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The City Is Up for Grabs: How Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Led and Lost a City in Crisis
By Gregory Royal Pratt. 2024
"Gregory Pratt had a rare front-row seat to the passions, problems, peculiarities, hopes, disappointments, shenanigans, and pettiness in the drama…
and farce that was Lori Lightfoot's uneasy tenure on the fifth floor at City Hall. What he delivers on these pages takes us backstage to give us a powerful, incisive portrait of the woman, the details of her mayoralty, and the many players who shared the stage." —Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune reporter and author of A Chicago Tavern Chicago is a world-class city, but it is also a city in crisis. Crime is up, schools have repeatedly shut down due to conflict between City Hall and the powerful teachers' union, and COVID-19 only deepened the entrenched poverty, institutional racism, and endless tug of war between the city's haves and have nots. For four years, the person at the center of this storm was Lori Lightfoot. A groundbreaking figure—the first Black, gay woman to be elected mayor of a major city and only the second female mayor of Chicago—she knew the city was at a critical turning point when she took office in 2019. But the once-in-a-lifetime challenges she ended up facing were beyond anything she or anyone else saw coming. Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Royal Pratt offers the first comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the tumultuous single term of Mayor Lightfoot and the chaos that roiled the city and City Hall as she fought to live up to her promises to change the city's culture of corruption and villainy, reform its long-troubled police department, and make Chicago the safest big city in America. Some of Chicago's problems can be explained by forces greater than the mayor: national polarization, long-standing cultural and racial tensions, our plague years. But some are the result of Lightfoot's poor leadership at City Hall, a story that hasn't been told in full—until now.Sontag: Her Life and Work
By Benjamin Moser. 2019
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZEFinalist for the Lambda Literary AwardFinalist for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for BiographyNamed one of…
the Best Books of the Year by: O Magazine, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Seattle TimesThe definitive portrait of one of the American Century’s most towering intellectuals: her writing and her radical thought, her public activism and her hidden private faceNo writer is as emblematic of the American twentieth century as Susan Sontag. Mythologized and misunderstood, lauded and loathed, a girl from the suburbs who became a proud symbol of cosmopolitanism, Sontag left a legacy of writing on art and politics, feminism and homosexuality, celebrity and style, medicine and drugs, radicalism and Fascism and Freudianism and Communism and Americanism, that forms an indispensable key to modern culture. She was there when the Cuban Revolution began, and when the Berlin Wall came down; in Vietnam under American bombardment, in wartime Israel, in besieged Sarajevo. She was in New York when artists tried to resist the tug of money—and when many gave in. No writer negotiated as many worlds; no serious writer had as many glamorous lovers. Sontag tells these stories and examines the work upon which her reputation was based. It explores the agonizing insecurity behind the formidable public face: the broken relationships, the struggles with her sexuality, that animated—and undermined—her writing. And it shows her attempts to respond to the cruelties and absurdities of a country that had lost its way, and her conviction that fidelity to high culture was an activism of its own. Utilizing hundreds of interviews conducted from Maui to Stockholm and from London to Sarajevo—and featuring nearly one hundred images—Sontag is the first book based on the writer’s restricted archives, and on access to many people who have never before spoken about Sontag, including Annie Leibovitz. It is a definitive portrait—a great American novel in the form of a biography.Fourteen: My year of darkness, and the light that followed
By Shannon Molloy. 2020
Optioned for a major film and adapted to the stage, Fourteen is this generation&’s Holding the Man – a moving coming-of-age…
memoir about a young man&’s search for identity and acceptance in the most unforgiving and hostile of places: high school. This is a story about my fourteenth year of life as a gay kid at an all-boys rugby-mad Catholic school in regional Queensland. It was a year in which I started to discover who I was, and deeply hated what was revealed. It was a year in which I had my first crush and first devastating heartbreak. It was a year of torment, bullying and betrayal – not just at the hands of my peers, but by adults who were meant to protect me. And it was a year that almost ended tragically. I found solace in writing and my budding journalism; in a close-knit group of friends, all growing up too quickly together; and in the fierce protection of family and a mother&’s unconditional love. These were moments of light and hilarity that kept me going. As much as Fourteen is a chronicle of the enormous struggle and adversity I endured, and the shocking consequences of it all, it&’s also a tale of survival. Because I did survive.Longlisted for the 2021 ABIA Biography Book of the Year &‘Teenagers should read this book, parents should read this book. Human beings, above all, should read this book.&’ Rick Morton, bestselling author of One Hundred Years of Dirt &‘I love this book … a beautifully written account of a young man struggling with his sexuality, overcoming shocking abuse and finding his way to pride.&’ Peter FitzSimons, bestselling author &‘Shannon is unflinching in recounting the horror, but he is also funny, empathetic and, above all, full of courage.&’ Bridie Jabour, author of The Way Things Should Be &‘A slice of life as experienced quite recently in the &“lucky country&”.&’ The Hon Michael Kirby, AC CMG &‘Shannon's bitter struggle is painfully recognisable and happening in playgrounds around the world. But he not only triumphs, he relives his past using his best weapon: beautiful words.&’ Australian Women&’s Weekly &‘A stunning memoir about heartbreak and acceptance … a unique, hilarious and bittersweet insight into the heart of a boy, the courage of survival, and the fierce love of a mother.&’ Frances Whiting, Courier Mail &‘Australia hasn&’t changed all that much from what Shannon describes in Fourteen. Marriage equality isn&’t the end; there is still such a long way to go, and books like this are an important part of that journey.&’ FIVE STARS. Good Reading &‘Intensely raw and incredibly moving.&’ OUTinPerth 'A book in which many will undoubtably see themselves and take solace' The AgeThe Wonderful World of Ladybird Books for Grown-Ups (Ladybirds for Grown-Ups)
By Jason Hazeley, Joel Morris. 2018
'After the success of their ingenious idea of matching pictures from Ladybird's archive with prose that mocks the mores of…
modern life, they are bowing out with a bang with this compendium' - Sunday TelegraphFrom the people who gave you classics such as The Ladybird Book of The Hangover and The Ladybird Book of The Mid-Life Crisis, they bring you this collection of what could have been. Imagine a world where there aren't just the thirty-two Ladybird Books for Grown-Ups you've seen in your local bookshop or downstairs toilet but hundreds and hundreds more...In this coffee-table book you don't have to, with never before seen covers, excerpts and paraphernalia from the archives, colourfully presented and helpfully divided into the following chapters:- Fun & Games- Adventure - The World Around Us- At Work- At Home- Coping - Not Coping- Giving Up'I do not hasten to say that these books are the new Da Vinci Code.' Aisling Bea'These books are small masterpieces. They make me glad I learned to read.' David Quantick'HILARIOUS. Beserkly brilliant.' Mel GiedroycIf there's one thing that everyone has an opinion about it's how to bring up a child - especially your…
child. Kate Konopicky found herself an embattled mother, knowing that however hard she worked everything was wrong. If she went back to full-time employment she was neglecting her child. If she stayed at home the child would be clingy and shy. So, she became a combination of teacher, nurse, nutritionist, psychologist, entertainer and mind reader. She didn't get weekends off and never phoned in sick when she wanted a lie-in. The boss was illogical, demanding, incapable of undertaking the simplest task. Yes, we've all had jobs like that but at least we got paid for them. Kate Konopicky is an anarchic voice in the face of regimented parenting books. With brilliant humour, she'll make you believe you're not a failure when your fairy cakes don't rise, and you'll slowly come to realise that you may not be perfect but that you are doing your best.'A wildly irreverent look at the parenting game. This riotous look back over her first five years of motherhood will come as a relief to imperfect parents everywhere - in other words, to all parents.' You Magazine'A wonderfully useful book, told with wit and wisdom' - Adam Kay, best-selling author of THIS IS GOING TO HURT"Get…
up or you'll miss the best part of the day!" "You treat this place like a hotel." "Can you just put that phone down for one minute?!"After years of reliable performance, has something recently gone wrong with your parents? Do you find yourself stressed out, arguing about the most ridiculous things? Is it like you're processing the same world with entirely different brains?Do you and your parents want to fix things?There are hundreds of books for them about how to deal with you.Now, for the first time, doctor of brains and international bestselling author, Dean Burnett has written a book for YOU to understand just what on earth is going on. Like, just WHY are your parents:- Obsessed with tidiness- Not letting you get enough sleep- Just generally not getting anything that's important to you! But don't worry. These are very normal parent malfunctions, and by understanding the science behind where they're coming from, you'll know exactly how to troubleshoot conflict when it occurs (and even fix it before it does).You'll never be able to remove arguments completely. But imagine what you'd be capable of if you weren't wasting all that time and energy arguing about tidying your room.Why Did No One Tell Me?: How to Protect Heal and Nurture Your Body Through Motherhood
By Emma Brockwell. 2021
***WINNER OF THE ACTIVE PREGNANCY FOUNDATION AWARDS 2023 'PRODUCT OF THE YEAR’***A reassuring, no-nonsense guide to caring for your body…
before, during and after giving birth. For too long, women have been told that debilitating conditions following pregnancy are normal, to be expected, and something to just put up with. Emma Brockwell is on a mission to change this. Having been through two difficult pregnancies herself, Emma combines her expertise as a specialist women’s health physiotherapist with personal experience to create a warm, honest, informative and essential handbook to help pregnant women and new mums take control and care for their changing bodies. Find out how to:-Protect your pelvic floor-Heal effectively from birth – both vaginal deliveries and caesarean sections-Tackle common - and TREATABLE - post-birth problems-Exercise safely after birthEvery woman has the right to be informed and this empowering guide gives you all the tools you need to look after your amazing body throughout motherhood.'Brilliant' Kate Silverton, author of There's No Such Thing As Naughty'An absolute game-changer' Sarah Turner, aka The Unmumsy Mum'Fantastic' Jake…
Humphrey, author of High Performance_Your behaviour is the only behaviour over which you have absolute control. To change your children's behaviour, you first need to change your own.The culture of any home is determined by the parents. If you can remain unflappably calm in the face of every supermarket tantrum and sarcastic eye-roll, order will soon follow.Here, Paul Dix - Britain's leading children's behaviour expert - reveals how to build a culture of calm consistency into your home, starting today. He explains how you really can maintain a sense of Zen-like serenity in the face of even the most chaotic behaviour, from school-gate screaming matches to mealtime childmageddon. And he offers a set of simple strategies for coolly getting the behaviour you want - without a barked instruction, deranged punishment or cold, hard cash-bribe in sight.His tried-and-tested method will change what your child does by first changing what you do. You will never need to raise your voice again.The Virgin Book of Baby Names
By Emily Wood. 2009
The Virgin Book of Baby Names takes as its starting point the fact that choosing a name for your baby…
should be fun. Rather than a dry list of every name under the sun, Emily Wood has organised names into interesting themed categories - from literature to pop music, biblical to astrological names, celebrity baby names to names to avoid! With names for every day of the year, as well as a comprehensive A-Z of girls' and boys' names, The Virgin Book of Baby Names is an enjoyable alternative to the traditional baby names book.Vintage Book Of Fathers
By L Guinness, Louise Guinness. 1933
Ideal fathers, cruel fathers, puffed-up-with-pride fathers, horribly and humanly flawed fathers: this wonderful anthology contains a whole range of experience…
from the amazed joy of new fatherhood, to the pains of bereavement, from the comic and eccentric Papa to the sinister and silent Dad. Louise Guinness has collected irresistible extracts spanning nearly three thousand years, from Homer and the Bible to present day, from Chaucer to Beatrix Potter, Rabelais to Seamus Heaney.What To Expect When You're Breast-feeding... And What If You Can't?
By Clare Byam-Cook. 2001
While some mothers take to breast-feeding like a duck to water, others just can't seem to get the hang of…
it. Clare Byam-Cook agrees that breast is best but she stresses that the most important thing is that your baby is fed - whether by the breast or bottle - and you, the mother, should feel comfortable with whatever you choose to do. This comprehensive guide contains all the latest information on breast-feeding your baby successfully, including: - how to prepare for breast-feeding- what to expect in the early stages - how to overcome common problems, such as sore nipples and mastitisAnd if you can't... the first rule is you shouldn't feel a failure. Clare Byam-Cook recognises there are certain circumstances where bottle feeding is an advisable alternative. Rather than making you feel guilty if you prefer, or have to, bottle feed, she is wholly supportive and sympathetic, providing you with all the practical advice and information you need.As would-be parents cycle through the adoption process, they balance anxiety and fear with the life-altering decision of adoption. The…
emotional toll of this dance can be completely overwhelming and can confuse parents while navigating the decisions of how to expand their families. Drawing on extensive research and the author's own experience of being adopted, What to Expect When You're Adopting... does not gloss over the realities of the adoption process, but rather leads parents through the many stages and emotional aspects involved and offer practical and sensitive advice allowing you to:- Make crucial decisions with confidence- Build a strong foundation for your family- Separate the myths about adopted children from the realities - Discover the key to healthy attachment with your childDr Ian Palmer will also deal with the issues of single-parent adoption, infertility and, unusually, the option of remaining childless.What If...?: Commonsense strategies for kids on worries, upsets and scares
By Mumford , Sally & Mackinnon , Emma, Sally Mumford. 2000
What if ......Your front tooth is knocked out?...You are staying at a friend's house and by mistake you break something?...You…
come home from school and you smell gas?...Your hamster has escaped?...You are bullied at school?...There is a strange man lurking by the playground?Today's world is perceived to be a much more dangerous place than it was twenty or thirty years' ago. Whether it is or not, events can happen in everyday life which can worry, scare or upset a child. What if... aims to provide children with basic, practical, commonsense strategies to deal with life - at school, at home, at a friend's house and out & about.Containing up to 100 different scenarios, What if... is designed to appeal to children as they learn to deal with life independently and is an essential reference for all parents and teachers who want to bring up confident, happy children.What Have I Done?: An honest memoir about surviving postpartum psychosis
By Laura Dockrill. 2020
'Such a raw, honest and important book' Giovanna FletcherLike any new mum, Laura Dockrill felt rather overwhelmed after the birth…
of her son. But a slow recovery, sleep deprivation and anxiety quickly escalated into postpartum psychosis, and she had to spend a fortnight in a psych ward, separated from her family. It was only when Laura began to put her ordeal into words that she began to find herself again, and recovery seemed within reach.This is Laura's raw, honest and life-affirming story of how she made it through one of the most frightening experiences a mother can face. Now, she wants to break down the silence around postnatal mental health, shatter the idealised expectations of perfect motherhood, and show all new struggling parents that they are not alone.'A book to save a whole generation of women' AdeleA pleasure to read...I didn't want to put it down. If anyone is going through a similar experience it will make them feel less alone' Philippa Perry'A humbingly honest and human war report from the front lines of mothering psychosis and recovery; there is no other book like it' Caitlin Moran'An incredibly powerful book' Jessie Ware'This book will give women and their families confidence that the brain and body will heal' Dr Jessica Heron, CEO of Action on Postpartum Psychosis'An amazing read' Fiona Telford, postpartum psychosis survivorWeaning and Coping with Feeding Problems: an easy-to-follow guide
By Naia Edwards. 2012
A new title in the series of beautifully illustrated and easy-to-follow practical guides covering all the essential phases of childcare.The…
different stages of weaning can be confusing, from reading a child's signs to introducing solid foods. And once your child reaches toddlerdom, the trouble doesn't stop - the psychological battles of getting your toddler to eat well can be a daily struggle. This comprehensive illustrated guide offers practical guidance and clear guidelines to help you establish what's suitable at different ages, when and how to feed them, and how to create good feeding habits in your baby and your toddler, making mealtimes a better place.We Need to Talk: A Straight-Talking Guide to Raising Resilient Teens
By Ian Williamson. 2017
'WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW ... If anyone is qualified to give advice on how to manage this tricky time…
for parents, it's Ian' - The Times‘Ian Williamson is a genius … I couldn’t recommend [this]more highly’ HELEN FIELDINGHow do you talk to your teen when their only focusis the screen in front of them?How do you help them to build a core of self-esteem ina world obsessed with appearances?In this empathetic, down to earth and eminently practical guide from oneof the UK’s leading adolescent psychoanalysts, Ian Williamsonwill help you through every possible hurdle in the teenage years.- Covering topics from behaviour and relationshipsto crime and gaming- Featuring top tips and takeaway advice- With realistic solutions that you can put into practice right awayWe Need to Talk is your new go-to-guide to navigating the often trickyadolescent years, with the endgame being what every parent wants: a healthy, happy and resilient child.We Can Do Better Than This: An urgent manifesto for how we can shape a better world for LGBTQ+ people
By Beth Ditto, Owen Jones, Peppermint, Olly Alexander, Wolfgang Tillmans, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah. 2021
How do we shape a better world for LGBTQ+ people? Olly Alexander, Peppermint, Owen Jones, Beth Ditto, Shon Faye and…
more share their stories and visions for the future.'A vital addition to your bookshelf' Stylist, 5 Books for Summer'Captivating... A must-read' Gay Times, Books of the YearIn We Can Do Better Than This, 35 voices - actors, musicians, writers, artists and activists - answer this vital question, at a time when the queer community continues to suffer discrimination and extreme violence. Through deeply moving stories and provocative new arguments on safety and visibility, dating and gender, care and community, they present a powerful manifesto for how - together - we can change lives everywhere.'Powerful, inspiring...urgent' Attitude'Read and be inspired' Peter Tatchell'Illuminating' Paul Mendez, author of Rainbow Milk'Friendly and fierce' Jeremy Atherton Lin, author of Gay BarThe Unmarried Mother
By Sheila Tofield. 2013
Sheila Tofield tells her moving true story about being a single mother in 1950s Britain, in The Unmarried Mother.'A searing,…
honest testimony' Lesley PearseSheila grew up in Rotherham, the daughter of an uncaring mother who made her believe she was useless, stupid and - most painfully of all - unlovable. As a young woman, her worst childhood fears were confirmed when her fiancé broke off their engagement without an explanation. Heartbroken and vulnerable, Sheila was easy prey to the worst type of man - a man who turned his back on her when she told him she was carrying his child. In Fifties Britain, an unmarried, pregnant girl received,not sympathy but censure and contempt. Shunned by most of her family, Sheila ended up in a Church of England home for unmarried mothers, with no apparent alternative than to give up her child for adoption. But when she held her newborn daughter in her arms for the first time, Sheila knew she had to do the unthinkable: bring up her baby on her own in a society that would condemn her for it.Sheila Tofield is a proud grandmother living in Chichester and The Unmarried Mother is her first book. Her touching story was picked up by Penguin when she entered the hugely successful life story competition with Saga Magazine.In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court
By Brittney Griner, Sue Hovey. 2014
Hailed by ESPN as the world’s most famous female basketball player, Brittney Griner, the dunking phenom and national sensation who…
is shattering stereotypes and breaking boundaries, now shares her coming-of-age story, revealing how she found her strength to overcome bullies and to embrace her authentic self.Brittney Griner, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, is a once-in-a-generation player, possessing a combination of size and athleticism never before seen in the women’s game. But “the sport’s most transformative figure” (Sports Illustrated) is equally famous for making headlines off the court, for speaking out on issues of gender, sexuality, body image and self-esteem.At 6’8”, with an 88-inch wingspan and a size 17 shoe (men’s), the Phoenix Mercury star has heard every vicious insult in the book, enduring years of taunting that began in middle school and continues to this day. Through the highs and lows, Griner has learned to remain true to herself, rising above the haters trying to take her down.In her heartfelt memoir, she reflects on painful episodes in her life and describes how she came to celebrate what makes her unique—inspiring lessons she now shares. Filled with all the humor and personality Griner has become known for, In My Skin is more than a glimpse into one of the most original personalities in sports; it’s also a powerful call to readers to be true to themselves, to love who they are on the inside and out.With a 8 pages of photos.The World According to Star Wars
By Cass R. Sunstein. 2016
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER#1 Washington Post Bestseller There’s Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey Mouse, the Bible, and then there’s Star Wars. Nothing quite compares to…
sitting down with a young child and hearing the sound of John Williams’s score as those beloved golden letters fill the screen. In this fun, erudite, and often moving book, Cass R. Sunstein explores the lessons of Star Wars as they relate to childhood, fathers, the Dark Side, rebellion, and redemption. As it turns out, Star Wars also has a lot to teach us about constitutional law, economics, and political uprisings.In rich detail, Sunstein tells the story of the films’ wildly unanticipated success and explores why some things succeed while others fail. Ultimately, Sunstein argues, Star Wars is about freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down. Written with buoyant prose and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines a bright new light on the most beloved story of our time.