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Mrs. Lincoln : a life
Catherine Clinton.
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viii, 415 p. : ill., ports. ; 24 cm.
Historian Catherine Clinton draws on important new research to illuminate the remarkable life of Mary Lincoln. Her story is inextricably tied with her husband's presidency, yet her life is an extraordinary chronicle on its own. From an aristocratic Kentucky family, she was an educated, well-connected Southern daughter, and when she married a Springfield lawyer she became a Northern wife--an experience mirrored by thousands of her countrywomen. The Lincolns endured many personal setbacks, including the death of a child and defeats in two Senate races. Mrs. Lincoln herself suffered scorching press attacks. The assassination of her husband haunted her for the rest of her life. Her downward spiral resulted in a brief but traumatizing involuntary incarceration in an asylum and exile in Europe during her later years. One of the most tragic and mysterious of nineteenth-century figures, Mary Lincoln and her story symbolize the pain and loss of Civil War America.--From publisher description.
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My remarkable journey
Larry King with Cal Fussman.
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294 p., [8] p. of plates : ill.(some col.) ; 24 cm.
The host of CNN's "Larry King Live" shares his riveting story--from his humble roots in Depression-era Brooklyn to the heights of celebrity, in an account filled with personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes observations on important world figures.
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Napoleon : the path to power
Philip Dwyer.
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651 p. : ill., maps ; 25 cm.
At just thirty years of age, Napoleon Bonaparte ruled the most powerful country in Europe. But the journey that led him there was neither inevitable nor smooth.nbsp; This authoritative biography focuses on the evolution of Napoleon as a leader and debunks many of the myths that are often repeated about him—sensational myths often propagated by Napoleon himself. Here, Philip Dwyer sheds new light on Napoleon’s inner life—especially his darker side and his passions—to reveal a ruthless, manipulative, driven man whose character has been disguised by the public image he carefully fashioned to suit the purposes of his ambition. nbsp; Dwyer focuses acutely on Napoleon’s formative years, from his Corsican origins to his French education, from his melancholy youth to his flirtation with radicals of the French Revolution, from his first military campaigns in Italy and Egypt to the political-military coup that brought him to power in 1799. One of the first truly modern politicians, Napoleon was a master of “spin,” using the media to project an idealized image of himself. Dwyer’s biography of the young Napoleon provides a fascinating new perspective on one of the great figures of modern history.
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Resilience : reflections on the burdens and gifts of facing life's adversities
Elizabeth Edwards.
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213 p. ; 20 cm.
The bestselling author of Saving Graces shares her inspirational message on the challenges and blessings of coping with adversity. She's one of the most beloved political figures in the country, and on the surface, seems to have led a charmed life. In many ways, she has. Beautiful family. Thriving career. Supportive friendship. Loving marriage. But she's no stranger to adversity. Many know of the strength she had shown after her son, Wade, was killed in a freak car accident when he was only sixteen years old. She would exhibit this remarkable grace and courage again when the very private matter of her husband's infidelity became public fodder. And her own life has been on the line. Days before the 2004 presidential election--when her husband John was running for vice president--she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After rounds of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation the cancer went away--only to reoccur in 2007. While on the campaign trail, Elizabeth met many others who have had to contend with serious adversity in their lives, and in Resilience, she draws on their experiences as well as her own, crafting an unsentimental and ultimately inspirational meditation on the gifts we can find among life's biggest challenges. This short, powerful, pocket-sized inspirational book makes an ideal gift for anyone dealing with difficulties in their life, who can find peace in knowing they are not alone, and promise that things can get better.
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A-Rod : the many lives of Alex Rodriguez
Selena Roberts.
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255 p., [8] p. of plates : col. ill. ; 24 cm.
Through exhaustive reporting and interviews, "Sports Illustrated" writer Roberts explores Alex Rodriguez's path to self-destruction--both on and off the baseball diamond.
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The spy within : Larry Chin and China's penetration of the CIA
Tod Hoffman.
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309 p. ; 24 cm.
The Spy Withinis the riveting true story of one of the most significant cases in the history of espionage, the longest-running penetration of an intelligence organization ever discovered. In October 1982, the FBI received notice from the CIA that was as cryptic as it was chilling: China was running a spy inside US intelligence. The CIA did not know, however, his identity, the agency he worked for, how long he had spent inside America’s secret community, or what information he was passing to China. Over the next three years, investigators labored frantically to identify the mole, to discover the secrets he had betrayed and the agents he had endangered, and to collect the evidence that would see him prosecuted for his crimes. The FBI’s expansive investigation ultimately revealed that for more than thirty years – years encompassing such pivotal events as the Korean War, the Cultural Revolution, the Vietnam War, and President Richard Nixon’s groundbreaking visit to Beijing – Larry Chin, the CIA’s own top Chinese linguist, had been China’s top spy. Chin’s reports were circulated to China’s senior leadership, read by the likes of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping. The methods employed by the intelligence services of China’s Communist regime – methods still very much in use today even as the two nations have evolved from Cold War enemies to economic rivals – have never before been so clearly and compellingly revealed to a general audience. Tod Hoffman conducted exclusive interviews with key players in the affair, gained access to previously unreleased documents, and applied his own practical expertise as a spy-catcher to spin a captivating cat-and-mouse tale that is sure to become regarded as a classic of intelligence literature.
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Steps in time
Fred Astaire ; foreword by Ginger Rogers.
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xiii, 338 p., [24] p. of plates : ill. ; 21 cm.
One of the foremost entertainers of the twentieth century-singer, actor, choreographer, and, of course, the most dazzling "hoofer" in the history of motion pictures-Fred Astaire was the epitome of charm, grace, and suave sophistication, with a style all his own and a complete disregard for the laws of gravity. Steps in Time is Astaire's story in his own words, a memoir as beguiling, exuberant, and enthralling as the great artist himself, the man ballet legends George Balanchine and Rudolf Nureyev cited as, hands down, the century's greatest dancer.From his debut in vaudeville at age six through his remarkable career as the star of many of the most popular Hollywood musicals ever captured on celluloid, Steps in Time celebrates the golden age of entertainment and its royalty, as seen through the eyes of the era's affable and adored prince. Illustrated with more than forty rare photographs from the author's personal collection, here is Astaire in all his debonair glory-his life, his times, his movies, and, above all, his magical screen appearances and enduring friendship with the most beloved of all his dancing partners, Ginger Rogers.
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Tales of wonder : adventures chasing the divine : an autobiography
Huston Smith and Jeffery Paine.
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xxv, 209 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
In his autobiography Smith reflects on his life and his encounters with people who helped shape the 20th century, including Martin Luther King Jr. and the Dalai Lama.
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Ted Kennedy : the dream that never died
Edward Klein.
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xvii, 254 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 25 cm.
In the most inspiring speech of his career, Ted Kennedy once vowed: "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." Unlike his martyred brothers, John and Robert, whose lives were cut off before the promise of a better future could be realized, Ted lived long enough to make many promises come true. During a career that spanned an astonishing half-century, he put his imprint on every major piece of progressive legislation–from health care and education to civil rights. There were times during that career–such as after the incident in Chappaquiddick–when Ted seemed to have surrendered to his demons. But there were other times–after one of his inspiring speeches on the floor of the Senate, for example–when he was compared to Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John Calhoun, and other great lawmakers of the past. Indeed, for most of his life, Ted Kennedy played a kaleidoscope of roles–from destructive thrill seeker to constructive lawmaker; from straying husband to devoted father and uncle. InTed Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died,celebrated Kennedy biographer Edward Klein at last reconciles these contradictions, painting a stunningly original, up-to-the-moment portrait of Ted Kennedy and his remarkable late-in-life redemption. Drawing on a vast store of original research and unprecedented access to Ted Kennedy’s political associates, friends, and family, Klein takes the reader behind the scenes to reveal many secrets. Among them: • Why Caroline Kennedy, at Ted’s urging, aspired to fill the New York Senate vacancy but then suddenly and unexpectedly withdrew her candidacy. • How Ted ended his longest-lasting romantic relationship to marry Victoria Reggie, and the unexpected effect that union had on his personal and political redemption. • What transpired between the parents of Mary Jo Kopechne and Ted Kennedy during two private meetings at Ted’s home. • Which feuds are likely to erupt within the Kennedy family in the wake of Ted’s demise, and what will become of Ted’s fortune and political legacy. Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Dieddoes not shrink from portraying the erratic side of Ted Kennedy and his former wife, Joan. But both in spirit and tone, it is a compassionate celebration of a complex man who, in the winter of his life, summoned the best in himself to come to the aid of his troubled nation. From the Hardcover edition.
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This child will be great : memoir of a remarkable life by Africa's first woman president
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
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353 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. ; 24 cm.
From Liberian President Sirleaf-- Africa's first elected female president-- comes an inspirational memoir about her improbable rise to international prominence, her fight for political freedom, and her unwavering determination to rebuild Liberia in the wake of civil war.
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Where did you sleep last night? : a personal history
Danzy Senna.
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200 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
In her courageous portrait of the tumultuous union between her Boston Brahmin mother and her enigmatic black father, Danzy Senna offers a powerfully personal take on the progress of American race relations since the civil rights movement.
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The widow Clicquot : the story of a champagne empire and the woman who ruled it
Tilar J. Mazzeo.
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xxi, 265 p. : ill., map, port. ; 24 cm.
Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamour, style, and luxury. But who was this young widow--the Veuve Clicquot--whose champagne sparkled at the courts of France, Britain, and Russia, and how did she rise to celebrity and fortune? Cultural historian Mazzeo brings to life the woman behind the iconic yellow label: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. A young witness to the French Revolution and a new widow during the chaotic years of the Napoleonic Wars, Barbe-Nicole defied convention by assuming--after her husband's death--the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured, and became one of the world's first great businesswomen and one of the richest women of her time. This book provides a glimpse into the life of a daring and determined entrepreneur, a bold risk taker, and an audacious and intelligent woman who took control of her own destiny when fate left her on the brink of financial ruin.--From publisher description.
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