 14 The Orange Street News 15 “The Worst Day of My Life” 16 The First Issue 17 Gathering Speed 18 “Where Are Your Parents?” 19 The Last 20 The Saddest Tuesday 21 The Aftermath 22 Carrying On 23 School’s Out (for Good) 24 Home Again 25 Meet the Plant Vandal 26 Exclusive: Murder on Ninth Street 27 Haters Gonna Hate 28 In the News 29 Return of the Plant Vandal 30 Truth to Power 31 Losing Perspective 32 HelpAfterword Acknowledgments

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a series of journal entries—some original passages, others revisited and expanded in retrospect—Cherrié Moraga details her experiences with pregnancy, birth, and the early years of lesbian parenting. The premature birth of her son, when HIV-related mortality rates were at their highest, forced Moraga, a new mother at 40-years-old, to confront the fragile volatility of life and death; in these recorded dreams and reflections, her terror and resilience are made palpable. The particular challenges of queer parenting prove transformative as Moraga navigates her interesecting roles as mother, child, lover, friend, artist, activist, and more. With an updated introduction and other additions, this 25th anniversary edition of Waiting in the Wings is thoughtful and emotive, with prose that is sharp and beautifully written, from the voice of a beloved and incomparable writer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLyndall Gordon was born in 1941 in Cape Town, a place from which `a ship takes fourteen days to reach anywhere that matters'. Born to a mother whose mysterious illness confined her for years to life indoors, Lyndall was her secret sharer, a child who grew to know life through books, story-telling and her mother's own writings. It was an exciting, precious world, pure and rich in dreams and imagination - untainted by the demands of reality. But a daughter grows up. Despite her own inability to leave home for long, Lyndall's mother believed in migration, a belief that became almost a necessity once the horrors of apartheid gripped their country. Lyndall loves the rocks, the sea, the light of Cape Town, but, struggling to achieve a life approved by her mother, she tries and makes a failure of living in Israel and then, back once again in her beloved South Africa she marries and moves with her husband to New York. It's in America in 1968 when suddenly Lyndall realises she cannot be, and does not want to be, the woman, the daughter and the mother her mother wants her to be. This is a wonderfully layered memoir about the expectations of love and duty between mother and daughter. The particular time and place, the people and the situation are Lyndall's, but the division between generations, the pain and the joy of being a daughter are everywoman's.Trade ReviewLyndall Gordon manages to avoid being undaughterly about her exciting, difficult, self-obsessed mother . . . as racy as a novel * Guardian *A biographer with soul, she reaches into the hearts of those she brings alive for us. She makes the meaning of their lives sing and sweat as she invites us into their experiences, their longings, their struggles and their disappointments . . . [a] fascinating mix between memoir and biography * Observer *[A] beautifully written and troubling memoir * Independent on Sunday *[A] sensitive exploration of the complexities of motherhood and daughterhood * Sunday Times *This quietly devastating book takes us into many strange terrains but it is to the 'inner life of that room' in Cape Town that Gordon finds herself returning. It was there she fountained into one of our most sensitive writers * Mail on Sunday *In Divided Lives, [Gordon] devotes to her mother the kind of care and attention she has previously devoted to the Modernists, and - goodness knows! - her mother, Rhoda, certainly deserves it * Literary Review *Lyndall Gordon's intrepid and astute biographies of writers . . . frequently yield insights that have eluded previous scholars . . . Now Gordon brings her gift for uncovering startling truths to bear on her own upbringing in 1950s and 60s South Africa * Times Literary Supplement *Memoir of the year? Divided Lives, Lyndall Gordon's enthralling and painful account of her relationship with her mother -- Elizabeth Lowry * Times Literary Supplement *A wonderful read that's both frank and delicate * Sunday Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAvailable for the first time in English, a moving prison correspondence between a husband and wife who resisted the Nazis.Tegel prison, Berlin, in the fall of 1944. Helmuth James von Moltke is awaiting trial for his leading role in the Kreisau Circle, one of the most important German resistance groups against the Nazis. By a near miracle, the prison chaplain at Tegel is Harald Poelchau, a friend and coconspirator of Helmuth and his wife, Freya. From Helmuth’s arrival at Tegel in late September 1944 until the day of his execution by the Nazis on January 23, 1945, Poelchau would carry Helmuth’s and Freya’s letters in and out of prison daily, risking his own life. Freya would safeguard these letters for the rest of her long life. Last Letters is a profoundly personal record of the couple’s fortitude in the face of fascism.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA moving family biography in which the poet traces her family history back through Jim Crow, the slave trade, and all the way to the women of the Dahomey people in West Africa.Buffalo, New York. A father?s funeral. Memory. In Generations, Lucille Clifton?s formidable poetic gift emerges in prose, giving us a memoir of stark and profound beauty. Her story focuses on the lives of the Sayles family: Caroline, ?born among the Dahomey people in 1822,? who walked north from New Orleans to Virginia in 1830 when she was eight years old; Lucy, the first black woman to be hanged in Virginia; and Gene, born with a withered arm, the son of a carpetbagger and the author?s grandmother. Clifton tells us about the life of an African American family through slavery and hard times and beyond, the death of her father and grandmother, but also all the life and love and triumph that came before and remains even now. Generations is a powerful work of determination and affirmation. ?I look at my husband,? Clifton writes, ?and my children and I feel the Dahomey women gathering in my bones.?

Read more less

Book SynopsisA compelling biography of an important eyewitness to the twentieth century. Marie Syrkin’s life spanned ninety years of the twentieth century, 1899–1989. As a polemical journalist, socialist Zionist, poet, educator, literary critic, translator, and idiosyncratic feminist, she was an eyewitness to and reporter on most of the major events in America, Israel, and Europe. Beautiful as well as brilliant, she had a rich personal life as a lover, wife, mother, and friend. During her lifetime Syrkin’s name was widely recognized in the world of Jewish life and letters. Yet, since Syrkin’s death, recognition of her name is no longer quite so immediate. Carole S. Kessner’s biography restores Syrkin’s fascinating life and legacy for a new generation. Trade Review“Finally, Zionist thinker Marie Syrkin gets the recognition she deserves. . . . It is not sentimental overpraise to say that Marie Syrkin deserves a place at the roundtable of great intellects who helped shape contemporary Jewish-American liberalism.” * Haaretz *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART IChapter 1. Marie’s BirthrightChapter 2. A Bronx AdolescenceChapter 3. That Fabulous Summer: MauriceChapter 4. Elopement and AnnulmentChapter 5. Marriage, Motherhood, and TragedyChapter 6. David, Divorce, and the Death of NachmanChapter 7. A New Life: CharlesPART IIChapter 8. An Unorthodox Marriage: Palestine and HollywoodChapter 9. At the Nexus of the “Jewish Problem”Chapter 10. On the Jewish Frontier: The Twenty-First Zionist CongressChapter 11. The War, the White Paper, and the Rescue of the JewsChapter 12. Wartime Horrors: Personal UnhappinessChapter 13. Postwar Projects: DP Camps, Blessed is the Match, IsraelChapter 14. Academia at Last: The Brandeis YearsEpilogueNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn insightful look at the life and legacy of a pioneer cynologist between Europe and Israel. Rudolphina Menzel (née Waltuch, 1891–1973), was a Viennese-born, Jewish scientist whose pioneering research on canine psychology, development, and behavior fundamentally shaped the ways dogs came to be trained, cared for, and understood. Between the two world wars, Menzel was known throughout Europe as one of the foremost breeders and trainers of police dogs and served as a sought-after consultant at Kummersdorf, the German military dog training institute in Berlin. She was also a fervent Zionist who was responsible for inventing the canine infrastructure in what came to be the State of Israel and for training hundreds of dogs to protect Jewish lives and property in pre-state Palestine. Teaching Jews to like dogs and training dogs to serve Jews became Menzel’s unique kind of Zionist mission. Detailed and insightful, Canine Pioneer: The Extraordinary Life of Rudolphina Menzel brings to light an important piece of history. Trade Review“Consistently eye-opening.” * Jewish Review of Books *"[Canine Pioneer] chronicles Menzel’s life and career, exploring her seminal role in the development of cynology (the scientific study of domestic dogs) and modern Jewish, European, and Middle Eastern history. . . . Kahn details how and why Menzel transformed her love of dogs into a serious professional undertaking that enabled her to investigate scientific questions and solve societal problems." * Jewish Boston *“The book provides a fascinating and much-needed introduction to the monumental role that Rudolphina played in making the field of cynology such a respected and important field, as well as entwining dogs into the fabric of Israeli society. . . .” * Jerusalem Post *“This superb book explores, in fascinating detail, the remarkable story of Rudolphina Menzel. In engaging and accessible prose, Susan Kahn and her fellow contributors tease out the complexities and contradictions of Menzel and her remarkable accomplishments in the mid-twentieth century world of dog breeding and training. Always alive to the context in which she lived and worked, this book expertly weaves together animal history and Jewish history to shine a light on an overlooked aspect of human-canine relations.” -- Chris Pearson, Department of History, University of Liverpool, and author of Dogopolis: How Dogs and Humans Made Modern New York, London, and Paris“This book gives a fine picture of the extraordinary career and personality of Rudolphina Menzel, an Austrian cynologist who emigrated to British Mandate Palestine in 1938, and emerged as a foremost world expert on canine psychology, development and training. Applying what she had learnt in Austria, she organized canine training for police and military uses in the newborn State of Israel, and eventually sired the development of a new breed, the indigenous Canaan dog. For decades her major theoretical and practical contributions to the field went unrecognized. This volume – beginning with Susan Kahn's well-rounded, introductory biography – goes a long way to correcting this oversight.” -- Benny Morris, Professor Emeritus, Department of Middle Eastern Studies, Ben Gurion University of the Negev"... a deeply contextualized account of Menzel's life, from her childhood as a thoroughly assimilated Austrian Jew, through her awakening commitment to Zionism, her training and early career as a scientist, and her career as an eminent dog trainer and breeder both in Europe and in Israel. It is a fascinating story--unusual from the perspective of Menzel's expertise, although not from the perspective of her experience of the darkening political atmosphere of Austria and Germany and of the need to become a refugee." -- Harriet Ritvo, Arthur J. Conner Emeritus Professor of History, MIT"We have waited a long time for a heroine like Menzel. As thoughtful as she was daring, as courageous as she was kind. Driven by curiosity, Menzel straddled the different worlds of canines and humans at a time driven by violent division. Her biographer Kahn has done a masterful job providing us with a fascinating image of an important historical figure whose message resonates especially today - sometimes the characteristics that make us different are less important than the experiences we share." -- Brian Hare, Duke University, coauthor of The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think“Rudolphina Menzel devoted much of her life to help our four-legged companions find their place in modern society. Her pioneering effort bears fruit in the present day to improve human-dog partnership.” -- Ádám Miklósi, Eötvös Loránd University, author of Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and CognitionTable of ContentsPrefacePART I: THE MARVELOUS DR. MENZEL - SUSAN KAHNPART II: PERSPECTIVES ON RUDOLPHINA MENZEL’S LEGACYRudolphina Menzel: The Austrian Years - Monika BaárRudolphina Menzel’s Invention of the Modern Dog Culture in Israel - Rachel KoriatCanine Zionism: Rudolphina Menzel and Working Dogs in Mandate Palestine - Brian BlumRudolphina Menzel’s Contributions to the British War Effort - Lea LehaviPersonal Recollections of Rudolphina Menzel and her Canaan Dog Breed - Myrna ShibolethRudolphina Menzel in Israeli Culture and Historiography - Tammy Bar-JosephAcknowledgmentsAppendix: List of Menzel’s PublicationsNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisMemoir of four musicians who left Wales to pursue their art in the USA: Joseph Parry, Daniel Protheroe, Marie Novello and the author herself. Written in a blend of literary styles, it looks at what it is to be an immigrant with a creative soul in the vast land of opportunity that is America.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique and gloriously nostalgic account of one eventful year in the fire service for readers who loved books such as CALL THE MIDWIFE and TRUST ME, I'M A VET and the brand new ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL.Nothing about the county fire service was quite what Malcolm expected when he joined the watch in Shrewsbury. As the newest member of the service he was first in line when swans terrorised the high street - and when a flock of owls got stuck on the roof of his local pub. Eighteen years old and more than ready to rush into burning buildings to save fair damsels in distress, young Malcolm soon realised he was more likely to be jumping into slurry pits and rivers to rescue any number of unfortunate animals. But for all the embarrassing situations Malcolm found himself in there were heart-stopping dramas too - and tragic farm and house fires. As he learns on the job and begins to win the respect of the old-timers, Malcolm starts to feel that maybe, one day, he just might make it as a fireman. But first he has to catch the eye of the smiley secretary in the office opposite the station ... Funny, moving and gloriously nostalgic, All Fired Up paints a unique portrait of rural Britain - and shows just how surprising a fireman's life can be.Trade ReviewHumorous and surprising in equal measure. Hilarious * DAILY EXPRESS *A hugely interesting read, one of those books that you finish and want more. It captures the camaraderie of the crews, their banter and humour and recall some of the more memorable call-outs, some tragic but others the stuff of lasting anecdotes * SHROPSHIRE STAR *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSend Them to Hell is a horrifying, authentic chronicle of life as lived by foreign inmates over the past two decades in Bangkok's notorious prison system.Murder, human-rights abuse, drugs, blackmail, extortion, extreme violence, medical maltreatment and unjustifiable death penalties feature as everyday occurrences in the living hells that are Bangkwang and Klong Prem jails. Sebastian Williams has graphically revealed this shocking reality through the eyes of a long-term inmate from the West who endured at first hand the unimaginable, inhuman nightmare that constitutes the Thai penal system.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSimon Hoggart has long been admired as one of our leading commentators on modern life. His memoirs encompass his radio career, most notably as chair of the News Quiz, his life as a journalist and as an observer of the people he has met along the way.A Long Lunch is both funny and quirky, whilst also being full of wisdom and insight.During his career, Simon has met every British prime minister from Harold Macmillan onwards. His memoirs will divulge what Alan Clark thought about Melvyn Bragg, what really happened at the Lady Chatterley trial, what Cherie Blair said to Simon and how he riposted, how John Sergeant drove an air stewardess to a raging fury and much more. From drunken episodes behind the scenes at the House of Commons to unexpected meetings in TV green rooms, Simon Hoggart both entertains and delights.Trade ReviewVery funny * Spectator *Not a writer who bombards you with tales of his triumphs, but a shrewd watcher from the wings, with some great jokes and excellent stories and insights, especially about politicians * Sunday Telegraph *Equally engaging if at a slightly more flippant level, is Simon Hoggart's A Long Lunch. Described by its author as 'in no way a life of me', it is still the best journalistic memoir since the late Alan Watkins A Short Walk Down Fleet Street of a decade ago * New Statesman, Books of the Year *'To say this is the perfect toilet book is intended as the highest praise . . . often funny and startling' * Independent *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the mid-1970s, Sylvère Lotringer created Semiotext(e), a philosophical group that became a magazine and then a publishing house. Since its creation, Semio-text(e) has been a place of stimulating dialogue between artists and philosophers, and for the past fifty years, much of American artistic and intellectual life has depended on it. The model of the journal and the publishing house revolves around the notion of the collective, and Lotringer has rarely shared his personal journey: his existence as a hidden child during World War II; the liberating and then traumatic experience of the collective in the kibbutz; his Parisian activism in the 1960s; his time of wandering, that took him, by way of Istanbul, to the United States; and then, of course, his American years, the way he mingled his nightlife with the formal experimentation he invented with Semiotext(e) and with his classes. Since the early 2010s, Donatien Grau has developed the habit of visiting Lotringer during his trips to Los Angeles; some of their dialogs were published or held in public. This book is an entry into Lotringer's life, his friendships, his choices, and his admiration for some of the leading thinkers of our times. The conversations between Lotringer and Grau show bursts of life, traces of a journey, through texts and existence itself, with an unusual intensity.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDas Leben von meiner Frau und mir startete gerade voll durch. Ich hatte eine neue Stellung in der Firma, Dagmars Hofladen brummte, dazu haben wir einen alten Resthof gekauft, zusammen mit viel Land und einem Unimog. Dazu ein neues Hobby: Singen und Musizieren, gleich im Verein. War vielleicht etwas zu viel. Ich wurde plötzlich krank. Eine kleine Grippe oder ein Sommerschnupfen, was kann es sonst sein. Es begann ein sehr langer Weg, der alles andere als eine Grippe war.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the spirit of the bestseller Fly Girls comes the definitive and compelling story of the first American woman to receive a pilot's license, Harriet Quimby. The early years of the twentieth century were frenetic with change and progress. Headlines declared that "the era of women has dawned." Against this changing historical backdrop, Harriet Quimby's life stands out as undeniably extraordinary, embodying the tumultuous, exciting era in which she lives. Though little known, her story is dramatic: she rose from humble beginnings as a dirt-poor farm girl to become a globe-trotting journalist, history-making aviator and international celebrity. When she tragically died in 1912 at the age of thirty seven, her story faded into history, with her many accomplishments-including being the first women to fly solo over the English Channel-overshadowed by major historical events, including the sinking of the Titanic.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA thrilling tale of incredible courage and resilience, a true wartime story of William Ash.The Cooler King is at once uplifting and inspirational, and stands as a testament to the durability of decent values and the invincible spirit of liberty.The Cooler King tells the astonishing story of William Ash, an American flyer brought up in Depression-hit Texas, who after being shot down in his Spitfire over France in early 1942 spent the rest of the war defying the Nazis by striving to escape from every prisoner of war camp in which he was incarcerated. Alongside William Ash is a cast of fascinating characters, including Douglas Bader, Roger Bushell, who would go on to lead the Great Escape, and Paddy Barthropp, a dashing Battle of Britain pilot who despite his very different background became Ash's best friend and shared many of his adventures. Using contemporary documents and interviews with Ash's comrades, Patrick Bishop vividly recreates the multiple escape attempts, while also examining the P.O.W. experience and analysing the passion that drove some prisoners to risk death in repeated bids for freedom.Trade ReviewBishop's excellent account of Ash's wartime exploits makes fascinating and gripping reading. * Sunday Times *Bill Ash is a genuine Boy's Own hero of whom you have probably never heard. But because Patrick Bishop writes like a dream, you are unlikely ever to forget him. * Literary Review *The remarkable story of Flight Lieutenant William Ash is told for the first time in its full historical context... Enthralling * Tribune *Reads like an adventure story, with tales of extreme bravery and derring-do * Military History Monthly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe life of Empress Frederick, Daughter of Queen Victoria, Wife of Crown Prince of Prussia, Mother of Kaiser Wilhelm.AN UNCOMMON WOMAN is an enthralling biography of Princess Vicky - the Empress Frederick of Germany, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, the wife of Prussia's Crown Prince, and the mother of Kaiser Wilhelm II. It is also an epic story of wars and revolutions, the rise and fall of royal families, and the creation of modern Germany.Drawing on a vast amount of original family documents, Pakula offers an absorbing portrait of a brilliant and determined woman.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEveryday Heaven is the much-awaited fourth installment in Donna Williams' series of best-selling autobiographies about her life with autism. A humorous, riveting, roller-coaster of a book, Everyday Heaven covers the monumental nine years from the time Ian left their accidental, 'autistic marriage', to Donna's candid, funny, often bumbling explorations of sexuality and orientation, the challenge of coming to terms with the sudden deaths of those closest to her and finally knowing what life was like without the invisible cage of her 'Exposure Anxiety'. Described as enthralling, deeply moving and gripping, this book will strike a lasting chord not only with autistic readers and professionals seeking to better understand those on the autism spectrum but all of us who simply dream of daring to love deeply, to adventure and to deal triumphantly with the losses along the way.Trade ReviewEveryday Heaven is a book that will appeal to anyone interested in people and what makes them tick. Donna's style and insight grab you from the very first page and leave you wanting to know more about this fascinating woman, the hurdles she finds before her, and the strategies she develops to overcome them. Donna's style and ability to engage an audience have developed over the years, making this her best book yet. I would recommend the book to anyone wanting to explore the experience of autism from the inside and to gain a greater understanding of concepts, such as `difficulty with flexible thinking' and `exposure anxiety', from the point of view of those who live within the reality on a daily basis. -- Good Autism PracticeA humorous, riveting, roller-coaster of a book. Enthralling, deeply moving and gripping, this book will stike a lasting chord not only with autistic readers and professionals seeking to better understand those on the autism spectrum but all of us who simply dream of daring to love deeply, to adventure and to deal triumphantly with the looses along the way. -- Link

Read more less

Book SynopsisFamilies of Adults with Autism is a collection of real-life stories of people on the autism spectrum growing up, as told by their parents and siblings.The individual accounts explore the challenges that families of people with autism have faced, and the techniques they have used to improve the quality of their children's lives, from mega-doses of vitamins and dietary changes to intensive interaction. The contributors also relate how they have worked with their children or siblings to help them to function at their highest possible level, be it showing an awareness of their environment, holding down a full-time job in a local store, competing in the Special Olympics, or achieving international recognition as an artist.This book will offer practical and heartwarming advice to families who are affected by autism spectrum disorders, and provide insights for professionals working with people with ASDs.Trade ReviewThis is a very moving collection of stories, as is the story of its publication, but it is also full of information, determination and hope. -- GAPI recommend this book to any social worker or social work student -- in fact, anyone who wants to get a feeling for what it is like to live with and care for an individual with ASD. -- British Journal of Social WorkA collection of real-life stories of people on the autism spectrum growing up, as told by their parents and siblings. -- Current Awareness ServiceTable of ContentsForeword. Stephen M. Edelson, PhD, Director of the Autism Research Institute, USA. 1. Helen Landalf. Helen Landalf, daughter of Dr Bernard Rimland. 2. Joan H. Goble, M.D. Joan H. Goble, pediatric opthamologist. 3. Jean and Michael Curtin. Jean, mother of Michael and Michael Curtin, writer. 4. Katie Dolan. Katie Dolan, activist, president of Seattle ASA. 5. John Henley. John Henley, father of Sean. 6. Gerda McCarthy. Gerda McCarthy, Director-founder, International Autistic Research Organization/Autism Research Ltd. 7. Toby Arenberg. Toby Arenberg,Co-founder, Jay Nolan Community Services. 8. Raymond Gallup. Raymond Gallup, Co-founder and Director, Vaccine Autoimmune Project. 9. Julie Gallup. Julie Gallup, daughter of Ray. 10. Clara Claiborne Park. Clara Claiborne Park, author. 11. Carol Croke. Carol Croke, Co-founder, The Autism Society of Oregon. 12. Matthew DeLuca. Matthew DeLuca, father of Peter. 13. Jinny and Bill Kemmel. Jinny and Bill Kemmel, parents of Bill. 14. Elaine Woodruff. Elaine Woodruff, mother of Kristina Woodruff, artist with autism. 15. Ann Laferty-Snowhook. Ann Laferty-Snowhook, Co-founder, Jay Nolan Community Service. 16. Jordan Snowhook. Jordan Snowhook, son of Ann. 17. Elizabeth Snowhook. Elizabeth Snowhook, daughter of Ann.18. Kim Oakley. Kim Oakley, writer. 19. Irina Lobkovitz. Irina Lobkovitz, mother of Henry. 20. Kristin Zhivago. Kristin Zhivago, mother of Michael. 21. Sue Swezey. Sue Swezey, Co-founder, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Autism Society of America. 22. Edith P. Gray. Edith P. Gray, mother of Michael. 23. Beth Sposato. Beth Sposato, editor, `The A Book: A Collection of Writings from ASA ADVOCATE, 1979-89'. 24. Sharon Lettick Crotzer. Sharon Lettick Crotzer, daughter of Amy Lettick, Founder of Benhaven 25. Ruth C. Sullivan. Ruth C. Sullivan, PhD, founder of Autism Services Center and first president of ASA. 26. Toshiko Lyons. Toshiko Lyons, mother of Edmund. 27. Sally Graham. Sally Graham, mother of Edward. 28. Lawrence Stream. Lawrence Stream, doctor and father of LW. 29. Maxine Richards. Maxine Richards, mother of Randy. 30. Arlene J. Paster. Arlene Paster, Co-founder, Jay Nolan Community Services 31. Mary Laird Flanagan. Mary Laird Flanagan, former president, ASA Long Island. 32. Dr. and Mrs. William K. Henry. Rev William K. Henry, Ed.D., and Jan Henry, wife and mother of Andrew. 33. Francine M. Bernstein. Francine H. Bernstein, founder of the BLARE House Program. 34. Dorothy Beavers. Dr Dorothy Beavers, author of Autism; Nightmare Without End. 35. Jim Cockey. Jim Cockney, composer. 36. Audrey Flack. Audrey Flack, artist.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPoet, travel writer, teacher, film-extra in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, quiz-show panellist -Kildare Dobbs has played many parts, been many places, met many people. His life’s journey, marked by frequent detours and diversions, from Asia to old Europe, Africa and the New World, is that of the quintessential post-colonial Western man at large. In Running the Rapids Dobbs becomes voyageur. He takes us from a lamp-lit, big house childhood in 1930s Kilkenny, to college days at Cambridge in thrall to Carl Jung and Wilhelm Reich, to commando training and naval service protecting Allied convoys from U-boat attack during World War II. Then began his time from 1948 to 1952 as district officer in Tanganyika, where he learnt Swahili beneath the ‘immense, unearthly bulk’ of Kilimanjaro and was falsely imprisoned for ivory theft. He then moved to Canada to work at Macmillan publishers, co-founding The Tamarack Review and becoming managing editor of Saturday Night magazine from 1965 to 1967. During the seventies he was both columnist and books editor of the Toronto Star. He recounts his friendships with writers Brian Moore, Richard Wright and Mordecai Richler, and with Ronald Searle, Marshall McLuhan and Wilfred Thesiger, among others. And nothing if not uxorious, this modern-day troubadour enters the lists of time and again throughout the narrative, finding his peace the third time around. Dobbs’s self-portrait vividly evokes the world of a restless man of letters, Rousseauesque in its foibles and candour, Johnsonianly pungent in its observations, Shandean in its sense of the absurd. ‘In memory and imagination’, he writes, ‘there is no time: all is simultaneous.’ This poignant and delightful chronicle sets out to reinforce that perception.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis new biography of Peggy Guggenheim charts the life of the infamous, multi-talented art collector and personality. Great-granddaughter of Swiss immigrant Simon Guggenheim, and daughter of Benjamin Guggenheim, who went down on the Titanic, Peggy Guggenheim was an extremely controversial figure, censured for everything from stinginess to sexual voraciousness. She was known for taking lovers at the drop of a beret as much as for her choices in modern art. Known as the enfant terrible of the art world, Peggy Guggenheim was one of its most significant patrons and promoters as well as its impresario, with her personal and professional life intermingled.A captivating story of Peggy Guggenheim; her charismatic personality and her talents, the culture that shaped her and that she went on to transform. Mary Dearborn's colourful personal and cultural biography locates Peggy Guggenheim in an array of shifting and colliding cultures, providing a story of this complicated and talented woman and the culture that shaped her and that she went on to transform.Trade ReviewRichly detailed, highly sympathetic portrait of the Guggenheim who rebelled against her family and then left to them her extraordinary collection of contemporary art. . .Peggy Guggenheim could not have wished for a more generous biographer than Dearborn. . .she credits [Guggenheim] for being a principal force in the public's acceptance of mid-20th-century artists. . .we get much family history along the way. . .Thoroughly, even lovingly researched. * KIRKUS REVIEWS *Dearborn celebrates Guggenheim, the iconoclastic doyenne of abstract expressionism, in this appreciative, thorough biography...With its fluid prose and provocative subject, this book will appeal to art lovers interested in more than the paint. * PW *Excellent...[Guggenheim's] achievements were routinely minimized and her promiscuity was snidely exaggerated, but in Mary Dearborn's biography she emerges as a woman of vision and integrity * BOSTON GLOBE *Dearborn...approaches her subject with a fine balance of sympathy and objectivity, and an unobtrusive authorial presence befitting the genre... Dearborn will convince readers to take Guggenheim seriously as an independent woman and an appreciator of art. WAS * '[Dearborn’s book is] deeply, perhaps lovingly researched and gives a new authenticity to the long-type-cast doyenne of the “champagne years,” the early 20th century… Dearborn follows Guggenheim’s life in strict chronological fashion and amasses rich hist *

Read more less