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From an internationally recognized physician who combines Eastern and Western medicine, a groundbreaking diet and total body health plan centered…
on digestive balance and metabolic transformation.The complaints that Dr. Suhas hears on a daily basis, from high body weight, low energy, and poor sleep, to headaches, unexplained congestion, and depression, all have a surprising common denominator: a weak digestive “fire.” Drawing on traditional Indian practices and principles, The Hot Belly Diet shows you how to optimize your digestive powers to foster rapid weight loss and vibrant health. At the core of this three-phase diet that makes lunch the most important meal of the day is a dish called khichadi (pronounced kitch-a-de)—a completely nutritious but incredibly easy-to-make meal that helps clear out your “ama,” or the digestive sludge that antagonizes weight loss, provokes hormonal imbalances, and ultimately triggers inflammation—the root cause of virtually all disease. This unique book also explains what foods are incompatible (milk and eggs, for example), why the sensation of hunger is essential, and how to time your meals throughout the day to avoid snacking. The Hot Belly Diet changes your relationship with food to make healthy eating—and living—effortless. Whether you’re suffering from a chronic condition, looking to prevent future illness, or just want to feel your best every day, The Hot Belly Diet will re-establish your body’s natural balance, creating a thinner, healthier, and happier you.Reclaim your health, lose weight, and eat plentifully with more than 125 simple, plant-based, low-fat recipes and a four-week meal…
plan designed to meet you where you are on your path to wellness. &“Delicious, versatile, and approachable plant-based goodness is the name of the game for Kiki Nelson.&” —Carleigh Bodrug, New York Times bestselling author of PlantYou &“A gorgeous cookbook filled with easy, healthy plant-based dishes…I LOVE THIS COOKBOOK!&” —Gina Homolka, New York Times bestselling author of SkinnytasteWhen Kiki Nelson adopted a plant-based, low-fat diet, she lost seventy pounds and reversed her risk for diabetes and heart disease. While a few programs had previously helped her lose some weight, it took going all in on plants to resolve her health issues and maintain her weight loss. In Plantifully Lean, Kiki shares more than 125 wide-ranging, simple recipes and the four-week meal plan that were key to her success. Covering every meal plus snack attacks, Plantifully Lean includes simple recipes such as Mediterranean Pasta Salad, Blueberry Vanilla Pancakes, Warm White Bean and Potato Salad, Roasted Cauliflower with Pesto, Microwave Potato Chips, Shiitake Rice with Bok Choy and Thai Peanut Sauce, French Onion Soup, Sweet Potato Tacos, Mini Oat Bars, and Caramel Apple Streusel. When you&’re eating a plant-based diet this satisfying and delicious, you&’ll feel energized and motivated—never hungry or bored. Originally shared with her online community, this new edition of Plantifully Lean has been redesigned to be even easier to use and expanded with new information, inspiration, and photos. To make a plant-based diet part of your healthy lifestyle, Plantifully Lean includes the following: -Meal prep guidelines and tips -Low-fat, plant-based comfort foods that will cover your cravings -Lists of &“high-volume foods,&” or foods that are both healthy and filling and that are perfect for snacking and swapping into recipes -Charts for balancing your plate with grains and produce -Nutritional information for each recipe Plantifully Lean was written to help anyone find health and well-being, whether they aim to lose weight, stave off diabetes, lower cholesterol, or address elevated blood pressure. Kiki writes with the warmth and vulnerability of someone who&’s been there, and includes inspiration on every page. Plantifully Lean will help you change from the inside out.Life B: Overcoming Double Depression
By Bethanne Patrick. 2023
A bracing and fresh look at a lifelong struggle with depression and mental illnessPlagued by depression her entire life, it…
wasn&’t until her early fifties that writer and book critic Bethanne Patrick, advocating for her own care, received a medical diagnosis that would set her on the path to wellness and stability.Recognizing the intergenerational effects of trauma and mental health struggles, Patrick unearths the stories of her past in order to forge a better future for herself and her two daughters, dismantling the stigmas surrounding mental health challenges that can plague families into silence and resignation. Life B is an intimate portrait we haven&’t yet seen—of a lifelong struggle with depression, of midlife diagnosis and newly found strength. Most important, it&’s a life-affirming blueprint of how to accept and transcend the limitations of mental illness.Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir
By Cyndi Lauper. 2012
Legendary singer, songwriter, actress, and activist Cyndi Lauper offers a personal account of the journey that led her to become…
an international superstar in this “moving story of an American musical original” (Kirkus Reviews).Icon Cyndi Lauper offers a poignant account of the journey that led her to become an international superstar—from her years growing up in Queens, New York, to the making of enduring hits like “Time After Time,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and “True Colors,” to becoming an actress, a mother, an outspoken activist, and maintaining a music career that has lasted more than thirty years. After leaving her childhood home at seventeen, Cyndi took on a series of jobs: racetrack hot walker, IHOP waitress, and, as she puts it, “gal Friday the thirteenth,” as she pursued her passion for music. She worked her way up playing small gigs and broke out in 1983 with She’s So Unusual, which earned her a Grammy for Best New Artist and made her the first female artist in history to have four top-five singles on a debut album. And while global fame wasn’t always what she expected, she has remained focused on what matters most. Cyndi is a gutsy real-life heroine who has never been afraid to speak her mind and stick up for a cause—whether it’s women’s rights, gay rights, or fighting against HIV/AIDS. With her trademark warmth and humor, Cyndi fearlessly writes of a life she’s lived only on her own terms, perfect for fans of Patti Smith’s Just Kids and Billy Idol’s Dancing with Myself.Owner of a Lonely Heart: A Memoir of Motherhood and Absence
By Beth Nguyen. 2023
Named a Best Memoir of 2023 by Oprah Daily • Selected by Time, NPR, and BookPage as a Best Book…
of 2023 &“This book…is what memoir writing in the hands of a caring, curious wunderkind can be.&” —Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy From the award-winning author of Stealing Buddha&’s Dinner, a powerful memoir of a mother-daughter relationship fractured by war and resettlement.At the end of the Vietnam War, when Beth Nguyen was eight months old, she and her family fled Saigon for America. Only Beth&’s mother stayed—or was left—behind, and they did not meet again until Beth was nineteen. Over the course of her adult life, she and her mother have spent less than twenty-four hours together. Owner of a Lonely Heart is &“a portrait of things left unsaid&” (The New York Times), a memoir about parenthood, absence, and the condition of being a refugee: the story of Beth&’s relationship with her mother. Framed by a handful of visits over the course of many years—sometimes brief, sometimes interrupted, some alone with her mother and others with the company of her sister—Beth tells an &“unforgettable&” (People) coming-of-age story that spans her childhood in the Midwest, her first meeting with her mother, and her own experience of parenthood.Atkins: Your Guidebook for Living a Low-Carb and Low-Sugar Lifestyle (Atkins #5)
By Colette Heimowitz. 2017
Enjoy the benefits of a lower-carb lifestyle on your own terms—including a better keto diet: This is Atkins® your way.For…
more than forty years, Atkins has used proven scientific research to help millions achieve weight-loss goals and improve their health by controlling carbohydrate consumption. Dr. Atkins actually introduced the concept of &“ketosis&” to the general public in 1972 in his first book, Dr. Atkins&’ Diet Revolution. With this book, you too can live a low-carb and low-sugar lifestyle that&’s as flexible as it is inspiring. A BETTER KETO DIET AND SO MUCH MORE: This all-new Atkins guidebook focuses on eating right—not less—for painless weight management and better overall health. Choose the program that works for you: Atkins&’ classic approach (Atkins 20®), a better keto diet (Atkins 40®), or small changes that lead to big results (Atkins 100™). 100 DELICIOUS WHOLE-FOOD RECIPES: Not only are the recipes in this book low in carbs and sugar, they contain a healthy balance of proteins and healthy fats, and they are nutrient-dense. MEAL PLANS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS: Six full weeks of meal plans packed with variety, these healthy takes on classic comfort foods offer simple solutions for eating the foods we love in a healthier way. Plus, learn about the Hidden Sugar Effect and how to avoid it, and read real-life tips for creating a low-carb kitchen and for setting achievable goals. You&’ll see how easy it is to eat right—not less—to reach your weight-management goals and achieve optimal health.Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir
By Matthew Perry. 2000
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER The BELOVED STAR OF FRIENDS takes us behind the scenes of the…
hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this “CANDID, DARKLY FUNNY...POIGNANT” memoir (The New York Times) A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK by Time, Associated Press, Goodreads, USA Today, and more!“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty.”So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds
By Sophie A. Osborn. 2024
The story of one woman’s remarkable work with a trio of charismatic, endangered bird species—and her discoveries about the devastating…
threats that imperil them. In Feather Trails, wildlife biologist and birder Sophie A. H. Osborn reveals how the harmful environmental choices we’ve made—including pesticide use, the introduction of invasive species, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction—have decimated Peregrine Falcons, Hawaiian Crows, and California Condors. In the Rocky Mountains, the cloud forests of Hawai’i, and the Grand Canyon, Sophie and her colleagues work day-to-day to try to reintroduce these birds to the wild, even when it seems that the odds are steeply stacked against their survival. With humor and suspense, Feather Trails introduces us to the fascinating behaviors and unique personalities of Sophie’s avian charges and shows that what endangers them ultimately threatens all life on our planet. More than a deeply researched environmental investigation, Feather Trails is also a personal journey and human story, in which Sophie overcomes her own obstacles—among them heat exhaustion, poachers, rattlesnakes, and chauvinism. Ultimately, Feather Trails is an inspiring, poignant narrative about endangered birds and how our choices can help to ensure a future not only for the rarest species, but for us too. "An intimate look at the wonder and effort needed for working with endangered species in the wild. [Osborn's] matter-of-fact writing style and wry humor make the reader part of the action."—Booklist (starred review)Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels
By Kimberly Lord Stewart. 2007
So many labels, so little time—just tell me what to buy!If you—like millions of other Americans—still don't know how to…
read food labels and are frustrated by the hundreds of nutrition and health claims as well as statements like free-range and grassfed, it's time to learn what you're really putting into your body…find out how to select the most healthy foods at the supermarket and still get dinner on the table by 6:00 pm with EATING BETWEEN THE LINESShopping is no longer as simple as deciding what's for dinner. Food labels like "organic," "natural," "low carb," and "fat free!" scream out at you from every aisle at the supermarket. Some claims are certified by authoritative groups such as the FDA and USDA, but much of our country's nutrition information is simply a marketing ploy. If you want to know what food labels really mean—and what they could mean to your health—EATING BETWEEN THE LINES will explain why:--Chickens labeled "free range" may never actually see daylight --Organic seafood may be a misnomer. --The words "hormone-free" on pork, eggs and poultry is meaningless --"Low fat" cookies and "heart-healthy" cereals may contain heart damaging trans-fatty acids …and more. Organized by supermarket section, from the vegetable aisle to the dairy case, EATING BETWEEN THE LINES also features more than seventy actual food labels and detachable shopping lists for your convenience—and to help bring the best food to the table for you and your family.Both a history of fine jewelry coming out of Paris in the Golden Age and a tour through the secretive…
world of high-end, privately-sold jewelry, Diving for Starfish is a stylish detective story with a glittering piece of jewelry at its heart. In the mid 1930s, in the workroom of the famous Parisian jeweler Boivin, a young jewelry designer named Juliette Moutard created one of the most coveted pieces of jewelry in the world—the famous starfish pin—still sought after today by aficionados of fine jewelry. The starfish, created out of gold and encrusted with 71 cabochon rubies and 241 small amethysts, was distinctive because its five rays were articulated, meaning that they could curl and conform to the bustline or shoulder of the women who wore it. The House of Boivin made three of them. Two of the women who bought and wore the starfish were Claudette Colbert and Millicent Rogers. Obsessed with the pin after she saw it in the private showroom of a Manhattan jewelry merchant, Cherie Burns set off on a journey to find out all she could about the elusive pins and the women who owned them. Her search took her around the world to Paris, London, New York, and Hollywood. Diving for Starfish is the story of these marvelous pieces of jewelry and the equally dazzling women who loved them.Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right
By Joel Fuhrman. 2005
Disease-Proof Your Child features easy-to-prepare, kid-friendly recipes that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters, and will help your whole family…
establish life-long healthful eating habits. Harness the power of a nutrient-rich diet to ensure a lifetime free of illness and full of health! In his private practice, Joel Fuhrman, M.D. helps families transform their eating habits and recover their health. His nutrient-rich eating plan can have a significant impact on your child's resistance to dangerous infections, and a dramatic effect on reducing the occurrence of illnesses like asthma, ear infections, and allergies. Dr. Fuhrman explains how you can make sure your children are eating right to maintain a healthy mind and body, and how eating certain foods and avoiding others can positively impact your child's IQ and success in school.He also presents the fascinating science that demonstrates that the current epidemic of adult cancers and other diseases is closely linked to what we eat in the first quarter of life. Eating well in our early years may enable us to win the war on cancer. Bolstered by this scientific evidence, he helps you do everything you can to protect your child against developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, and cancer through a solid nutritional groundwork.Joy Bauer, New York City's hottest nutrition guru, has taken the nation by storm with The 90/10 Weight-Loss Plan. Now,…
Joy reveals the secrets to creating meals that will help you lose weight and keep it off. Following the 90/10 plan--an easy, balanced diet of 90% nutritious food and 10% Fun Food--Cooking with Joy is the perfect book for those looking to create healthy at-home meals. Only Cooking with Joy features:*Over 100 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, AND DESSERT!*Joy's Guide to Navigating the Grocery Store*Kids in the Kitchen--a chapter devoted to kid-friendly meals and snacks.Ziegfeld: The Man Who Invented Show Business
By Ethan Mordden. 2008
Any girl who twists her hat will be fired! – Florenz ZiegfeldAnd no Ziegfeld girl ever did as she made…
her way down the gala stairways of the Ziegfeld Follies in some of the most astonishing spectacles the American theatergoing public ever witnessed. When Florenz Ziegfeld started in theater, it was flea circus, operetta and sideshow all rolled into one. When he left it, the glamorous world of "show-biz" had been created. Though many know him as the man who "glorified the American girl," his first real star attraction was the bodybuilder Eugen Sandow, who flexed his muscles and thrilled the society matrons who came backstage to squeeze his biceps. His lesson learned with Sandow, Ziegfeld went on to present Anna Held, the naughty French sensation, who became the first Mrs. Ziegfeld. He was one of the first impresarios to mix headliners of different ethnic backgrounds, and literally the earliest proponent of mixed-race casting. The stars he showcased and, in some cases, created have become legends: Billie Burke (who also became his wife), elfin Marilyn Miller, cowboy Will Rogers, Bert Williams, W. C. Fields, Eddie Cantor and, last but not least, neighborhood diva Fanny Brice. A man of voracious sexual appetites when it came to beautiful women, Ziegfeld knew what he wanted and what others would want as well. From that passion, the Ziegfeld Girl was born. Elaborately bejeweled, they wore little more than a smile as they glided through eye-popping tableaux that were the highlight of the Follies, presented almost every year from 1907 to 1931. Ziegfeld's reputation and power, however, went beyond the stage of the Follies as he produced a number of other musicals, among them the ground-breaking Show Boat. In Ziegfeld: The Man Who Created Show Business, Ethan Mordden recreates the lost world of the Follies, a place of long-vanished beauty masterminded by one of the most inventive, ruthless, street-smart and exacting men ever to fill a theatre on the Great White Way : Florenz Ziegfeld.But What I Really Want to Do Is Direct: Lessons from a Life Behind the Camera
By Ken Kwapis. 2020
For over three decades, director Ken Kwapis has charted a career full of exceptional movies and television, from seminal shows…
like The Office to beloved films like He’s Just Not That Into You.He is among the most respected directors in show business, but getting there wasn’t easy. He struggled just like everyone else. With each triumph came the occasional faceplant. Using his background and inside knowledge, But What I Really Want To Do is Direct tackles Hollywood myths through Ken’s highly entertaining experiences. It’s a rollercoaster ride fueled by brawls with the top brass, clashes over budgets, and the passion that makes it all worthwhile.This humorous and refreshingly personal memoir is filled with inspiring instruction, behind-the-scenes hilarity, and unabashed joy. It’s a celebration of the director’s craft, and what it takes to succeed in show business on your own terms. "Ken Kwapis always brought out the best in the actors on The Office. Whenever Ken was directing, I always felt safe to go out on a limb and take chances, knowing he had my back. Every aspiring director should read this book. (I can think of several 'professional' directors that should read it too!)" -Jenna Fischer"A vital, magnificent manifesto on the art and craft of directing, written with emotional, instinctual and intellectual depth by one of America's most beloved film and television directors" -Amber Tamblyn"In the years that I was fortunate to work with Ken on Malcolm in the Middle, he had an uncanny ability to guide actors right to the heart of a scene and reveal its truths. He admits that he doesn’t have all the answers, he’ll make mistakes, and at times he’ll struggle, but as he says in the book, 'It’s the struggle to get it right that makes us human.'" -Bryan Cranston"Good luck finding a more kind, passionate, and talented director alive than Ken. Seriously, good luck." -Tig Notaro“'Action!' is what most directors bark out to begin a scene. But Ken Kwapis starts by gently intoning the words 'Go ahead…' That simple suggestion assures everyone they’re in smart, capable, humble hands. That’s how you’ll feel reading this book. And so, if you’re anxious to discover how a top director always brings humor, honesty, and humanity to his work, all I can tell you is…Go ahead." -Larry WilmoreTo millions of fans, All About Eve represents all that's witty and wonderful in classic Hollywood movies. Its old-fashioned, larger-than-life…
stars--including Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, and Celeste Holm--found their best roles in Eve and its sophisticated dialogue has entered the lexicon.But there's much more to know about All About Eve. Sam Staggs has written the definitive account of the making of this fascinating movie and its enormous influence on both film and popular culture. Staggs reveals everything about the movie--from who the famous European actress Margo Channing was based on to the hot-blooded romance on-set between Bette Davis and costar Gary Merrill, from the jump-start the movie gave Marilyn Monroe's career and the capstone it put on director Joseph L. Mankeiwicz's.All About "All About Eve" is not only full of rich detail about the movie, the director, and the stars, but also about the audience who loved it when it came out and adore it to this day.When Blanche Met Brando: The Scandalous Story of A Streetcar Named Desire
By Sam Staggs. 2005
Exhaustively researched and almost flirtatiously opinionated, When Blanche Met Brando is everything a fan needs to know about the ground-breaking…
New York and London stage productions of Williams' "Streetcar" as well as the classic Brando/Leigh film. Sam Staggs' interviews with all the living cast members of each production will enhance what's known about the play and movie, and help make this book satisfying as both a pop culture read and as a deeper piece of thinking about a well-known story. Readers will come away from this book delighted with the juicy behind-the-scenes stories about cast, director, playwright and the various productions and will also renew their curiosity about the connection between the role of Blanche and Viven Leigh's insatiable sexual appetite and later descent into breakdown. They may also-for the first time-question whether the character of Blanche was actually "mad" or whether her anxiousness was symptomatic of another disorder."A Streetcar Named Desire" is one of the most haunting and most-studied modern plays. Staggs' new book will fascinate fans and richen newcomers' understanding of its importance in American theater and movie history.Drinking and Tweeting: And Other Brandi Blunders
By Brandi Glanville, Leslie Bruce. 2013
She&’s the brutally honest breath of fresh air on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, known for her dramatic divorce,…
her barely-there clothing, and her inability to keep her mouth shut. So why should she change now? Brandi Glanville tells all in this hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.Fans have been waiting for Brandi&’s scoop on one of the biggest divorces of the decade, since her husband of eight years abandoned her and their two sons to marry country singer LeAnn Rimes. Not only does Brandi spill the beans about her side of the split, the lovable housewife shares the incredible wild ride that took her from a life in the ghetto to Hollywood&’s most elite circles. For the first time, Brandi talks about how she escaped a rough neighborhood on the outskirts of Sacramento and stumbled into a successful modeling career that swept her into a world of Paris Fashion Weeks, private jets, and uncircumcised penises. Before she knew it, Brandi was the perfect Hollywood trophy wife—at least until her marriage exploded. Today, the refreshingly filter-free housewife and unapologetic mom is the newest full-time cast member of Bravo&’s juggernaut franchise, where she often elicits raised eyebrows and gossip from her costars for her refusal to be the scorned ex-wife, to be bullied, to change her sarcastic sense of humor, or—on most occasions—to wear a bra. Sassy, raunchy, and compulsively readable, Drinking and Tweeting perfectly captures Brandi&’s open-book attitude, as she dishes about everything from her DUI, her cheating ex, her one-night stands, and the secret plastic surgery that made her &“seventeen&” again. You&’re sure to enjoy every page of this funny, upbeat, honest tale. Clear your schedule for an afternoon and grab your favorite cocktail, a comfy seat . . . and maybe a Xanax. But that&’s for later.Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera
By Jena Friedman. 2023
NATIONAL BESTSELLER &“In fact very funny.&” —Cosmopolitan &“[A] hilarious and much-needed book.&” —Samantha Bee, Emmy Award–winning comedian, author, and host…
of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee For fans of the perceptive comedy of Hannah Gadsby, Lindy West, and Sarah Silverman, Academy Award–nominated and acclaimed stand-up comedian Jena Friedman presents a witty and insightful collection of essays on the cultural flashpoints of today.Growing up, Jena Friedman didn&’t care about being likable. And she never wanted to be a comedian, either. A child of the 90s, she wouldn&’t discover her knack for the funny business until research for her college thesis led her to take an improv class in Chicago. That anthropology paper, written on race, class, and gender in the city&’s comedy scene, was, in Jena&’s own words, &“just as funny as it sounds.&” But it did lay the groundwork for a career that has seen her write and produce for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the Late Show with David Letterman, and the Oscar nominated Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Friedman&’s debut collection, Not Funny, takes on the third rails of modern life in Jena&’s bold and subversive style, with essays that explore cancel culture, sexism, work, celebrity worship, and…dead baby jokes. In a moment where women&’s rights are being rolled back, fascism is on the rise, and so many of us could use a breather as we struggle to get by, Jena applies her unique gifts to pull a laugh from things deemed too raw, too precious, and too scary to joke about. She shares her stories of taking on those who told her she was too brash, too edgy, and too &“unlikable&” to make it. She deftly dissects how we get coerced into silence on the issues that matter most, until they&’ve gone too far afield to be turned back around again. And she shares her struggles to make it (-ish) in a world that, more often than not, would rather tune out than listen to a woman confronting the indignities we&’ve been told to bear.The Silver Swan: In Search of Doris Duke
By Sallie Bingham. 2020
"Men who inherit great wealth are respected, but women who do the same are ridiculed. In The Silver Swan, Sallie…
Bingham rescues Doris Duke from this gendered prison and shows us just how brave, rebellious, and creative this unique woman really was, and how her generosity benefits us to this day.” —Gloria Steinem A bold portrait of Doris Duke, the defiant and notorious tobacco heiress who was perhaps the greatest modern woman philanthropistIn The Silver Swan, Sallie Bingham chronicles one of the great underexplored lives of the twentieth century and the very archetype of the modern woman. “Don’t touch that girl, she’ll burn your fingers,” FBI director J. Edgar Hoover once said about Doris Duke, the inheritor of James Buchanan Duke’s billion-dollar tobacco fortune. During her lifetime, she would be blamed for scorching many, including her mother and various ex-lovers. She established her first foundation when she was twenty-one; cultivated friendships with the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Imelda Marcos, and Michael Jackson; flaunted interracial relationships; and adopted a thirty-two year-old woman she believed to be the reincarnation of her deceased daughter. This is also the story of the great houses she inhabited, including the classically proportioned limestone mansion on Fifth Avenue, the sprawling Duke Farms in New Jersey, the Gilded Age mansion Rough Point in Newport, Shangri La in Honolulu, and Falcon’s Lair overlooking Beverly Hills. Even though Duke was the subject of constant scrutiny, little beyond the tabloid accounts of her behavior has been publicly known. In 2012, when eight hundred linear feet of her personal papers were made available, Sallie Bingham set out to probe her identity. She found an alluring woman whose life was forged in the Jazz Age, who was not only an early war correspondent but also an environmentalist, a surfer, a collector of Islamic art, a savvy businesswoman who tripled her father’s fortune, and a major philanthropist with wide-ranging passions from dance to historic preservation to human rights. In The Silver Swan, Bingham is especially interested in dissecting the stereotypes that have defined Duke’s story while also confronting the disturbing questions that cleave to her legacy.Skylark: The Life and Times of Johnny Mercer
By Philip Furia. 2003
Skylark is the story of the tormented but glorious life and career of Johnny Mercer, and the first biography of…
this enormously popular and influential lyricist. Raised in Savannah, Mercer brought a quintessentially southern style to both his life in New York and to his lyrics, which often evoked the landscapes and mood of his youth ("Moon River", "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening"). Mercer also absorbed the music of southern blacks--the lullabies his nurse sang to him as a baby and the spirituals that poured out of Savannah's churches-and that cool smooth lyrical style informed some of his greatest songs, such as "That Old Black Magic".Part of a golden guild whose members included Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, Mercer took Hollywood by storm in the midst of the Great Depression. Putting words to some of the most famous tunes of the time, he wrote one hit after another, from "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" to "Jeepers Creepers" and "Hooray for Hollywood." But it was also in Hollywood that Mercer's dark underside emerged. Sober, he was a kind, generous and at times even noble southern gentleman; when he drank, Mercer tore into friends and strangers alike with vicious abuse. Mercer's wife Ginger, whom he'd bested Bing Crosby to win, suffered the cruelest attacks; Mercer would even improvise cutting lyrics about her at parties.During World War II, Mercer served as Americas's troubadour, turning out such uplifting songs as "My Shining Hour" and "Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive." He also helped create Capitol Records, the first major West Coast recording company, where he discovered many talented singers, including Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole. During this period, he also began an intense affair with Judy Garland, which rekindled time and again for the rest of their lives. Although they never found happiness together, Garland became Mercer's muse and inspired some of his most sensuous and heartbreaking lyrics: "Blues in the Night," "One for My Baby," and "Come Rain or Come Shine."Mercer amassed a catalog of over a thousand songs and during some years had a song in the Top Ten every week of the year--the songwriting equivalent of Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak--but was plagued by a sense of failure and bitterness over the big Broadway hit that seemed forever out of reach.Based on scores of interviews with friends, family and colleagues, and drawing extensively on Johnny Mercer's letters, papers and his unpublished autobiography, Skylark is an important book about one of the great and dramatic characters in 20th century popular music.