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The devil's snake curve: a fan's notes from left field
By Josh Ostergaard. 2014
Anthropologist shares anecdotes and stories of baseball's history, from its founding in the mid-1800s to the early twenty-first century, framing…
them in the context of social and political history. Presents similarities between the sport and war and nationalism. Strong language. 2014
Tinderbox: Hbo's ruthless pursuit of new frontiers
By James Andrew Miller. 2021
From the New York Times bestselling author of Those Guys Have All the Fun comes the unvarnished, comprehensive, and astonishing…
history of HBO, told for the first time through the disruptors who led its epic rise to prestige and changed the way we watch television forever. The exclusive story of HBO's key creators, executives, actors, and directors gives listeners an unprecedented peek behind the curtain at the founding and triumph of the first "pay-channel" that brought America The Sopranos , Sex and the City , The Wire , Succession , and countless, groundbreaking, culture-shifting shows. James Andrew Miller collects insider accounts of the humble beginnings, devastating missteps, controversial business decisions, and, of course, backstage drama and celebrity gossip from the set. Since televisions entered Americans' living rooms, the question of whether programming should be "free"—paid for with advertising—has loomed, to the extent that some broadcasters, lobbyists and fearmongers warned someone would come along and disrupt their Madison Avenue–championed business model. But who would pay for something that had always been free? Home Box Office dared to ask that question in 1972, opening the doors for other pay-channels and ultimately the streaming platforms that are now the norm. They created different, better content—or at least they convinced viewers that different was better. HBO gave us violent scenes with blood and guts, shows like Tales from the Crypt that were actually scary, romcoms with sex instead of suggestion. We take their big-budget, "prestige" TV for granted now, but their success was far from assured at the outset. HBO's audacity built the viewing culture we have today and permanently transformed the television landscape. A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company
Journalist and author of The First National Bank of Dad (DB 59001) warns that inventing new technologies to deal with…
the energy crisis does not fix the problem--and may worsen the situation. Advocates consuming less and living in densely populated areas such as New York City. 2011
The wizard of lies: Bernie Madoff and the death of trust
By Diana B. Henriques. 2011
Drawing from interviews she had with the imprisoned Wall Street financier, New York Times reporter Henriques explains how Bernie Madoff…
executed the decades-long Ponzi scheme that swindled investors out of more than $65 billion until his 2008 arrest. Also provides details from various lawsuits and government investigations. 2011
Sex on the moon: the amazing story behind the most audacious heist in history
By Ben Mezrich. 2011
Detailed account of college intern Thad Roberts's theft of moon rocks from NASA in 2002 and the FBI sting that…
snared him. Describes Roberts's sheltered upbringing, his estrangement from his parents, and his romance with a coworker that motivated the heist. Some strong language. 2011
The company we keep: a husband-and-wife true-life spy story
By Robert Baer, Dayna Baer. 2011
The author of See No Evil (DB 53770), the basis for the movie Syriana, and his wife Dayna share their…
anecdotes of working for the CIA. They describe their first meeting while on assignment in the Balkans and recount falling in love years later. Some strong language. 2011
Of thee I zing: America's cultural decline from muffin tops to body shots
By Raymond Arroyo, Laura Ingraham. 2011
Political commentator and radio talk-show host shares her observations and opinions of boutique cupcake shops; laptop users; shrinking airplane seats…
and expanding passengers; celebrities' choices for baby names; and other aspects of modern American life. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2011
The psychopath test: a journey through the madness industry
By Jon Ronson. 2011
Author of The Men Who Stare at Goats (DB 60917) explores psychiatry's efforts to recognize and treat psychopaths. Interviews include…
a doctor who developed a checklist of psychopathic traits, a former Haitian death-squad leader, and an ex-CEO who seemed to enjoy firing workers. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2011
Author of Wildflower (DB 70537) investigates the case of Christian Gerhartsreiter, who came to America from Germany in 1978 and…
adopted a series of blue-blood identities. Details Gerhartsreiter's schemes, including his last and biggest, when he posed as "Clark Rockefeller" and kidnapped his own daughter. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2011
Clarence Darrow: attorney for the damned
By John A. Farrell. 2011
Chronicles the personal and professional life of Darrow (1857-1938), the Chicago railroad lawyer who at age thirty-six became a defender…
of progressive causes. Highlights Darrow's role as defense attorney in the 1910 Los Angeles Times bombing, the 1924 Leopold and Loeb child-murder case, and the 1925 Scopes "monkey" trial. Some strong language. 2011
My beloved world
By Sonia Sotomayor. 2013
Memoir of United States Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor (born 1954). Recalls growing up with her Puerto Rican family in…
the Bronx and being diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. Discusses her family life, education at Princeton and Yale, and becoming a district court judge in 1992. Bestseller. 2013
Giant in the shadows: the life of Robert T. Lincoln
By Jason Emerson. 2012
Biography of Robert T. Lincoln (1843-1926), the only son of Abraham Lincoln to reach adulthood. Discusses the political career of…
the Harvard-educated Chicago lawyer and businessman as a diplomat and U.S. secretary of war. Analyzes his relationship with his mother and covers the management of his father's legacy. 2012
Lost at sea: the Jon Ronson mysteries
By Jon Ronson. 2012
British author of The Men Who Stare at Goats (DB 60917) pens essays exploring absurdities of the modern world. In…
the title piece Ronson investigated the 2011 disappearance of an employee from a Disney cruise and learned that many people go missing from cruises every year. Strong language. 2012
The perfume lover: a personal history of scent
By Denyse Beaulieu. 2013
Paris-based writer and translator details her collaboration with perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour to develop a scent based on a romantic interlude…
she experienced in Seville, Spain. Chronicles her relationship with scents from childhood to the present. Includes discussion of historical perfumes. 2012
All We Want: Building the Life We Cannot Buy
By Michael Harris. 2021
Our lives are defined by a story of endless growth and consumption. Now a climate crisis demands that we change.…
Can we write new stories? In All We Want, award-winning author Michael Harris dismantles our untenable consumer culture and delivers surprising, heartwarming alternatives. Drawing on the wisdom of philosophers, scientists, and artists, Harris uncovers three realms where humans have always found deeper meaning: the worlds of Craft, the Sublime, and Care. Past attempts to blunt our impact on the environment have simply redirected our consumption—we bought fuel-efficient cars and canvas tote bags. We cannot, however, buy our way out of this crisis. We need, instead, compelling new stories about life's purpose. Part meditation and part manifesto, All We Want is a blazing inquest into the destructive and unfulfilling promise of our consumer society, and a roadmap toward a more humane future.
The oath: the Obama White House and the Supreme Court
By Jeffrey Toobin. 2012
Legal analyst and author of The Nine (DB 64971) assesses the ideological differences between Chief Justice John Roberts and President…
Barack Obama. Details the politics and procedural strategies behind court decisions--including the 2012 ruling that narrowly upheld the Affordable Care Act--and their implications. Some strong language. 2012
Whitey Bulger: America's most wanted gangster and the manhunt that brought him to justice
By Kevin Cullen, Shelley Murphy. 2013
Award-winning reporters chronicle the South Boston crime boss's life, including his involvement in gang wars, bank robberies, and murders from…
the 1950s into the 1990s; secret work as an FBI informant; and sixteen-year flight from authorities. Details the investigation that led to Bulger's 2011 capture in California. Strong language. 2013
Medusa's gaze and vampire's bite: the science of monsters
By Matt Kaplan. 2012
Science journalist examines ancient and modern myths of monsters, from the Nemean Lion of ancient Greece to King Kong and…
the Terminator. Uses archaeology and other disciplines to theorize on the sources of these tales and the reasons they fascinate us. Young adult appeal. Some violence. 2012
Carefree black girls: A celebration of black women in popular culture
By Zeba Blay. 2021
Carefree Black Girls is an exploration and celebration of black women's identity and impact on pop culture, as well as…
the enduring stereotypes they face, from a film and culture critic for HuffPost . In 2013, Zeba Blay was one of the first people to coin the viral term "carefreeblackgirls" on Twitter. It was, as she says, "a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for black women online." In this collection of essays, Blay expands on that initial idea by looking at the significance of influential black women throughout history, including Josephine Baker, Michelle Obama, Rihanna, and Cardi B. Incorporating her own personal experiences as well as astute analysis of these famous women, Blay presents an empowering and celebratory portrait of black women and their effect on American culture. She also examines the many stereotypes that have clung to black women throughout history, whether it is the Mammy, the Angry Black Woman, or more recently, the Thot
How can i be a good digital citizen? (Our Digital World)
By Christine Zuchora-Walske. 2018
Using the Internet can be an exciting adventure. But it is important to use it safely. How can you use…
computers responsibly? And how can you be a good digital citizen? Read this book to find out!