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Saxophone Colossus: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins
By Aidan Levy. 2022
**Winner of the American Book Award (2023)** **Longlisted for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award (2023)** The long-awaited first full biography of…
legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins has long been considered an enigma. Known as the &“Saxophone Colossus,&” he is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest jazz improvisers of all time, winning Grammys, the Austrian Cross of Honor, Sweden&’s Polar Music Prize and a National Medal of Arts. A bridge from bebop to the avant-garde, he is a lasting link to the golden age of jazz, pictured in the iconic &“Great Day in Harlem&” portrait. His seven-decade career has been well documented, but the backstage life of the man once called &“the only jazz recluse&” has gone largely untold—until now. Based on more than 200 interviews with Rollins himself, family members, friends, and collaborators, as well as Rollins&’ extensive personal archive, Saxophone Colossus is the comprehensive portrait of this legendary saxophonist and composer, civil rights activist and environmentalist. A child of the Harlem Renaissance, Rollins&’ precocious talent landed him on the bandstand and in the recording studio with Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, or playing opposite Billie Holiday. An icon in his own right, he recorded Tenor Madness, featuring John Coltrane; Way Out West; Freedom Suite, the first civil rights-themed album of the hard bop era; A Night at the Village Vanguard; and the 1956 classic Saxophone Colossus. Yet his meteoric rise to fame was not without its challenges. He served two sentences on Rikers Island and won his battle with heroin addiction. In 1959, Rollins took a two-year sabbatical from recording and performing, practicing up to 16 hours a day on the Williamsburg Bridge. In 1968, he left again to study at an ashram in India. He returned to performing from 1971 until his retirement in 2012. The story of Sonny Rollins—innovative, unpredictable, larger than life—is the story of jazz itself, and Sonny&’s own narrative is as timeless and timely as the art form he represents. Part jazz oral history told in the musicians&’ own words, part chronicle of one man&’s quest for social justice and spiritual enlightenment, this is the definitive biography of one of the most enduring and influential artists in jazz and American history.
Poor Man's Feast: A Love Story of Comfort, Desire, and the Art of Simple Cooking
By Elissa Altman. 2013
&“[A] smart yet tender tale. . . . Sometimes heartbreaking, often hilarious . . . one of the finest food memoirs of recent years.&” —The New…
York Times Book Review For a woman raised by a weight-obsessed mother and a father who rebelled by sneaking his daughter out to lavish meals at such fine dining establishments as Le Pavillon and La Grenouille, food could be a fraught proposition. Not that this stopped Elissa Altman from pursuing a culinary career. Everything Elissa cooked was inspired by the French haute cuisine she once secretly enjoyed with her dad, from the rare game birds she served at extravagant dinner parties held in her tiny New York City apartment to the eight timbale molds she purchased from Dean & Deluca, just so she could make her food tall. All that elegance was called into question when Elissa fell in love with Susan, a small-town woman whose idea of fine dining was a rustic meal served on her best tag sale TV tray. Susan&’s devotion to simple living astounded Elissa, even as it changed the way she thought about food—and the family who taught her everything she understood about it—forever. Based on the James Beard Award–winning blog and filled with twenty-six delicious recipes, Poor Man&’s Feast is one woman&’s achingly honest, often uproarious journey to making peace with food and finding lasting love. &“A brave, generous story about family, food, and finding the way home.&” —Molly Wizenberg, New York Times–bestselling author of A Homemade Life &“Luminous writing.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Reminiscent of Elizabeth David, M. F. K. Fisher, A. J. Liebling . . . reflective of Laurie Colwin and her praise of simple, home-cooked, &‘real&’ food.&” —New York Journal of Books &“A beautiful story.&” —Deborah Madison, James Beard Award–winning author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life
By Alice Wong. 2022
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ONE OF USA TODAY'S MUST-READ BOOKS • This groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into an activist's journey…
to finding and cultivating community and the continued fight for disability justice, from the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project&“Alice Wong provides deep truths in this fun and deceptively easy read about her survival in this hectic and ableist society.&” —Selma Blair, bestselling author of Mean BabyIn Chinese culture, the tiger is deeply revered for its confidence, passion, ambition, and ferocity. That same fighting spirit resides in Alice Wong. Drawing on a collection of original essays, previously published work, conversations, graphics, photos, commissioned art by disabled and Asian American artists, and more, Alice uses her unique talent to share an impressionistic scrapbook of her life as an Asian American disabled activist, community organizer, media maker, and dreamer. From her love of food and pop culture to her unwavering commitment to dismantling systemic ableism, Alice shares her thoughts on creativity, access, power, care, the pandemic, mortality, and the future. As a self-described disabled oracle, Alice traces her origins, tells her story, and creates a space for disabled people to be in conversation with one another and the world. Filled with incisive wit, joy, and rage, Wong&’s Year of the Tiger will galvanize readers with big cat energy.
Texas Ranch Women: Three Centuries of Mettle and Moxie (American Heritage Ser.)
By Carmen Goldthwaite. 2014
The author of Texas Dames shares a new collection of profiles featuring the incredible women who helped build the Lone…
Star State. Texas would not be Texas without the formidable women of its past. Beneath the sunbonnets and Stetsons, the women of the Lone Star State carved out ranches and breathed new life into arid spreads of land. When husbands, sons and fathers fell, bold Texas women were there to take the reins. Throughout the centuries, the women of Texas's ranches defended home and hearth with cannon and shot. They rescued hostages. They nurtured livestock through hard winters and long droughts and drove them up the cattle trails. They built communities and saw to it that faith and education prevailed for their children and their communities. Join author Carmen Goldthwaite in an inspiring survey of fierce Lone Star ladies.
Helen Keller (I Am #3)
By Grace Norwich. 2012
Meet the extraordinary young woman who learned to read, write, and speak—even though she was deaf and blind.I am two…
years old when I become deaf and blind. I live in a world of darkness. I am finally able to read and write with the help of my teacher Annie Sullivan. I am Helen Keller.Learn all about this remarkable young woman whose accomplishments are truly inspiring, with this biography including:illustrations throughouta timelinean introduction to the other people you’ll meet in the book, including Helen’s amazing teacher and the men who fell in love with hermapssidebarsa top ten list of important things to know, and more
Gratitude in Low Voices: A Memoir
By Dawit Gebremichael Habte. 2017
&“A candid, inspiring memoir of cultural and historical importance&” from an Eritrean-Ethiopian War refugee (Michael Bloomberg).Dawit Gebremichael Habte fled his…
homeland of Eritrea as a teenager. In the midst of the ongoing Eritrean-Ethiopian war, Dawit and his sisters crossed illegally into Kenya. Without their parents or documents to help their passage, they experienced the abuse and neglect known by so many refugees around the world. But Dawit refused to give up. He stayed resilient and positive. Journeying to the United States under asylum—and still a boy—Dawit found a new purpose in an unfamiliar land. Against impossible odds, he studied hard and was accepted to Johns Hopkins University, eventually landing a job as a software engineer at Bloomberg. After a few years, with the support of Michael Bloomberg himself, Dawit returned to his homeland to offer business opportunities for other Eritreans. Dawit found a way to help his ancestral land emerge from thirty years of debilitating war.Gratitude in Low Voices is about how one man was marginalized, but how compassion and love never abandoned him. It&’s about learning how to care for family, and how to honor those who help the helpless. This account reminds us that hope is not lost. &“An inspiring memoir by Dawit Gebremichael Habte, who poignantly portrays his childhood in Africa and his struggles as a refugee to the United States . . . This book is a reaffirmation of the good that people can do and how one young man succeeded despite the odds against him.&”—Foreword Reviews
With My Eyes Wide Open: Miracles & Mistakes on My Way Back to KoRn
By Carol Traver, Brian Head Welch. 2016
He left KoRn to help himself. He went back to help others. And along the way, he nearly lost everything.A…
life-changing spiritual awakening freed Brian &“Head&” Welch from a stranglehold of drugs and alcohol and prompted him to leave the highly successful nu-metal band KoRn in 2005. What followed was a decade-long trial by fire, from the perils of fathering a teen lost in depression and self-mutilation to the harsh realities of playing solo and surviving the shattering betrayal of a trusted friend. In this intensely inspiring redemption saga, perhaps most inspiring is Brian&’s radical decision to rejoin KoRn and reconcile with the tribe of people he once considered family in the metal music scene.Brian returned to his musical roots with a clear head and a devoted heart. Though his story is wild, hilarious, and deeply poignant, the message is simple: God will love you into the freedom of being yourself, as long as you keep the relationship going and never, ever quit.
Tears for a Tinker: The True Story of a Gypsy Childhood
By Jess Smith. 2005
More &“heartwarming reminiscences&” of Scottish Traveller life from the author of Jessie&’s Journey and Tales from the Tent (Sunday Post).…
In this book, Jess Smith concludes her riveting autobiographical trilogy, tracing her eventful life with Dave and their three children from their earliest years together. Their adventures and achievements are interspersed with stories of her parents&’ childhoods, her father&’s &“tall tales,&” and the eerie echoes of ghosts and hauntings that she has heard from gypsies and Travellers over many years. This fascinating memoir is full of more unforgettable characters and insight into the Travellers&’ way of life—a tradition that stretches back more than two thousand years and survives in the rich oral tradition of its people.
The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson
By Misty Copeland. 2022
From celebrated ballerina and New York Times bestselling author Misty Copeland, a heartfelt memoir about her friendship with trailblazer Raven…
Wilkinson which captures the importance of mentorship, shared history, and honoring the past to ensure a stronger future.Misty Copeland made history as the first African-American principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. Her talent, passion, and perseverance enabled her to make strides no one had accomplished before. But as she will tell you, achievement never happens in a void. Behind her, supporting her rise was her mentor Raven Wilkinson. Raven had been virtually alone in her quest to breach the all-white ballet world when she fought to be taken seriously as a Black ballerina in the 1950s and 60s. A trailblazer in the world of ballet decades before Misty&’s time, Raven faced overt and casual racism, hostile crowds, and death threats for having the audacity to dance ballet.The Wind at My Back tells the story of two unapologetically Black ballerinas, their friendship, and how they changed each other—and the dance world—forever. Misty Copeland shares her own struggles with racism and exclusion in her pursuit of this dream career and honors the women like Raven who paved the way for her but whose contributions have gone unheralded. She celebrates the connection she made with her mentor, the only teacher who could truly understand the obstacles she faced, beyond the technical or artistic demands.A beautiful and wise memoir of intergenerational friendship and the impressive journeys of two remarkable women, The Wind at My Back captures the importance of mentorship, of shared history, and of respecting the past to ensure a stronger future.
Journalist, activist, popular historian, and public intellectual, Lerone Bennett Jr. left an indelible mark on twentieth-century American history and culture.…
Rooted in his role as senior editor of Ebony magazine, but stretching far beyond the boundaries of the Johnson Publishing headquarters in Chicago, Bennett’s work and activism positioned him as a prominent advocate for Black America and a scholar whose writing reached an unparalleled number of African American readers.This critical biography—the first in-depth study of Bennett’s life—travels with him from his childhood experiences in Jim Crow Mississippi and his time at Morehouse College in Atlanta to his later participation in a dizzying range of Black intellectual and activist endeavors. Drawing extensively on Bennett’s previously inaccessible archival collections at Emory University and Chicago State, as well as interviews with close relatives, colleagues, and confidantes, Our Kind of Historian celebrates his enormous influence within and unique connection to African American communities across more than half a century of struggle.
Let Us Watch Richard Wilbur: A Biographical Study
By Robert Bagg, Mary Bagg. 2017
Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Richard Wilbur (b. 1921) is part of a notable literary cohort, American poets who came to prominence…
in the mid-twentieth century. Wilbur's verse is esteemed for its fluency, wit, and optimism; his ingeniously rhymed translations of French drama by Molière, Racine, and Corneille remain the most often staged in the English-speaking world; his essays possess a scope and acumen equal to the era's best criticism. This biography examines the philosophical and visionary depth of his world-renowned poetry and traces achievements spanning seventy years, from political editorials about World War II to war poems written during his service to his theatrical career, including a contentious collaboration with Leonard Bernstein and Lillian Hellman. Wilbur's life has been mistakenly seen as blessed, lacking the drama of his troubled contemporaries. Let Us Watch Richard Wilbur corrects that view and explores how Wilbur's perceived "normality" both enhanced and limited his achievement. The authors augment the life story with details gleaned from access to his unpublished journals, family archives, candid interviews they conducted with Wilbur and his wife, Charlee, and his correspondence with Robert Lowell, Elizabeth Bishop, John Berryman, John Malcolm Brinnin, James Merrill, and others.
El lobo y el espía: Un padre, un hijo y la CIA
By Scott C. Johnson. 2016
Un hilarante retrato del estilo de vida de un agente de la CIA y su hijo, inmersos en tantos secretos…
que no les queda más que llevar una doble vida. Scott no sabía que su padre era agente de la CIA, aunque llegó un momento en que fueron inevitables las sospechas. Cuando éstas se confirmaron, el hijo se volvió un cómplice que debía guardar el secreto y al que también le tocaba llevar una doble vida. Estas memorias, que se leen como si fuera una novela de espionaje, nos llevan de Nueva Delhi a Bagdad, pasando por Afganistán, Sarajevo, el campo de entrenamiento de la CIA en Virginia y los demás sitios donde la familia tuvo que instalarse siguiendo al padre y sus emplazamientos. El hijo, con los años, se convirtió en periodista de guerra, sin saber que el trabajo más parecido al de los agentes reclutadores es el periodismo de investigación. Estás páginas nos permiten asomarnos a la vida privada de un espía, explorar una compleja relación padre e hijo, mirar desde las trincheras los conflictos que el autor ha cubierto o conocer datos reveladores sobre la presencia de la CIA en México en los días previos a la matanza de Tlatelolco.
Carter G. Woodson in Washington, D.C.: The Father of Black History (American Heritage Ser.)
By Pero Gaglo Dagbovie. 2014
An in-depth look at the iconic African American scholar&’s life in—and his contributions to—our nation&’s capital. The discipline of…
black history has its roots firmly planted at 1538 Ninth Street, Northwest, in Washington, DC. The Victorian row house in &“Black Broadway&” was once the modest office-home of Carter G. Woodson. The home was also the headquarters of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Woodson dedicated his entire life to sustaining the early black history &“mass education movement.&” He contributed immensely not just to African American history but also to American culture. Scholar Pero Gaglo Dagbovie unravels Woodson&’s &“intricate&” personality and traces his relationship to his home, the Shaw neighborhood and the District of Columbia. Includes photos!
Lo que cuenta el caldero
By Leonor Espinosa. 2018
Por primera vez Leonor Espinosa, la chef más destacada de América Latina en la actualidad, publica las crónicas culinarias que…
ha escrito a lo largo de su trayectoria y en los miles de recorridos que ha hecho por Colombia. Lo que cuenta el caldero reúne el legado gastronómico Leonor Espinosa a través de paisajes sonoros y humeantes y sus experiencias en territorios de Colombia en los que la cocina es protagonista. Acompañados de ilustraciones de Elizabeth Builes y recetas cuidadosamente seleccionadas, cada uno de los relatos aquí agrupados transmite los sabores y aromas que marcaron la infancia de la autora y revela las preparaciones que hoy son esenciales en su fogón: el plátano maduro, el suero costeño, el mote de queso y la yuca "sancochá", entre otras.
De su puño y letra
By Carlos Pizarro. 2015
Las conmovedoras y hermosas cartas que Carlos Pizarro envió a su esposay a su hija "En estas cartas entregaré al…
hombre que sobrepasó mil veces misexpectativas, por ser tan solo eso, un hombre, pero uno perseverante enla construcción de sus sueños, un hombre que, enamorado de la libertad,se le rebeló a la misma rebeldía y fue capaz de romper sus propiosesquemas. Ese es el padre que descubrí. #en estas cartas él está vivo ypresente, quien habla es Carlos Pizarro, conocido y recordado por muchosdesde la distancia de los tiempos, quien a pesar de despertar odios osimpatías, pocas personas conocen. Aquí podrán encontrarlo luchando ensu empeño por darle un nuevo sentido a su país, intentando cambiarle elrumbo, enfrentando sus fantasmas y demonios, tratando de interpretar alser humano, de retornarle dignidad al humilde, al desposeído y, en suoficio, mitigar las desdichas del prójimo, sufriendo por losperseguidos, para convertirse finalmente en uno de ellos". María JoséPizarro
A Team of Their Own: How an International Sisterhood Made Olympic History
By Seth Berkman. 2019
A December Stephen Curry Book Club PickOne of ESPN’s 25 Can’t Miss Books of 2019“A feel-good story.”—New York Times Book…
Review“This isn’t simply a sports book. Rather, it’s a book about inspiring and courageous women who just happened to be hockey players.”—Korea TimesThe inspiring, unlikely story of the American, Canadian, South Korean and even North Korean women who joined together to form Korea’s first Olympic ice hockey team.Two weeks before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics, South Korea’s women’s hockey team was forced into a predicament that no president, ambassador or general had been able to resolve in the sixty-five years since the end of the Korean War. Against all odds, the group of young women were able to bring North and South Korea closer than ever before.The team was built for this moment. They had been brought together from across the globe and from a wide variety of backgrounds—concert pianist, actress, high school student, convenience store worker—to make history. Now the special kinship they had developed would guide them through the biggest challenge of their careers. Suddenly thrust into an international spotlight, they showed the powerful meaning of what a unified Korea could resemble.In A Team of Their Own, Seth Berkman goes behind the scenes to tell the story of these young women as they became a team amid immense political pressure and personal turmoil, and ultimately gained worldwide acceptance on a journey that encapsulates the truest meanings of sport and family.
Michelle Obama: In Her Own Words (In Their Own Words)
By Marta Evans and Hannah Masters. 2021
Get inside the head of Michelle Obama: author, lawyer, humanitarian, and the trailblazing first Black woman to serve as the…
First Lady of the United States. This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Michelle Obama’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her legacy as one of America’s most recognizable and influential women. Now, for the first time, you can find Michelle Obama’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place, providing an intimate and direct look into the mind of this beloved first lady.
Jane Fonda: In Her Own Words (In Their Own Words)
By Amanda Gibson and Kelsey Dame. 2022
Get inside the head of Jane Fonda: actress, political activist, environmentalist, philanthropist, and creator of an unlikely fitness empire that…
captivated the country beginning in the 1980s. This collection of quotes has been curated from Jane Fonda’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her legacy and her impact on American popular culture. Fonda began her career in the public eye as a model before taking up acting and bursting onto the scene as a stage actress in New York in the 1950s. She transitioned to film work in the 60s and skyrocketed to global prominence through her performance as the title character in Barbarella (1968). While she continued to headline in major motion pictures through the 70s and into the 80s, she became just as well known for the political activism she pursued in the late 60s and early 70s, most notably in the anti-war movement during the Vietnam era. In an effort to fund some of her activist efforts, she launched a second career in fitness. Fonda built a multi-million dollar aerobics exercise empire, starting with the release of Jane Fonda’s Workout Book (1981), which was a national bestseller, and quickly followed by her popular exercise video, Jane Fonda’s Workout, which was the top-selling VHS tape for a number of years. She went on to film more than 20 other workout videos, which collectively sold more than 17 million copies worldwide. She took a brief hiatus from acting throughout the 90s, during which time she founded several philanthropic organizations, including the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential, the Fonda Family Foundation, and the Jane Fonda Foundation. Her foundations make charitable donations to a number of causes including reproductive services, education, human services, and the environment. Fonda eventually returned to acting in the early 2000s, capturing a new generation of fans through her work in film and on popular television series including The Newsroom and the contemporary Netflix hit series Grace and Frankie. She has continued to do activist work, particularly in opposing the Iraq War and supporting environmental causes. Now, for the first time, you can find Jane Fonda’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.
The Unfinished Odyssey of Robert Kennedy: A Biography
By David Halberstam. 1967
&“Far and away the best book written about Senator Kennedy&” from the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author (The New…
York Times). Structured around the 1968 Democratic presidential campaign, The Unfinished Odyssey of Robert Kennedy offers an in-depth exploration of Robert Kennedy, both as a man and a politician. Kennedy&’s mass appeal to minority groups, his antiwar stance, and his support from Catholics made him unlike any other politician of his stature in the late 1960s. Acclaimed journalist David Halberstam dives into Kennedy&’s career, covering his work as US attorney general and campaign manager for his brother John, his run for a New York state senate seat, and his candidacy in the 1968 Democratic presidential primary. Through this crucial period, he charts Kennedy&’s evolution as one of the nation&’s most clear-headed progressives, ultimately revealing a man who—even now—personifies the shift toward a more equal America. This ebook features an illustrated biography of David Halberstam including rare images from the author&’s estate.
Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm
By Casey Edward Greene, Shelly Henley Kelly. 2000
It had no name and gave no warning, but crept stealthily into the Gulf and then roared ashore, killing six…
thousand people. Nearly one hundred years after its landfall, the hurricane that struck Galveston Island on September 8, 1900, remains the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. In this work witnesses to this deadly disaster describe, in many never-before-published accounts, their encounters with this monstrous storm. <p><p>Casey Edward Greene and Shelly Henley Kelly’s work with these primary sources represents several years of labor in culling the Rosenberg Library in Galveston’s unparalleled collection on the 1900 storm. Some of the survivor accounts included were recorded in the days and months immediately following the disaster; others were put down after many years had passed. Oral history recordings made in the 1960s and 1970s provided further accounts given by survivors as they approached the end of their lives. More than seventy dramatic photographs underscore the catastrophe.