Biography: science, technology and medicine Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt concludes with Edison returning to the laboratory to develop new communications technology.Trade Review"A choplicking feast for future Edison biographers - well into the next century, and perhaps beyond." (Washington Post) "What is most extraordinary about the collection isn't necessarily what it reveals about Edison's inventions... It's the insight into the process." (Associated Press) "A triumph of the bookmaker's art, with splendidly arranged illustrations, essential background information, and cautionary reminders of the common sources on which Edison's imagination drew." (New York Review of Books) "In the pages of this volume Edison the man, his work, and his times come alive... A delight to browse through or to read carefully." (Science) "Beyond its status as the resource for Edison studies, providing a near inexhaustible supply of scholarly fodder, this series... will surely become a model for such projects in the future... The sheer diversity of material offered here refreshingly transcends any exclusive restriction to Edisonia." (British Journal for the History of Science)"Table of ContentsCalendar of DocumentsList of Editorial HeadnotesPrefaceChronology of Thomas A. Edison, April 1883– December 1884Editorial Policy and User's GuideEditorial SymbolsList of Abbreviations1. April– June 1883 (Docs. 2418– 2476)2. July– September 1883 (Docs. 2477– 2531)3. October– December 1883 (Docs. 2532– 2578)4. January– March 1884 (Docs. 2579– 2638)5. April– June 1884 (Docs. 2639– 2691)6. July– September 1884 (Docs. 2692– 2737)7. October– December 1884 (Docs. 2738– 2769)Appendix 1: Edison's Autobiographical NotesAppendix 2: Edison Village PlantsAppendix 3: Specifications of Dynamos Produced at the Edison Machine Works, April 1883– December 1884Appendix 4: Edison's Patents, April 1883– December 1884BibliographyCreditsIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTriumph, tragedy, frustration, and elation await those who set off on careers in public health, and Ten Lessons in Public Health is destined to become a classic book that puts the field into perspective.Trade ReviewSommer is deftly able to explore his field's big ideas by directly following ordinary human stories, which not only makes the lessons easy to understand but foregrounds the reasons why to do it in the first place. -- Bret McCabe Johns Hopkins Magazine Sommer's new memoir is also a gift to students-'Inspiration for Tomorrow's Leaders' is the subtitle-full of stories from a career spent in some of the poorest corners of the world, amid political upheaval and natural disasters. -- Dan Rodricks Baltimore Sun Alfred Sommer has now done exactly what we desire and written 10 Lessons in Public Health: Inspiration for Tomorrow's Leaders. Sommer combines the wisdom of going to where the problems are... with a discussion of the limitation of a job description... These aren't just lessons for public health. These are lessons for life. -- Bill Foege, Author of House on Fire LancetTable of ContentsPrefaceChapter 1. Go Where the Problems AreChapter 2. Get into the FieldChapter 3. Forget the Job DescriptionChapter 4. Don't Count on Things Staying the SameChapter 5. Follow Most, but Not All, of the RulesChapter 6. Collect Good Data—Even if You Don't Yet Know What Important Questions They May AnswerChapter 7. Remember Your HumanityChapter 8. Use Data to Set PolicyChapter 9. If You Think You're Right, Keep PushingChapter 10. Take the Long ViewEpilogue

Read more less

Book SynopsisBeloved American hero and astronaut Buzz Aldrin reflects on the wisdom, guiding principles, and irreverent anecdotes he's gathered—both in outer space and on earth—through his event-filled life, in this inspiring guide-to-life for the next generation.   Everywhere he goes, crowds gather to meet Buzz Aldrin. He is a world-class hero, a larger-than-life figurehead, best known of a generation of astronauts whose achievements surged in just a few years from first man in space to first men on the moon. Now he pauses to reflect and share what he has learned, from the vantage point not only of outer space but also of time: still a non-stop traveler and impassioned advocate for space exploration, Aldrin will be 86 in 2016.   No Dream Is Too High whittles down Buzz Aldrin's event-filled life into a short list of principles he values, each illustrated by fascinating anecdotes and memories, such as: ·      Second comes right after first. NASA protocol should have meant he was first on the moon, but rules changed just before the mission. How he learned to be proud of being the second man on the moon. ·      Look for opportunities, not obstacles. Buzz was rejected the first time he applied to be an astronaut. Failure is an opportunity to learn to do better. ·      Always maintain your spirit of adventure. For his 80th birthday, Buzz went diving in the Galapagos and hitched a ride on a whale shark. He stays fit, energetic, and fascinated with life.   No Dream Is Too High is a beautiful memento, a thought-provoking set of ideas, and a new opportunity for Buzz Aldrin to connect with the masses of people who recognize his unique place in human history.Trade Review"Aldrin is just as candid about his disappointments, struggles and failures as he is about his extraordinary achievements, and this is what makes his story so appealing." —Washington Post"Famed astronaut Aldrin combines leadership lessons with behind-the-scenes stories from his Apollo 11 moonwalk in this engaging cross between biography and self-help....Everyone, whether a student or a seasoned CEO, will find something to take away from this inspiring work." —Publishers Weekly"Fans of the Apollo space program, readers who admire Aldrin, and those who are just learning about him will all enjoy and benefit from this modest book." —Booklist"Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin has learned a lot over the course of his long, eventful and complicated life, and he's sharing some of the most important lessons in a new book." —Space.com“The astronaut recounts life lessons learned from his historic Apollo 11 moonwalk in 1969 and beyond.” –Kirkus Review“It's an inspirational read that's packed with little-known facts about the Space Race.” –Tech Insider Online“Aldrin uses lessons he learned during his long career in aviation and space exploration to detail the principles that have enabled his personal growth and professional achievements.” –Library Journal

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 SynopsisThe Doctor Is In! America's best-loved therapist, Dr. Ruth, is known for her wise counsel on all matters of the heart. Here she shares private stories from her past and her present, and her insights into living life to the fullest, at any age. Everyone knows Dr. Ruth as the most famous and trusted sex therapist, but few people know she narrowly escaped death from the Holocaust, was raised in an orphanage in Switzerland, or that she was a sniper during Israel's War of Independence. After years spent as a student in Paris, Dr. Ruth came to America dreaming of a new life though never expecting the dramatic turns that would take place. And at the age of eighty-seven, she is as spirited as ever. Through intimate and funny stories, Dr. Ruth sheds light on how she's learned to live a life filled with joie de vivre. And she shows readers how they too can learn to deal with tragedy and loss, challenges and success, all while nourishing an intellectual and emotional spark, and, above all, haTrade Review“An exuberant celebration of life by America’s favorite octogenarian sex guru...Her warmth, wit, and wisdom shine through this lively account of a life well-lived. A joy for her many fans, old and new.” —Kirkus Reviews “Part memoir and part life manual, the latest from renowned sex therapist Dr. Westheimer uses stories from her remarkable, often arduous journey to instruct readers on embracing positivity...Her wit and brassy style breathe new life into familiar self-help material.” —Publishers Weekly “Though many think they know all about Dr. Ruth due to her iconic stature, this book offers more that is truly enjoyable to read in her own familiar voice.” —Jewish Book World

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 SynopsisStephen Hawking was widely recognized as the world's best physicist and even the most brilliant man alive–but what if his true talent was self-promotion?When Stephen Hawking died, he was widely recognized as the world's best physicist, and even its smartest person. He was neither. In Hawking Hawking, science journalist Charles Seife explores how Stephen Hawking came to be thought of as humanity's greatest genius. Hawking spent his career grappling with deep questions in physics, but his renown didn't rest on his science. He was a master of self-promotion, hosting parties for time travelers, declaring victory over problems he had not solved, and wooing billionaires. In a wheelchair and physically dependent on a cadre of devotees, Hawking still managed to captivate the people around him—and use them for his own purposes. A brilliant exposé and powerful biography, Hawking Hawking uncovers the authentic Hawking buried underneath the fake. It is the story of a man whose brilliance in physics was matched by his genius for building his own myth. 

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisComprehensive biography of Anthony Fokker, the famed Dutch pilot and daredevil aviatorAnthony Fokker: The Flying Dutchman Who Shaped American Aviation tells the larger-than-life true story of maverick pilot and aircraft manufacturer Anthony Fokker. Fokker came from an affluent Dutch family and developed a gift for tinkering with mechanics. Despite not receiving a traditional education, he stumbled his way into aviation as a young stunt pilot in Germany in 1910. He survived a series of spectacular airplane crashes and rose to fame within a few years. A combination of industrial espionage, luck, and deception then propelled him to become Germany's leading aircraft manufacturer during World War I, making him a multimillionaire by his midtwenties.When the German Revolution swept the country in 1918 and 1919, Fokker made a spectacular escape to the United States. He set up business in New York and New Jersey in 1921, and shortly thereafter became the world's largest aircraft manufacturer. The U.S. Army and Navy acquired his machines, and his factories equipped legendary carriers such as Pan American and TWA at the dawn of commercial air transport.Yet despite his astounding success, his empire collapsed in the late 1920s after a series of ill-conceived business decisions and deeply upsetting personal dramas. In 1927, aviator Richard Byrd solicited a Fokker three-engine plane to be the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. The plane was damaged on a test flight and Charles Lindbergh beat him to it. Lindbergh's solo adventure in the Spirit of St. Louis earned him--and cost Fokker--a lasting place in the history books. Using previously undiscovered records and primary sources, Marc Dierikx traces Fokker's extraordinary life and celebrates his spectacular achievements.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJames Smithson is best known as the founder of the Smithsonian Institution, but few people know his full and fascinating story. He was a widely respected chemist and mineralogist and a member of the Royal Society, but in 1865, his letters, collection of 10,000 minerals and more than 200 unpublished papers were lost to a fire in the Smithsonian Castle. His scientific legacy was further written off as insignificant in an 1879 essay published through the Smithsonian fifty years after his death - a claim that author, Steven Turner, demonstrates is far from the truth. By providing scientific and intellectual context to his work, THE SCIENCE OF JAMES SMITHSON is a comprehensive tribute to Smithson''s contributions to his fields, including chemistry, mineralogy and more. This detailed narrative illuminates Smithson and his quest for knowledge at a time when chemists still debated things as basic as the nature of fire and struggled to maintain their networks amid the ever-changing conditions of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. James Smithson (c. 1765 - 27 June 1829) was an English chemist and mineralogist. He published numerous scientific papers for the Royal Society during the late 1700s. He attended university at Pembroke College, Oxford in 1782, eventually graduating with an honorary Master of Arts in 1786. As a student he participated in a geological expedition to Scotland and studied chemistry and mineralogy. Smithson never married and had no children; therefore, when he wrote his will, he left his estate to his nephew or his nephew''s family if his nephew died before Smithson. However, Smithson''s will stipulated that, in the event of there being no heir, his estate be used "to found in Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men". His nephew died without heir, setting in motion the bequest to the United States. In this way Smithson became the patron of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. despite having never visited the United States.

Read more less

Book SynopsisVictoria Sweet's new book, SLOW MEDICINE, is on sale now!For readers of Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air, a medical “page-turner” that traces one doctor’s “remarkable journey to the essence of medicine” (The San Francisco Chronicle). San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital is the last almshouse in the country, a descendant of the Hôtel-Dieu (God’s hotel) that cared for the sick in the Middle Ages. Ballet dancers and rock musicians, professors and thieves—“anyone who had fallen, or, often, leapt, onto hard times” and needed extended medical care—ended up here. So did Victoria Sweet, who came for two months and stayed for twenty years.     Laguna Honda, relatively low-tech but human-paced, gave Sweet the opportunity to practice a kind of attentive medicine that has almost vanished. Gradually, the place transformed the way she understood her work. Alongside the modern view of the body as a machine to be fixed, her extraordinary patients evoked an older idea, of the body as a garden to be tended. God’s Hotel tells their story and the story of the hospital itself, which, as efficiency experts, politicians, and architects descended, determined to turn it into a modern “health care facility,” revealed its own surprising truths about the essence, cost, and value of caring for the body and the soul.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this substantial graphic novel biography, First Second presents the larger-than-life exploits of Nobel-winning quantum physicist, adventurer, musician, and world-class raconteur, and one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century: Richard Feynman. Written by nonfiction comics mainstay Jim Ottaviani and brilliantly illustrated by First Second author Leland Myrick, Feynman tells the story of the great man's life from his childhood in Long Island to his work on the Manhattan Project and the Challenger disaster. Ottaviani tackles the bad with the good, leaving the reader delighted by Feynman's exuberant life and staggered at the loss humanity suffered with his death. Readers and critics have been delighted to discover and rediscover the fabulous Richard Feynman through this rich and joyful work.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA story of friendship, encouragement, and the quest to design a better world A Man Apart is the story—part family memoir and part biography—of Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow’s longtime friendship with Bill Coperthwaite (A Handmade Life), whose unusual life and fierce ideals helped them examine and understand their own. Coperthwaite inspired many by living close to nature and in opposition to contemporary society, and was often compared to Henry David Thoreau. Much like Helen and Scott Nearing, who were his friends and mentors, Coperthwaite led a 55-year-long “experiment in living” on a remote stretch of Maine coast. There he created a homestead of wooden, multistoried yurts, a form of architecture for which he was known around the world. Coperthwaite also embodied a philosophy that he called “democratic living,” which was about empowering all people to have agency over their lives in order to create a better community. The central question of Coperthwaite’s life was, “How can I live according to what I believe?” In this intimate and honest account—framed by Coperthwaite’s sudden death and brought alive through the month-long adventure of building with him what would turn out to be his last yurt—Forbes and Whybrow explore the timeless lessons of Coperthwaite’s experiment in intentional living and self-reliance. They also reveal an important story about the power and complexities of mentorship: the opening of one’s life to someone else to learn together, and carrying on in that person’s physical absence. While mourning Coperthwaite’s death and coming to understand the real meaning of his life and how it endures through their own, Forbes and Whybrow craft a story that reveals why it’s important to seek direct experience, to be drawn to beauty and simplicity, to create rather than critique, and to encourage others. Trade ReviewBooklist- "Many environmentally conscious consumers fantasize about going off the grid and living a sustainable lifestyle, but few are able to achieve that state. Bill Coperthwaite was an author, social critic, and architect who actually succeeded, living out his ecological ideals at a remote Maine homestead for nearly five decades, until he died at the age of 83 in a tragic car accident in 2013. In addition to his award-winning book, A Handmade Life (2003), Coperthwaite was famous for his design and popularization of a modern variation on the conical dwelling known as a yurt. In this loving tribute to Coperthwaite, Forbes and Whybrow have crafted an inspiring biography, complete with photographs and architectural drawings, of a man treasured as both a close friend and a mentor. Interweaving anecdotes of their own interactions with Coperthwaite, including the construction of a final, sunlight-filled yurt, the authors capture the full spectrum of this sometimes curmudgeonly man’s gregariousness, resourcefulness, and optimism. Although Coperthwaite’s dreams of worldwide cooperative and sustainable communities have not yet been realized, this reverent memoir will help keep his environmental ideals alive.”"William Coperthwaite was a man of vision and integrity, as well as a personal inspiration to Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow. His desire to live simply led him to a remote stretch of the Maine shore, where Coperthwaite’s commitment to carving wooden bowls and building elegant yurts created human elegance answering to the beauty of his surroundings. Forbes’s luminous photographs evoke this aspect of his achievement. Exceptional integrity can sometimes feel rigid or bruising to those whom it also attracts, however. As Emerson once wrote about Coperthwaite’s predecessor Thoreau, “I'd sooner take an elm tree by the arm.” A great achievement of Forbes and Whybrow in A Man Apart is to convey the complexity of this strong-minded life fully and honestly. Such an approach makes their reflections on love, struggle, and grief all the more powerful."--John Elder, author of Reading the Mountains of Home“This is a terrific book, honestly drafted and beautifully wrought. As it is with yurts, so it is with communities and with books—their lasting strength comes from the integrity of their parts and the genius of their joinery. Deep gratitude to Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow for their work of grace and love.”--Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Wild Comfort“What a rare and important offering. Peter and Helen have given us a deeply honest portrait of a man. We are invited to witness him from above, from beneath, from the side, from within, in his light, in his darkness. This story is about building one last yurt without knowing it’s the last; it’s about how one solitary man’s ethic influenced the lives of many; it’s about the complexity, joy, and frustration of friendship. Bill Coperthwaite once said, ‘Bite off less than you can chew.’ He was right! This book calls out to those of us seeking connection in our modern era. A Man Apart left me with the exquisite sense of having traveled somewhere and been transformed because of it.”--Molly Caro May, author of The Map of Enough: One Woman’s Search for Place“In this remarkable and deeply moving book, Peter and Helen tell the story of Bill Coperthwaite, a Maine homesteader, designer, and social thinker whose unique way of life and passionate ideals inspired all who knew him. Beautifully and sensitively told, the story explores the complexities of the relationship between them—the shared ideals, hard realities, disappointments, and joys of intensely interwoven lives. Bill’s life—a monumental testament to creativity, brilliance, integrity, and courage—invites the reader to reexamine the profound questions of how each of us chooses to live a life. A Man Apart is a riveting and intensely human story—a treasure to be revisited many times.”--Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle, author of Ten Thousand Joys & Ten Thousand Sorrows: A Couple’s Journey Through Alzheimer’s“Not many know that Walden is not just the product of a brilliant experiment in living: Thoreau spent two years penning six painstaking revisions to arrive at the classic book. In Bill Coperthwaite, Forbes and Whybrow discover a ‘Walden’ of a man, only to uncover gaps, in him and in themselves, between brilliant solitary achievement and the kind of touch needed to ground and guide a viable community. Many revisions, much pain and forgiveness, and only partial fulfillments follow. But if there is another way to move from our anti-culture into communities ruled by loving intention, I don’t know what it is. ‘Explore your misunderstandings to your advantage,’ advises Zen master Dogen. A Man Apart does exactly that. This is a beautifully raw account of loving grief, instructive failure, and steadfast allegiance to an utter planetary necessity: major cultural transformation.”--David James Duncan, author of The River Why and The Brothers K“What is a good life? The models offered by our celebrity culture are mostly shabby and shallow. To find worthier examples you need to look elsewhere—to books, for example, where you can meet Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Gary Snyder, Barbara Kingsolver, and Wendell Berry, among others. To that lineage of American rebels you can now add Bill Coperthwaite. In this eloquent portrait, Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow document the search for integrity, wide-ranging competence, and high purpose, not only in Coperthwaite’s life, but in their own. This is a wise and beautiful book.”--Scott Russell Sanders, author of Earth Works: Selected Essays“Two remarkable people writing about a third remarkable man—and full of lessons for the ordinary rest of us. This is a lovely and important book.”--Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy“A loving tribute to Bill, a wonderful man who inspired all of us with his dedication to indigenous building, natural materials, and above all else, use of human hands.”--Lloyd Kahn, author of Shelter and Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe incredible tale of a little game that shook the international gaming world--now with new material including a behind-the-scenes look at the sale to Microsoft.For this second edition, the story has been enriched with more Minecraft than ever--a new section describes Minecraft''s sale to Microsoft, Notch''s less than heartwarming last day in the office, and Mojang''s final days of independence. His whole life, all Markus Persson wanted to do was create his own games. Create his own games and get rich. Then in 2009 a strange little project of his quickly grew into a worldwide phenomenon and, in just a few short years, turned its maker into an international icon.Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus Notch Persson and the Game that Changed Everything is a Cinderella story for the Internet age—improbable success, fast money, and the power of digital technology to shake up a rock-solid industry. It''s a story about being lost and finding your way, of breaking the rules and swimming against the current. It''s about how the indie gaming scene rattled the foundations of corporate empires. But, above all, this is the story of how a creative genius chased down a crazy dream: the evolution of a shy amateur programmer into a video game god.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsisspectacular. He met that challenge by leading the successful introduction of coho salmon into the Michigan waters of the Great Lakes. Tanner provides an engaging history of successfully introducing Pacific salmon into the lakes from the perspective of an ultimate insider.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAround Christmas of 1882, while peering through a microscope at starfish larvae in which he had inserted tiny thorns, Russian zoologist Elie Metchnikoff had a brilliant insight: what if the mobile cells he saw gathering around the thorns were nothing but a healing force in action? Metchnikoff’s daring theory of immunity—that voracious cells he called phagocytes formed the first line of defense against invading bacteria—would eventually earn the scientist a Nobel Prize, shared with his archrival, as well as the unofficial moniker “Father of Natural Immunity.” But first he had to win over skeptics, especially those who called his theory “an oriental fairy tale.”Using previously inaccessible archival materials, author Luba Vikhanski chronicles Metchnikoff’s remarkable life and discoveries in the first moder n biography of this hero of medicine. Metchnikoff was a towering figure in the scientific community of the early twentieth century, a tireless humanitarian who, while working at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, also strived to curb the spread of cholera, syphilis, and other deadly diseases. In his later years, he startled the world with controversial theories on longevity, launching a global craze for yogurt, and pioneered research into gut microbes and aging. Though Metchnikoff was largely forgotten for nearly a hundred years, Vikhanski documents a remarkable revival of interest in his ideas on immunity and on the gut flora in the science of the twenty-first century.Trade Review"A portrait that captures not only the man, but also the end-of-the-19th century dynamism that fostered revolutions in art, politics, and science." Kirkus Reviews"Elie Metchnikoff was one of the most remarkable scientists of the turn of the twentieth century, . . . an immunologist ahead of his time, and also, in some ways, very much behind it. In Luba Vikhanski he has finally found a biographer who brings his gripping story to life in sprightly, engaged prose for the English-reading world." Michael D. Gordin, Rosengarten Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, Princeton University"A sensitive, nuanced portrait . . . and at times reads like a thriller." Siamon Gordon, Emeritus Professor of Cellular Pathology, University of Oxford, and a Fellow of the Royal Society"[an] outstanding, enlightening and delightful biography." The Jerusalem Post"This book deftly unspools and celebrates both the profession and the personal life of a turn-of-the-century giant." Library Journal"The story of a revolutionary era in medicine." The Washington Post"Having gleaned a personal perspective from letters, the author [Vikhanski] builds Metchnikoff into a magnetic character and sets him in a vibrant scientific and historical scene. Immunity is smoothly written, with charming turns of phrase that engage and demand attention." Foreword Reviews"Vikhanski's meticulous account of this almost-forgotten scientist reminds us of just how important a role obsession and stubbornness play in research." Booklist

Read more less

Book Synopsis One of the most elusive and controversial figures in NASA’s history, George W. S. Abbey was called “the Dark Lord,” “the Godfather,” and “UNO”—short for unidentified NASA official. He was said to be secretive, despotic, a Space Age Machiavelli. Yet Abbey had more influence on human spaceflight than almost anyone in history. His story has never been told—until now. The Astronaut Maker takes readers inside NASA to learn the real story of how Abbey rose to power, from young pilot and wannabe astronaut to engineer, bureaucrat, and finally director of the Johnson Space Center. During a thirty-seven-year career, mostly out of the spotlight, he oversaw the selection of every astronaut class from 1978 to 1987, deciding who got to fly and when. He was with the Apollo 1 astronauts the night before the fatal fire in January 1967. He was in mission control the night of the Apollo 13 accident and organized the recovery effort. Abbey also led NASA’s recruitment of women and minorities as space shuttle astronauts and was responsible for hiring Sally Ride. Written by Michael Cassutt, the coauthor of the acclaimed astronaut memoirs DEKE! and We Have Capture, and informed by countless hours of interviews with Abbey and his family, friends, adversaries, and former colleagues, The Astronaut Maker is the ultimate insider’s account of ambition and power politics at NASA.Trade Review"NASA buffs will be fascinated by this profile of an undervalued figure whose most significant legacy, Cassutt concludes, was at the human levelmaking 'spaceflight available to all, regardless of citizenship, gender, color, or ethnic background.'" - Publishers Weekly"The real book about the manned space program would be a book about George Abbey." Richard Truly, former astronaut and administrator of NASA

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisGeorge Bird Grinnell, the son of a New York merchant, saw a different future for a nation in the thrall of the Industrial Age. With railroads scarring virgin lands and the formerly vast buffalo herds decimated, the country faced a crossroads: Could it pursue Manifest Destiny without destroying its natural bounty and beauty? The alarm that Grinnell sounded would spark America’s conservation movement. Yet today his name has been forgotten—an omission that John Taliaferro’s commanding biography now sets right with historical care and narrative flair. Grinnell was born in Brooklyn in 1849 and grew up on the estate of ornithologist John James Audubon. Upon graduation from Yale, he dug for dinosaurs on the Great Plains with eminent paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh—an expedition that fanned his romantic notion of wilderness and taught him a graphic lesson in evolution and extinction. Soon he joined George A. Custer in the Black Hills, helped to map Yellowstone, and scaled the peaks and glaciers that, through his labors, would become Glacier National Park. Along the way, he became one of America’s most respected ethnologists; seasons spent among the Plains Indians produced numerous articles and books, including his tour de force, The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and Ways of Life. More than a chronicler of natural history and indigenous culture, Grinnell became their tenacious advocate. He turned the sportsmen’s journal Forest and Stream into a bully pulpit for wildlife protection, forest reserves, and national parks. In 1886, his distress over the loss of bird species prompted him to found the first Audubon Society. Next, he and Theodore Roosevelt founded the Boone and Crockett Club to promote “fair chase” of big game. His influence among the rich and the patrician provided leverage for the first federal legislation to protect migratory birds—a precedent that ultimately paved the way for the Endangered Species Act. And in an era when too many white Americans regarded Native Americans as backwards, Grinnell’s cries for reform carried from the reservation, through the halls of Congress, all the way to the White House. Drawing on forty thousand pages of Grinnell’s correspondence and dozens of his diaries, Taliaferro reveals a man whose deeds and high-mindedness earned him a lustrous peerage, from presidents to chiefs, Audubon to Aldo Leopold, John Muir to Gifford Pinchot, Edward S. Curtis to Edward H. Harriman. Throughout his long life, Grinnell was bound by family and sustained by intimate friendships, toggling between the East and the West. As Taliaferro’s enthralling portrait demonstrates, it was this tension that wound Grinnell’s nearly inexhaustible spring and honed his vision—a vision that still guides the imperiled future of our national treasures.Trade Review"Without a doubt, the United States is a better place because of George Bird Grinnell.... [We] finally have an exhaustively detailed biography of an inexhaustible man who deserves his place in the pantheon of environmental founders.... Grinnell’s memory lives on in the wild. And with this book, he is given the fresh look that he deserves." -- Timothy Egan - New York Times Book Review"An impressive, eminently readable biography of the great conservationist George Bird Grinnell.... Anyone who's ever set foot in a national park and wondered how it came to be will find an important part of the answer in this expansive look at an equally expansive life." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review"The best book I read this decade was: Grinnell: America’s Environmental Pioneer by John Taliaferro." -- Jeff Ament, bassist of Pearl Jam"In Grinnell: America’s Environmental Pioneer and His Restless Drive to Save the West, the first full-length biography of the man, John Taliaferro seeks to restore [Grinnell] to his rightful place among the giants of the early conservation movement in the United States. . . . Alas, our current environmental crises reach well beyond the problems that Grinnell and his clique aimed to solve. Even so, his life and work offer valuable lessons." -- Andrew Graybill - Wall Street Journal"A fine biography of a significant environmental champion." -- Kirkus Reviews"George Bird Grinnell is one of fascinating characters of the nineteenth century—a participant in events both heroic and tragic—and so it is good news that we have a full biography. Conservation traces many of its roots to Grinnell, so we need to understand him!" -- Bill McKibben, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?"George Bird Grinnell, one of the great visionaries in American environmentalism, has long deserved to have his story told. Among our ablest biographers, John Taliaferro has given us a smartly crafted and richly detailed portrait of a sage life that speaks to our often reckless but sometimes responsible ways, past and present." -- Jack E. Davis, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Gulf"A meticulous, indelible, and exhilarating portrait of George Bird Grinnell, in which John Taliaferro returns the ardent conservationist and ethnographer to full life. And what a life it was. A steadfast friend to North American wildlands and wildlife—and to its native peoples—Grinnell strides across the pages of this fine biography alive with the same passions that impelled him to roam and to write about the vanishing frontier." -- William Souder, author of On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans curls around an old sugar plantation that long housed one of America’s most painful secrets. Locals knew it as Carville, the site of the only leprosy colony in the continental United States, where generations of afflicted Americans were isolated—often against their will and until their deaths. Following the trail of an unexpected family connection, acclaimed journalist Pam Fessler has unearthed the lost world of the patients, nurses, doctors, and researchers at Carville who struggled for over a century to eradicate Hansen’s disease, the modern name for leprosy. Amid widespread public anxiety about foreign contamination and contagion, patients were deprived of basic rights—denied the right to vote, restricted from leaving Carville, and often forbidden from contact with their own parents or children. Neighbors fretted over their presence and newspapers warned of their dangerous condition, which was seen as a biblical “curse” rather than a medical diagnosis. Though shunned by their fellow Americans, patients surprisingly made Carville more a refuge than a prison. Many carved out meaningful lives, building a vibrant community and finding solace, brotherhood, and even love behind the barbed-wire fence that surrounded them. Among the memorable figures we meet in Fessler’s masterful narrative are John Early, a pioneering crusader for patients’ rights, and the unlucky Landry siblings—all five of whom eventually called Carville home—as well as a butcher from New York, a 19-year-old debutante from New Orleans, and a pharmacist from Texas who became the voice of Carville around the world. Though Jim Crow reigned in the South and racial animus prevailed elsewhere, Carville took in people of all faiths, colors, and backgrounds. Aided by their heroic caretakers, patients rallied to find a cure for Hansen’s disease and to fight the insidious stigma that surrounded it. Weaving together a wealth of archival material with original interviews as well as firsthand accounts from her own family, Fessler has created an enthralling account of a lost American history. In our new age of infectious disease, Carville’s Cure demonstrates the necessity of combating misinformation and stigma if we hope to control the spread of illness without demonizing victims and needlessly destroying lives.Trade Review"[F]ascinating.... A remarkable and vivid case study for exploring issues of patients’ rights, the ethics of clinical research and the notorious American tradition of intermingling concerns about disease with anxieties about immigration and the proper scope of public-welfare management.... Ms. Fessler’s meticulously researched account illuminates the endless ways, large and small, in which those confined to Carville sought to determine the shape of their own lives." -- Laura Kolbe - Wall Street Journal"Fessler presents inspiring and tragic stories of patients who mostly experienced Carville as a prison, sometimes a sanctuary.... Heartbreaking and infuriating." -- Tony Miksanek - Booklist"NPR correspondent Fessler’s polished and compassionate debut examines the history of Hansen’s disease (the modern name for leprosy) in America through the story of the Louisiana Leper Home in Carville, La. Fessler profiles several patients (most of whom were sent to Carville by mandatory state reporting laws), including her husband’s grandfather, and New Orleans debutante Betty Parker, who fell in love with a fellow patient and ran away with him.... Her well-researched and articulate account humanizes sufferers and caregivers alike, and offers hope in the medical field’s ability to halt the spread of contagious illness. Readers will be enlightened and encouraged." -- Publishers Weekly"Fessler [makes] the residents, and their doctors and the Daughters of Charity nuns who cared for them, come alive in this telling. The treatment of those living with Hansen’s Disease has had a quiet and shameful history, but Fessler allows for people’s voices to be heard in their own words. A heart-wrenching story of little-known social history." -- Marcia G. Welsh, Library Journal"[A] fine history, by turns heartbreaking and infuriating. . . Fessler paints a clear picture of a class of people who were confined at Carville typically for life, isolated, stripped of their identities [and] their civil rights. . . Vignettes of the patients, some tracked over decades, humanize the story. . . A caustic story told with empathy and a sharp eye for society’s intolerance." -- Kirkus Reviews"NPR journalist Pam Fessler has put her considerable professional and personal skills to work, unmasking the history and stigma of this ancient disease. That stigma, which lingers despite scientific evidence, dissipates with this book. Fessler’s skills as a journalist and humanist shine new light on old terrors, with well-told stories of lives and science." -- Susan Stamberg, special correspondent, NPR"Pam Fessler’s powerful book combines fascinating medical history with a deeply moving family story about a disease that has been misunderstood and stigmatized since the Old Testament." -- David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father"Pam Fessler's extraordinary knack for storytelling brings home the shameful history of discrimination and exile of those battling leprosy. At the same time, she lifts up the resilience and humanity of a community largely erased from our history. It's a moving and passionate appeal to our consciences." -- E.J. Dionne, author of Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country"Throughout my professional life, I’ve traveled to many places and at many times tried to explain Carville to people around the world. Compared to Pam’s efforts mine were feeble. This is an excellent story of my hometown." -- James Carville, political strategist"Carville’s Cure is a powerful story of all the ways that infectious diseases bring out the best and the worst in people: hope and fear, science and faith, humanity and cruelty. It is the very best kind of history: one that is alive with the people whose story it tells, and one that teaches us how to face challenges we will face in the future. It will move you." -- Ron Klain, former chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden and White House Ebola response coordinator, 2014–15"By turns heart-wrenching, inspiring, and infuriating, this is a fast-paced and highly readable account of attempts by patients, their families, doctors and American society in general to deal with the worlds’ most misunderstood disease. Written with the eye of an experienced journalist and the voice of a novelist, this book tells the story—stranger than fiction—of the patients, nuns, doctors, movie stars, and politicians who have struggled to come to terms with the stigma and discrimination attached to leprosy. The book is painstakingly researched and documented, and unfolds dramatically through the words of the patients and other participants through their letters and personal papers as well as newspaper accounts and interviews." -- David Scollard, retired director, National Hansen’s Disease Program"Behind barbed wire on a onetime sugar plantation on the Louisiana bayou, generations of Americans who had the bad luck to contract leprosy were forcibly confined by their own government, stripped of their most basic rights, and left to suffer and die. Pam Fessler, by shining a light on their stories—including a surprising family connection of her own—has redeemed them. She has also left us with a sobering reminder of the costs of demonizing disease and provided a must-read for this time of new infectious threats." -- Meredith Wadman, M.D., Science magazine reporter and author of The Vaccine Race: Science, Politics and the Human Costs of Defeating Disease

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Pliny the Elder perished at Stabiae during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, he left behind an enormous compendium of knowledge, his thirty-seven-volume Natural History, and a teenaged nephew who revered him as a father. Grieving his loss, Pliny the Younger inherited the Elder’s notebooks—filled with pearls of wisdom—and his legacy. At its heart, The Shadow of Vesuvius is a literary biography of the younger man, who would grow up to become a lawyer, senator, poet, collector of villas, and chronicler of the Roman Empire from the dire days of terror under Emperor Domitian to the gentler times of Emperor Trajan. A biography that will appeal to lovers of Mary Beard books, it is also a moving narrative about the profound influence of a father figure on his adopted son. Interweaving the younger Pliny’s Letters with extracts from the Elder’s Natural History, Daisy Dunn paints a vivid, compellingly readable portrait of two of antiquity’s greatest minds.Trade Review"The Shadow of Vesuvius is the definitive guide to Plinydom." -- Franz Lidz - New York Times"If you were writing a biography of Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus—or Pliny the Younger, the author of one of the most famous collections of letters surviving from the early Roman Empire—it would be hard not to start with the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, on the Bay of Naples, in 79 A.D., for Pliny was the only writer to leave us an eyewitness account of the catastrophe. The English classicist Daisy Dunn… wisely does not resist the temptation… She succeed[s] in making Pliny [the Younger]…a poignant character, the kind of person who has to do the dirty jobs of an empire and, having done them, gets no compliments…. Neither Pliny knew that his homeland’s great mountain, Vesuvius, was nourishing in her bosom the extermination of so many of her people. This somehow makes the two men’s kinship closer." -- Joan Acocella - The New Yorker"If only Daisy Dunn’s book had been around back when I was an aspiring classicist… Dunn is a good writer, with some of the easy erudition of Mary Beard, that great popularizer of Roman history, and her translations from both Plinys are graceful and precise. Ultimately her enthusiasm, together with her eye for the odd, surprising detail, wins you over." -- Charles McGrath, New York Times Book Review"Only a writer as sure-footed as Ms. Dunn would even attempt such a challenge…. Her exploration of his life and times, and that of his uncle, has much to offer to readers, with its ground-up, kaleidoscopic view of a nine-decade span of Roman history." -- James Romm, Wall Street Journal"A delightful biography, interweaving extracts from [Pliny the] Elder’s Natural History with [Pliny the] Younger’s letters, speeches, and poetry into an insightful portrait of the men, their world, and their influence on people such as Giorgio Vasari, Frances Bacon, and Percy and Mary Shelley.... This is a rich, entertaining dual biography of two fascinating men, a revealing portrait of ancient Rome, and a celebration of nature that will appeal to fans of Mary Beard." -- Merle Jacob, Booklist [starred review]"Rather than provide us with merely a biography of a magistrate, Dunn gives us a portrait of an entire way of life…. Dunn also knows how to work a sentence. Without ever veering into historical fiction, she consistently succeeds in bringing what might otherwise seem dusty and remote to vivid life…. If there is much about Pliny’s world that she makes seem familiar, then there is just as much that she makes seem very strange….The result is a portrait of the Roman Empire that gives the reader something of the shiver down the spine that Herculaneum can inspire: a sense that we are as close to the vanished world of two millennia ago as we are ever likely to get." -- Literary Review (UK)"Enthusiastic and vividly drawn.... An appreciation of both men, with frequent digressions on the Elder's opinions on oysters and metal scripture, the Younger's poetical ambitions and villas along Lake Como, and the effect of their dual legacy on future eras." -- Kathleen McCallister, Library Journal"The Roman Empire comes to life through the biographies of two influential men.... [Dunn] creates a vivid tapestry of the Roman world.... A sensitive, spirited investigation of the ancient world." -- Kirkus Reviews"[Sparks] impresses with her exceptional collection of wry, feminist stories.... Some stories smuggle incredible emotional impact into surprisingly few pages.... Sparks’s sardonic wit never distracts from her polished dismantling of everyday and extraordinary abuses. Readers will love this remarkable, deliciously caustic collection." -- Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis One of the most elusive and controversial figures in NASA’s history, George W. S. Abbey was said to be secretive, despotic, a Space Age Machiavelli. Yet Abbey had more influence on human spaceflight than almost anyone in history. His story has never been told—until now. The Astronaut Maker takes readers inside NASA to learn the real story of how Abbey rose to power, from young pilot and wannabe astronaut to engineer, bureaucrat, and finally director of the Johnson Space Center. During a thirty-seven-year career, mostly out of the spotlight, he oversaw the selection of every astronaut class from 1978 to 1987, deciding who got to fly and when. He was with the Apollo 1 astronauts the night before the fatal fire in January 1967. He was in mission control the night of the Apollo 13 accident and organized the recovery effort. Abbey also led NASA’s recruitment of women and minorities as space shuttle astronauts and was responsible for hiring Sally Ride. The Astronaut Maker is the ultimate insider’s account of ambition and power politics at NASA.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Moving, multifaceted, and deeply human...as eye-opening as it is compelling” —Cecile Richards, author of Make Trouble At a time where reproductive rights are at risk, these vital stories of diverse individuals serve as a reminder of the importance of empathy, finding community and motivating advocacy For a long time, when people asked Dr. Meera Shah, Chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, what she did, she would tell them she was a doctor and leave it at that. But when she started to be direct about her work as an abortion provider an interesting thing started to happen: one by one, people would confide that they'd had an abortion themselves. The refrain was often the same: You're the only one I've told. This book collects these stories as they've been told to Shah to humanize abortion and to combat myths that persist in the discourse that surrounds it. A wide range of ages, races, socioeconomic factors, and experiences shows that abortion always occurs in a unique context. Today, a healthcare issue that's so precious and foundational to reproductive, social, and economic freedom for millions of people is exploited by politicians who lack understanding or compassion about the context in which abortion occurs. Stories have the power to break down stigmas and help us to empathize with those whose experiences are unlike our own. A portion of proceeds will be donated to promote reproductive health access. Trade Review"You're the Only One I've Told boldly breaks the silence around abortion that has served as a weapon for denying human rights and health care for far too long. Meera Shah places a wide range of engrossing abortion stories in their social, legal, and political contexts and spotlights the unjust toll restrictions on abortion access inflict. Her much-needed reproductive justice lens shows that abortion is not a cure for poverty and other structural inequities but is absolutely essential to ensuring freedom and equality. An illuminating and inspiring call for reproductive freedom for everyone." -- Dorothy Roberts, author of Killing the Black Body"A clear-eyed and shame-free examination from a doctor on the frontlines, You're the Only One I've Told is the book the feminist movement has been waiting for. Everyone should read it." Jessica Valenti, columnist and author of Sex Object: A Memoir"The courage and honesty in the writing of Dr. Meera Shah paints the clearest of pictures: abortion isn't a political tool. It is health care. Personal, moving and necessary - truly a must read" Alyssa Mastromonaco, New York Times bestselling author and cohost of Crooked Media's #Hysteria podcast"These moving stories, taken together, sharply reveal the connections among 'reproductive justice, gender justice, racial justice, and economic justice.' A strong contribution to discussions of reproductive rights." Kirkus Reviews"Through these compelling stories, Dr. Shah reveals the determination and the deliberations of people who seek abortion care. This book shows, as my research has confirmed, that people make the decision to end a pregnancy balancing their own responsibilities and visions for the future. With Dr. Shah as our guide, we see the compassion and thoughtfulness of people who dedicate their careers to providing abortions." Diana Greene Foster, PhD, author of The Turnaway Study" You're the Only One I've Told goes far beyond the headlines and political rhetoric to paint a moving, multi-faceted, and deeply human picture of abortion. Dr. Meera Shah blends medical expertise and facts with personal accounts, resulting in a book that is as eye-opening as it is compelling." Cecile Richards, author of Make Trouble"To declare "I own my body" is revolutionary. To say "I count" is revolutionary. We do that by sharing our stories. And when our stories come together they create a subversive wave that sweeps away shame and silence. In this vital book, Dr. Meera Shah gifts her confidants - the storytellers - and us - the reader - with that power. Read this book." Mona Eltahawy, author of The Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls"Readers who have felt isolated or stigmatized in talking about their own abortions will find stories that resonate, while others will have their concept of who seeks an abortion broadened. This is a moving and deeply informed argument for abortion as a human right." Publishers Weekly"Shah places a wide range of engrossing abortion stories in their social, legal, and political contexts and spotlights the unjust toll restrictions on abortion access inflict. Her much-needed reproductive justice lens shows that abortion is . . . absolutely essential to ensuring freedom and equality. " Dorothy Roberts, author of Killing the Black Body"I learned something I didn't know about abortion in every chapter of this book. Deeply thankful for this resource." Alex, Goodreads"I fell in love with the humans and their stories. I feel like this should be required reading in school. It's compassion training 101 and important right now more than ever." Claire, Goodreads

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe decades-long love story of a NASA commander and the leader of the Astronaut Wives ClubFar Side of the Moon is the untold, fully authorized story of the lives of Frank and Susan Borman. One was a famous astronaut—an instrumental part of the Apollo space program—but the other was just as much a warrior. This real-life love story is far from a fairy tale. Life as a military wife was beyond demanding, but Susan always rose to the occasion. When Frank joined NASA and was selected to command the first mission to orbit the moon, that meant putting on a brave face for the world as her husband risked his life for the space race. The pressure and anxiety were overwhelming, and eventually Susan’s well-hidden depression and alcoholism finally came to light. Frank had to come to terms with how his “mission above all else” mentality contributed to his wife’s suffering. As Susan healed, she was able to begin helping others who suffered in silence from mental illness and addiction.Discover how Frank and Susan’s love and commitment to each other is still overcoming life’s challenges, even beyond their years as an Apollo commander and the founder of the Astronaut Wives Club.Trade Review"This is a true love story -- it has it all: adventure, sacrifice, fear, perseverance, redemption and heartbreak." -- Dee O'Hara, nurse to the astronauts of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs"This exceptional book presents the true perspective of those intense, high-energy, high-visibility years of Apollo, especially the challenging roles of the families. Susan and Frank Borman were leaders in the community, respected and admired by alland this book will tell you why. As a husband, an astronaut, and a manager, Frank Borman was a true leader, the epitome of 'Stand by Me.' And Susan's story is the most accurate description of the lives of the 'astronaut wives' I have ever read, from the glory of success to the grievance of loss. Enjoy this insightful book, and you will learn more about the human story of Apollo, especially about many of us who were fortunate to have participated." -- David Scott, astronaut on Gemini VIII, Apollo 9, and Apollo 15"Countless books have been published about the Apollo era, but this one stands apart, highlighting the "ride" taken by an Apollo family. The author shares the ride in wonderful detail, bringing the reader along on the very personal voyage of Susan Borman, who gave Frank wings. This is Susan's story, well told and well deserved." -- Michael Collins, astronaut on Gemini X, Apollo 11"Far Side of the Moon is a beautiful true story of how deep love and God's grace carried Sue and Frank Borman through very difficult times. We believe the book expresses an honest account of many of the families working at NASA during the US race for the moon -- the ambition, competition, and pressures on the astronauts, plus the stresses, loneliness, and sacrifices of the wives, was very real. The reader is shown that the same issues in marriages occur in careers other than the space program. We highly recommend this very personal story." -- Dotty and Charlie Duke, astronaut on Apollo 16"Liisa Jorgesen artfully captures the humanity, indeed the love, that was formed, sustained, and continues today between Frank and Susan Borman in the midst of great odds. Far Side of the Moon has two heroes in that sweeping relationship." -- Captain Phil "Rowdy" Yates (USN Ret.), Chief US Navy Test Pilot, Joint Strike Fighter CDP"As astronaut's wives, Susan Borman and I shared the highs and lows during the two missions our husbands flew together. I believe that Far Side of the Moon captures the unseen human side of what it was really like to be an Apollo family." -- Marilyn Lovell, wife of James Lovell, astronaut on Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13"For readers of Lily Koppel's The Astronaut Wives Club (2013), this is a more personal and focused story, a tale in which few punches are pulled, and all the collateral damage of being one of America's heroes is laid bare." -- BooklistTable of ContentsPrologue 1: “You Killed Your Father” 2: Duty Calls 3: “It’s That Kind of Date” 4: The Army Wife 5: “Every Man a Tiger” 6: The Death of a Dream 7: “I Need to Teach You How to Shoot a Gun” 8: “You Gave Your Ass to the Air Force” 9: The New Nine 10: “That Is Why You Test on the Ground” 11: “There’s More to Life than Living” 12: 50/50 13: Mission vs. family 14: Loss of Signal 15: Moral Compass 16: “Space Cooperation and Goodwill” 17: Moonman 18: “Never Bother Your Husband with Trivial Matters” 19: “It’s Time for a Reckoning” 20: “I Will Protect Her from Now On” 21: Second Honeymoon 22: The Next Mission Epilogue Acknowledgments

Read more less