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Women biography, European history, Politics and government biography
Human-narrated audio
As complex in their own way as their Mitford cousins, Winston and Clementine Churchill's daughters each had a unique relationship…
with their famous father. Rachel Trethewey's biography, The Churchill Sisters , tells their story. Bright, attractive and well-connected, in any other family the Churchill girls – Diana, Sarah, Marigold and Mary – would have shone. But they were not in another family, they were Churchills and neither they nor anyone else could ever forget it. From their father – 'the greatest Englishman' – to their brother, golden boy Randolph, to their eccentric and exciting cousins, the Mitford Girls, they were surrounded by a clan of larger-than-life characters which often saw them overlooked. While Marigold died too young to achieve her potential the other daughters lived lives full of passion, drama and tragedy... Diana, intense and diffident; Sarah, glamorous and stubborn; Mary, dependable yet determined – each so different but each imbued with a sense of responsibility toward each other and their country. Far from being cosseted debutantes these women were eyewitnesses at some of the most important events in world history, at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam. Yet this is not a story set on the battlefields or in Parliament; it is an intimate saga that sheds light on the complex dynamics of family set against the backdrop of a tumultuous century. Drawing on previously unpublished family letters from the Churchill archives, The Churchill Sisters brings Winston's daughters out of the shadows and tells their remarkable stories for the first time. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press
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Royalty biography, European history, Politics and government biography
Human-narrated audio
Featuring unreported details and stunning revelations, the long-awaited follow-up to the "fabulous, addictive" ( Chicago Sun-Times ) New York Times…
bestseller Diana's Boys explores the last twenty years in the lives of Princes William and Harry and the evolution of their relationship as adults, with one brother the designated heir, and the other doomed to life as the spare—perfect for fans of Netflix's The Crown . Diana's Boys revealed the powerful bond between the teenaged princes, and how it strengthened even more in the wake of their mother's tragic death. Now, twenty years later, Queen Elizabeth II is in her mid-nineties, Prince Charles is in his seventies, and all eyes are turned increasingly toward William and Harry again. Christopher Andersen picks up where he left off, covering everything that has happened to the brothers as they have grown up, gotten married to two remarkable women, and had children—all while facing continual waves of controversy and questions about the ways their relationship has shifted. Andersen examines how the Queen's behind-the-scenes maneuvering to mold her grandsons in the Windsor image after Diana's death, and her expectations of William as the future king, played out. He questions whether the brothers' famously close relationship can survive Harry's departure from the Royal Family—the first time this has happened since their great-great-uncle King Edward abdicated the throne to marry a divorcée. He delves into the impact sisters-in-law Kate and Meghan have had on each other as well as on their princes, and how marriage and fatherhood have changed the brothers and, in some ways, also driven a wedge between them. Andersen also looks with an honest eye at how the princes and their wives have been continuously buffeted by scandal—including headline-making allegations of bullying, racism, betrayal, and emotional abuse that has pushed more than one royal to the brink of self-destruction. Based on in-depth research and with his "fascinating and insightful" ( The Christian Science Monitor ) writing, Andersen leaves no stone unturned in this intimate and riveting look into the private lives of the world's most famous princes
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War, History, European history, General non-fiction
Human-narrated audio
English historian explores the roots of conflict in the relationship between France and its own French-Arab population--former subjects of French…
colonial possessions in North Africa: Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Hussey combines scholarly research with ethnographic accounts and personal-experience stories to depict a violent, unstable post-colonial predicament. Violence and some strong language. 2014
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European history, Journals and memoirs, Politics and government
Human-narrated audio
Longlisted for the 2021 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction A reflection on "freedom" in a dramatic, beautifully written memoir of…
the end of Communism in the Balkans. Lea Ypi grew up in the last Stalinist country in Europe: Albania, a place of queuing and scarcity, of political executions and secret police. While family members disappeared to what she was told were "universities" from which few "graduated," she swore loyalty to the Party. In her eyes, people were equal, neighbors helped each other, and children were expected to build a better world. Then the statues of Stalin and Hoxha were toppled. Almost overnight, people could vote and worship freely, and invest in hopes of striking it rich. But factories shut, jobs disappeared, and thousands fled to Italy, only to be sent back. Pyramid schemes bankrupted the country, leading to violence. One generation's dreams became another's disillusionment. As her own family's secrets were revealed, Ypi found herself questioning what "freedom" really means. With acute insight and wit, Ypi traces the perils of ideology, and what people need to flourish
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Politics and government biography, European history, Women biography
Human-narrated audio
A New York Times Notable Book The definitive biography of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, detailing the remarkable rise and political…
brilliance of the most powerful—and elusive—woman in the world. The Chancellor is at once a riveting political biography and an intimate human story of a complete outsider—a research chemist and pastor's daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany—who rose to become the unofficial leader of the West. Acclaimed biographer Kati Marton set out to pierce the mystery of how Angela Merkel achieved all this. And she found the answer in Merkel's political genius: in her willingness to talk with adversaries rather than over them, her skill at negotiating without ever compromising on what's most important to her, her canniness in appointing political rivals to her cabinet and exacting their policies so they have no platform to run against her, the humility to allow others to take credit for things done in tandem, the wisdom to stay out of the papers and off Twitter, and the vision to take advantage of crises to enact bold change. Famously private, the Angela Merkel who emerges in The Chancellor is a role model for anyone interested in gaining and keeping power while holding onto one's moral convictions—and for anyone looking to understand how to successfully bridge huge divisions within society. No modern leader has so ably confronted Russian aggression, provided homes to over a million refugees, and calmly unified Europe at a time when other countries are becoming more divided. But Marton also describes Merkel's many challenges, such as her complicated relationship with President Obama, who she at one point refused to speak to. This captivating portrait shows a woman who has survived extraordinary challenges to transform her own country and return it to the global stage. Timely and revelatory, this great morality tale shows the difference an exceptional leader can make for the greater good of a country and the world
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Business and economics, History, General non-fiction, Arts and entertainment, European history, Criticism
Human-narrated audio
Chronicles the first one hundred fifty years of the printed word. Details the origins and evolution of print, culminating in…
Gutenberg's innovation and its momentous consequences for humankind. Examines the religious, economic, and cultural concerns that influenced the production of books. 2010
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Historical biography, World War II, European history
Human-narrated audio
The true story of the extraordinary life and brutal death of Mildred Harnack, the American leader of one of the…
largest underground resistance groups in Germany, who was executed on Hitler's direct order—uncovered by her great-great-niece in this riveting, deeply researched account. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Mildred Harnack was twenty-six when she enrolled in a PhD program in Germany and witnessed the meteoric rise of the Nazi party. In 1932, she began holding secret meetings in her apartment—a small band of political activists that by 1940 had grown into the largest underground resistance group in Berlin. She recruited working-class Germans into the resistance, helped Jews escape, plotted acts of sabotage, and collaborated in writing leaflets that denounced Hitler's regime and called for revolution. Her coconspirators circulated through Berlin under the cover of night, slipping the leaflets into mailboxes, public restrooms, phone booths. When the first shots of the Second World War were fired she became a spy, couriering top-secret intelligence to the Allies. On the eve of her escape to Sweden, she was ambushed by the Gestapo. At a Nazi military court, a panel of five judges sentenced her to six years at a prison camp, but Hitler overruled the decision and ordered her execution. On February 16, 1943, she was strapped to a guillotine and beheaded.Historians identify Mildred Harnack as the only American in the leadership of the German resistance, yet her remarkable story has remained almost unknown until now.Fusing elements of biography, political thriller, and scholarly detective story, Harnack's great-great-niece Rebecca Donner brilliantly interweaves letters, diary entries, notes smuggled out of a Berlin prison, testimony of survivors, and a trove of declassified intelligence documents into a powerful, enthralling story, reconstructing the moral courage of an enigmatic woman nearly erased by history
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European history, Women biography, History
Human-narrated audio
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Chosen as a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by NPR , the New York Public…
Library, Amazon, the Seattle Times , the Washington Independent Review of Books , PopSugar , the Minneapolis Star Tribune , BookBrowse, the Spectator , and the Times of London Winner of the Plutarch Award for Best Biography &“E xcellent…This book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down .&” — The New York Times Book Review "A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people — and a little resistance." - NPR "A meticiulous history that reads like a thriller." - Ben Macintyre A never-before-told story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of World War II, from the author of Clementine. In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and—despite her prosthetic leg—helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. Virginia established vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day. Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall—an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war
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Biography, History, European history, Politics and government, Arts and entertainment
Human-narrated audio
Portrays three major figures of Renaissance Italy and explains the lasting influence of their interaction during a 1502 journey recorded…
by Machiavelli and da Vinci. Discusses the precariousness of life in that era of intrigue, fragile alliances, and religious politics. 2009
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Religion, Religious biography, Politics and government biography, European history
Human-narrated audio
German pastor and theologian's correspondence with his family and close friend (the book's editor Eberhard Bethge) during his incarceration by…
the Nazis from 1943 until his execution in 1945. Letters cover both personal and religious subjects revealing how closely Bonhoeffer's beliefs were interwoven into his life. Translated from German. 1971
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Science and technology, Science and medicine biography, European history
Human-narrated audio
Author examines science during the mid-seventeenth century and the group of individuals who created the Royal Society. Discusses Newton's theory…
of gravity, the debate over whether Newton or Leibniz invented calculus first, and other pivotal moments. Explores the importance of religion to scientific thinkers of that era. 2011
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Politics and government biography, Bestsellers (Non-fiction), History, European history, Royalty biography
Human-narrated audio
Biography of the minor German princess who was brought to Russia by Empress Elizabeth and became Catherine the Great (1729-1796).…
Details her marriage to Peter III and ascendance to the throne. Highlights Catherine's modernization and expansion of the country amid court intrigue and wars. Bestseller. 2011
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Bestsellers (Non-fiction), Biography, History, European history, Science and technology, Philosophy
Human-narrated audio
Harvard humanities professor, author of Will in the World (DB 59294), reconstructs the life of Poggio Bracciolini, a Renaissance book…
hunter who rediscovered the lost poem On the Nature of Things (DB 37721) by Lucretius. Emphasizes the importance of Bracciolini's find and its impact on Western culture. Nat 'l Bk Award, Pulitzer. Bestseller. 2011
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Adventure and exploration, Travel and geography, European history, Criticism
Human-narrated audio
Author retraces the travels of English adventurer Sir John Mandeville, who left for the Holy Land in 1322 and returned…
in 1356 with tales of countries throughout Asia that he claimed to have visited. Discusses the influence Mandeville had on explorers and writers in his day. 1996
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Biography, History, Judaism, European history, War, Poetry
Human-narrated audio
Inspired by her mother Jutta's poesiealbum--an album of poems written by friends--and Jutta's diary, Levy presents a blank-verse recollection of…
the rapidly increased danger for Jews in Nazi Germany, which culminated in Jutta's family moving to the United States before World War II. For grades 5-8. 2010
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Science and technology, History, Science and medicine biography, European history
Human-narrated audio
Fulbright scholar examines the origins of the Philosophical Breakfast Club, a group of four Cambridge University students--William Whewell, Charles Babbage,…
John Herschel, and Richard Jones--who from 1812 to 1813 met Sunday mornings to discuss science. Discusses the men's efforts to professionalize their field. 2011
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Bestsellers (Non-fiction), Biography, History, European history, United States history, General non-fiction, Criticism, Politics and government, Arts and entertainment, Medicine
Human-narrated audio
Portrays the many Americans who were attracted to Paris--considered the cultural center of the western world--between 1830 and the early…
1900s. Discusses the influence of the French intellectual community on the pioneering medical students, artists, politicians, and writers and on U.S. history. Bestseller. 2011
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Bestsellers (Non-fiction), History, European history, World War II, Politics and government biography, Historical biography, General non-fiction
Human-narrated audio
Follows the lives of U.S. ambassador William E. Dodd and his family, who moved to Berlin, Germany, in 1933. Discusses…
their attitudes toward the Nazi Party, obliviousness to Hitler's true character, and naive reactions to the persecution of Jews and Americans and the enforcement of stringent laws. Bestseller. 2011
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War, History, World War II, European history, Espionage
Human-narrated audio
Framed by an account of housewife and mother Greta Kuckhoff, this chronicle of resistance to the Nazis by a group…
of artists, intellectuals, and German government workers in Berlin details the actions and risks these ordinary citizens took to protest anti-Semitism--and relates the consequences. 2009
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War, History, European history
Human-narrated audio
British historian chronicles the seventeenth-century English civil war between King Charles's Royalist Cavaliers and Oliver Cromwell's Roundhead Parliamentarians. Details the…
pillaging of towns and castles by both sides and the carnage on the battlefields that ends in Charles's beheading in 1649. 1993