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From staircase to stage: The story of raekwon and the wu-tang clan
By Raekwon. 2021
Legendary wordsmith Raekwon the Chef opens up about his journey from the staircases of Park Hill in Staten Island to…
sold-out stadiums around the world with the Wu-Tang Clan in this revealing memoir— perfect for fans of The Autobiography of Gucci Mane and Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter . There are rappers that everyone loves and there are rappers that every rapper loves, and Corey Woods, a.k.a. Raekwon the Chef, is one of the few who is both. His versatile flow, natural storytelling, and evocative imagery has inspired legions of fans and a new generation of rappers. As one of the founding members of Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon's voice and cadence is synonymous with the inimitable sound that has made the group iconic since 1991. Now, for the first time, Raekwon tells his full story, from struggling through poverty to make ends meet to turning a hobby into a legacy. The Wu-Tang story is dense, complex, and full of drama, and here nothing is off limits: the group's underground origins, secrets behind songs like "C.R.E.A.M." and "Protect Ya Neck," and what it took to be one of the first hip-hop groups to break into the mainstream. Raekwon also dives deep into the making of his meticulous solo albums—particularly the classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx —and talks about how spirituality and fatherhood continue to inspire his unstoppable creative process. A celebration of perseverance and the power of music, From Staircase to Stage is a master storyteller's lifelong journey to stay true to himself and his roots
The informant: the FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the murder of Viola Liuzzo
By Gary May. 2005
Examines the role of FBI informant Gary Thomas Rowe Jr., who infiltrated the Alabama Klan and identified suspects in the…
1965 murder of civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo, a white woman from Detroit, while he participated in other race crimes. Criticizes the effectiveness of the FBI's reliance upon informants. 2005
Does the noise in my head bother you?: a rock 'n' roll memoir
By Steven Tyler. 2011
Aerosmith lead singer and American Idol judge, born in 1948, reminisces about his childhood in the Bronx as the son…
of a classical pianist, early musical career, and the rise and fall of the band that made him a rock star. Strong language. Bestseller. 2011
Escaping the delta: Robert Johnson and the invention of the blues
By Elijah Wald. 2004
Author of How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' Roll (DB 71861) researches the origins of Mississippi Delta blues. Recaps the…
life of African American singer Robert Johnson (1911-1938) and his influence on white performers who revived the genre in the 1960s. Debunks stereotypes and myths surrounding the music. 2004
Cultural history of women in American law enforcement focuses on events that helped or hindered their progress toward equality. Uses…
archival documents and interviews to illuminate the expansion of women's roles from the 1840s, when matrons guarded prisoners, to the twenty-first century. Highlights incidents of workplace discrimination. Some violence. 2010
God is not one: the eight rival religions that run the world--and why their differences matter
By Stephen R. Prothero. 2010
Author of Religious Literacy (DB 64243) posits that religion is more than a private matter and affects the world socially,…
economically, politically, and militarily--as a force for both good and evil. Discusses the major religions, their traditions, and the importance of the differences among them. 2010
The triple agent: the al-Qaeda mole who infiltrated the CIA
By Joby Warrick. 2011
Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalist details the December 30, 2009, gathering in Khost, Afghanistan, of CIA and U.S. military officials…
and Pakistani and Afghani operatives to meet Jordanian pediatrician and spy Humam Khalil al-Balawi. Relates Balawi's subsequent suicide bombing, which killed himself and seven CIA personnel. 2011
The woman I was born to be: my story
By Susan Boyle. 2010
Susan Boyle details being catapulted into fame in 2009 at age forty-eight on television's Britain's Got Talent. Describes her audition…
and elimination, debut album, international tour, and life in her small Scottish village before and after her new career. Addresses media speculation about her appearance, mental capacity, and lifestyle. 2010
Chinaberry sidewalks
By Rodney Crowell. 2011
Autobiography of Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Crowell (born 1950) evokes his hardscrabble Texas upbringing by volatile parents. Details the relationship between…
his epileptic, Pentecostal mother and alcoholic, honky-tonk father. Recounts the start of his own career and discusses his marriage to Rosanne Cash. Strong language and some violence. 2011
Janis Joplin: rise up singing
By Ann Angel. 2010
Biography of Janis Joplin (1943-1970) chronicles her successful music career and provides insight into her personal life and emotional vulnerabilities.…
Discusses Joplin's drug and alcohol addictions and death of an overdose at age twenty-seven. For junior and senior high and older readers. YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction. 2010
Ice: a memoir of gangster life and redemption-- from South Central to Hollywood
By Douglas Century, Ice-T. 2011
Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor on television drama Law & Order: SVU Ice-T, born Tracy Marrow, describes becoming an orphan…
at age twelve and moving from New Jersey to live with relatives in Los Angeles. Details his life of crime before beginning his music career. Violence and strong language. 2011
Through veterans' eyes: the Iraq and Afghanistan experience
By Larry Minear. 2010
Commentary from post-9/11 veterans collected from the Library of Congress Veterans History Project and supplemented by author interviews. Covers reasons…
for enlisting; dealing with combat, local populations, and contractors; and living with post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injury. Strong language and some violence. 2010
Busted: a tale of corruption and betrayal in the city of brotherly love
By Wendy Ruderman, Barbara Laker. 2014
Two Philadelphia Daily News reporters chronicle their probe into corruption in the Philadelphia Police Department narcotics squad, for which they…
won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. Some strong language. 2014
How to Lose Everything: A Memoir
By Christa Couture. 2020
Presents fifty-seven interviews with Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) from news articles and radio transcripts, conducted from December 1966 to just before…
his death in September 1970. Also includes court testimony excerpts. Hendrix discusses his musical influences, the social issues of the day, and his drug use. 2012
My nine lives: a memoir of many careers in music
By Leon Fleisher, Anne Midgette. 2010
Fleisher explains that his love of classical music launched his first career as a concert pianist and that the same…
passion kept him alive when his right hand failed him at age thirty-six. Discusses becoming a conductor and teacher. Covers his marriages and the people who influenced him. 2010
Roll me up and smoke me when I die: musings from the road
By Kinky Friedman, Willie Nelson. 2012
Country and folk music superstar reflects on the influences of his career. Discusses growing up in Texas, moving to Nashville,…
loving his family, and more. Memories and commentary contributed by friends and relatives are sprinkled throughout. Includes foreword by Kinky Friedman. Strong language. Bestseller. 2012
The soundtrack of my life
By Clive Davis, Anthony DeCurtis. 2012
Autobiography of Grammy Award-winning music producer Davis (born 1932), who took a job with Columbia Records in 1960 and launched…
Arista Records in 1974. Highlights the dozens of musicians he worked with, including Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart, and the Grateful Dead. Bestseller. 2012
The three of us: growing up with Tammy and George
By Patsi Bale Cox, Georgette Jones. 2011
Memoir by the only child of country-western singer/songwriters Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Georgette, born in 1970, chronicles her parent's…
relationship, including their careers, divorce, and subsequent remarriages. Recalls Tammy's death in 1998 and discusses her own path and pursuit of a singing career. 2011
Blind but now I see: the biography of music legend Doc Watson
By Kent Gustavson. 2012
Biography of blind Grammy Award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and singer Arthel "Doc" Watson (1923-2012) from Appalachian North Carolina. Explores his training…
at the Raleigh School for the Blind, rise during the 1960s folk revival, partnership with his son Merle, and the development of his flatpicking style of guitar playing. 2010