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Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House
by Alyssa Mastromonaco Lauren OylerNow a New York Times bestseller! If your funny older sister were the former deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama, her behind-the-scenes political memoir would look something like this...Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for Barack Obama for almost a decade, and long before his run for president. From the then-senator's early days in Congress to his years in the Oval Office, she made Hope and Change happen through blood, sweat, tears, and lots of briefing binders.But for every historic occasion-meeting the queen at Buckingham Palace, bursting in on secret climate talks, or nailing a campaign speech in a hailstorm-there were dozens of less-than-perfect moments when it was up to Alyssa to save the day. Like the time she learned the hard way that there aren't nearly enough bathrooms at the Vatican.Full of hilarious, never-before-told stories, WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? is an intimate portrait of a president, a book about how to get stuff done, and the story of how one woman challenged, again and again, what a "White House official" is supposed to look like. Here Alyssa shares the strategies that made her successful in politics and beyond, including the importance of confidence, the value of not being a jerk, and why ultimately everything comes down to hard work (and always carrying a spare tampon).Told in a smart, original voice and topped off with a couple of really good cat stories, WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? is a promising debut from a savvy political star.
Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?
by Alyssa Mastromonaco Lauren Oyler<P>Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for Barack Obama long before he began his campaign for president. In this book, Alyssa shares the strategies that made her successful in politics and the White House - including the importance of confidence, the value of not being a jerk, and why ultimately everything comes down to hard work (and always carrying a spare tampon). <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Cook Up: A Crack Rock Memoir
by D. WatkinsReminiscent of the classic Random Family and The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, but told by the man who lived it, THE COOK UP is a riveting look inside the Baltimore drug trade portrayed in The Wire and an incredible story of redemption. The smartest kid on his block in East Baltimore, D. was certain he would escape the life of drugs, decadence, and violence that had surrounded him since birth. But when his brother Devin is shot-only days after D. receives notice that he's been accepted into Georgetown University-the plans for his life are exploded, and he takes up the mantel of his brother's crack empire. D. succeeds in cultivating the family business, but when he meets a woman unlike any he's known before, his priorities are once more put into question. Equally terrifying and hilarious, inspiring and heartbreaking, D.'s story offers a rare glimpse into the mentality of a person who has escaped many hells.
Bunny Mellon: The Life of an American Style Legend
by Meryl GordonAN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH IN BIOGRAPHIES & MEMOIRSA new biography of Bunny Mellon, the style icon and American aristocrat who designed the White House Rose Garden for her friend JFK and served as a living witness to 20th Century American history, operating in the high-level arenas of politics, diplomacy, art and fashion.Bunny Mellon, who died in 2014 at age 103, was press-shy during her lifetime. With the co-operation of Bunny Mellon's family, author Meryl Gordon received access to thousands of pages of her letters, diaries and appointment calendars and has interviewed more than 175 people to capture the spirit of this talented American original.
Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story
by J. Randy TaraborrelliA Billboard Must-Read Fall 2015 Music Book The first comprehensive biography ever published about America's favorite living pop icon, Beyoncé, from New York Times bestselling biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli. <P><P>Beyoncé Knowles is a woman who began her career at the age of eight performing in pageant shows and talent contests, honing her craft through her teenage years until, at the age of 16, she had her first number one record with Destiny's Child. That hit-making trio launched Beyoncé's successful solo career, catapulting her, as of 2014, to #1 on Forbes annual list of most wealthy celebrities--the same year she made the cover of Time. <P><P>BECOMING BEYONCÉ is not only the story of struggle, sacrifice, and what it takes to make it in the cut-throat record industry, it's the story of the great rewards of such success and the devastating toll it often takes on the human spirit.
A Different Kind of Daughter: The Girl Who Hid from the Taliban in Plain Sight
by Maria Toorpakai Katharine Holstein"Maria Toorpakai is a true inspiration, a pioneer for millions of other women struggling to pave their own paths to autonomy, fulfillment, and genuine personhood." --Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and And the Mountains EchoedMaria Toorpakai hails from Pakistan's violently oppressive northwest tribal region, where the idea of women playing sports is considered haram-un-Islamic-forbidden-and girls rarely leave their homes. But she did, passing as a boy in order to play the sports she loved, thus becoming a lightning rod of freedom in her country's fierce battle over women's rights. A DIFFERENT KIND OF DAUGHTER tell of Maria's harrowing journey to play the sport she knew was her destiny, first living as a boy and roaming the violent back alleys of the frontier city of Peshawar, rising to become the number one female squash player in Pakistan. For Maria, squash was more than liberation-it was salvation. But it was also a death sentence, thrusting her into the national spotlight and the crosshairs of the Taliban, who wanted Maria and her family dead. Maria knew her only chance of survival was to flee the country. Enter Jonathon Power, the first North American to earn the title of top squash player in the world, and the only person to heed Maria's plea for help. Recognizing her determination and talent, Jonathon invited Maria to train and compete internationally in Canada. After years of living on the run from the Taliban, Maria packed up and left the only place she had ever known to move halfway across the globe and pursue her dream. Now Maria is well on the way to becoming a world champion as she continues to be a voice for oppressed women everywhere.
Save Yourself: Essays
by Cameron EspositoFrom rising comedy star Cameron Esposito, a memoir that is "as hilarious and honest as she is on the stage," tackling the big issues explored in her comedy, including gender, sexuality and feminism - and how her Catholic childhood prepared her for a career as an outspoken lesbian comedian in ways the Pope could never have imagined (Abby Wambach).Cameron Esposito wanted to be a priest and ended up a stand-up comic. Now she would like to tell the whole queer as hell story. Her story. Not the sidebar to a straight person's rebirth-she doesn't give a makeover or plan a wedding or get a couple back together. This isn't a queer tragedy. She doesn't die at the end of this book, having finally decided to kiss the girl. It's the sexy, honest, bumpy, and triumphant dyke's tale her younger, wasn't-allowed-to-watch-Ellen self needed to read. Because there was a long time when she thought she wouldn't make it. Not as a comic, but as a human. SAVE YOURSELF is full of funny and insightful recollections about everything from coming out (at a Catholic college where sexual orientation wasn't in the nondiscrimination policy) to how joining the circus can help you become a better comic (so much nudity) to accepting yourself for who you are-even if you're, say, a bowl cut-sporting, bespectacled, gender-nonconforming child with an eye patch (which Cameron was). Packed with heart, humor, and cringeworthy stories anyone who has gone through puberty, fallen in love, started a career, or had period sex in Rome can relate to, Cameron's memoir is for that timid, fenced-in kid in all of us-and the fearless stand-up yearning to break free.
Pen & Palate: Mastering the Art of Adulthood, with Recipes
by Tram Nguyen Lucy MadisonFrom the writers of acclaimed blog Pen & Palate, a humorous coming-of-age (and mastering-the-art-of-home-cooking) memoir of friendship, told through stories, recipes, and beautiful illustrations. Getting through life in your twenties isn't easy--especially if you're broke, awkward, and prone to starting small grease fires in your studio apartment. For best friends Lucy Madison and Tram Nguyen, cooking was an escape from the daily humiliation that is being a twenty-something woman in a big city. PEN & PALATE traces the course of Lucy and Tram's devoted friendship through miserable jobs and tiny apartments, first loves and ill-advised flings, successes and setbacks--always with a shared love of food at the center of the narrative. A modern take on Laurie Colwin's classic Home Cooking, this coming-of-age memoir for the Girls set weaves together comical (mis)adventures and recipes meant to be shared with a best friend and a bottle of wine.
Cheech Is Not My Real Name: ...But Don't Call Me Chong
by Cheech MarinThe long-awaited memoir from a counterculture legend.Cheech Marin came of age at an interesting time in America and became a self-made counterculture legend with his other half, Tommy Chong. This insightful memoir delves into how Cheech dodged the draft, formed one of the most successful comedy duos of all time, became the face of the recreational drug movement with the film Up in Smoke, forged a successful solo career with roles in The Lion King and, more recently, Jane the Virgin, and became the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world.Written in Cheech's uniquely hilarious voice, this memoir will take you to new highs.
True Reagan: What Made Ronald Reagan Great and Why It Matters
by James RosebushWHAT MADE RONALD REAGAN TICK? What was the secret to his greatness, the source of his influence, the key to his character, the strength behind his leadership? And why does it matter to the nation today? Just the mention of his name still evokes deep admiration and affection among Americans of every stripe, on both sides of the aisle. Many have previously sought to capture the essence of this very public figure often called "mysterious and unknowable." But now, as James Rosebush tells Reagan's story from first-hand experience in TRUE REAGAN, we come closer to understanding the heart of this great American. In his roles as the longest-serving Chief of Staff to Nancy Reagan and Deputy Assistant to President Reagan (his point man on philanthropy and public/private partnerships), James Rosebush had unrivaled one-on-one access to Reagan, observing his personality, his decision-making, his guarded nature. Rosebush's revelations are moving and meant to inspire us to look to our 40th President for guidance now as we face the global challenges of a complicated 21st century. Ronald Reagan was first and foremost an intensely private person, although the life he led placed him at the center of people's attention from his earliest years. Small-town boy and college athlete, sportscaster and lifelong sports fan, actor and movie star, union leader and TV spokesman, Democrat and Republican, governor and president: what an incredible and extraordinary path. Rosebush tells how his center core was formed by his mother, who devoted herself to helping others even as the Reagans struggled themselves. The spiritual foundation she instilled in him by teaching him the Bible governed his thoughts, beliefs and actions all his life. In a very real sense, his upbringing destined Reagan to become a global evangelist for American Exceptionalism - but importantly, as Rosebush learned first-hand, that did not mean Reagan thought Americans themselves were superior, as today's pundits and politicians often preach. Rather, Reagan believed that the ideals of America's founding were superior, enabling all Americans to live lives based on high ideals and spiritual principles, and thus achieve unparalleled success. Reagan was uniquely able to lead from true conviction and strength, his confidence stemming from an unshakeable fundamental belief system. Better understanding the essence of this inspiring and principled leader is critical to our future. Journey back with Rosebush through the innumerable examples he recounts from first-hand observation and marvel once again at TRUE REAGAN.
The Engagement Game: Why I Said "I Don't" to Marriage and "I Do" to Me
by Joi-Marie MckenzieJoi-Marie almost has it all; a thriving career, a supportive family, great friends, and an apartment in Manhattan. What she doesn't have is a husband. Ambitious, confident, and successful, Joi-Marie believes she has it all figured out. At 28 years old, she has an enviable job as a producer, covering entertainment in New York City. Her close-knit family is loving and encouraging, and her boyfriend, Adam, is as close to perfect as you can get -- except for the fact that he won't propose. Like most women, Joi-Marie has a checklist of what the perfect life looks like. She has the career, the friends, the apartment, and the lifestyle she has always wanted. But, when the husband she wants doesn't fall into place, she decides to play the game-the engagement game-in order to get Adam to drop down on one knee. After receiving a laundry list of advice on how to secure a proposal--even researching how to cook "engagement chicken"-- Joi-Marie realizes that, in the process of trying to attain her perfect life, she has slowly become a person she doesn't recognize. With this discovery, she must make a decision: pretend to be someone she's not in order to have the life she envisioned...or have the courage to be herself and find her happily ever after in a way she never expected.
River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope
by Marcia Wilkie Naomi JuddNaomi Judd's life as a country music superstar has been nonstop success. But offstage, she has battled incredible adversity. Struggling through a childhood of harsh family secrets, the death of a young sibling, and absent emotional support, Naomi found herself reluctantly married and an expectant mother at age seventeen. Four years later, she was a single mom of two, who survived being beaten and raped, and was abandoned without any financial support and nowhere to turn in Hollywood, CA. Naomi has always been a survivor: She put herself through nursing school to support her young daughters, then took a courageous chance by moving to Nashville to pursue their fantastic dream of careers in country music. Her leap of faith paid off, and Naomi and her daughter Wynonna became The Judds, soon ranking with country music's biggest stars, selling more than 20 million records and winning six Grammys. At the height of the singing duo's popularity, Naomi was given three years to live after being diagnosed with the previously incurable Hepatitis C. Miraculously, she overcame that too and was pronounced completely cured five years later. But Naomi was still to face her most desperate fight yet. After finishing a tour with Wynonna in 2011, she began a three-year battle with Severe Treatment Resistant Depression and anxiety. She suffered through frustrating and dangerous roller-coaster effects with antidepressants and other drugs, often terrifying therapies and, at her absolute lowest points, thoughts of suicide. But Naomi persevered once again. RIVER OF TIME is her poignant message of hope to anyone whose life has been scarred by trauma.
The Secrets of My Life
by Caitlyn Jenner<P>In this remarkable memoir-written during her pivotal first years of becoming her authentic self-Caitlyn Jenner reflects on her past as she looks to her future."Imagine denying your core and soul. Then add to it the most impossible expectations that people have for you because you are the personification of The American Male Athlete." <P>Bruce Jenner, the celebrated Olympic icon and later the patriarch of one of the most famous families in the world, seemed to be living a dream life of success, fame, and prosperity. But the all-American image and million-dollar smile belied a lifelong struggle with gender dysphoria, and it wasn't until the sensational Diane Sawyer interview that the public mask of Bruce Jenner was finally retired, and through the memorable Vanity Fair piece by Buzz Bissinger, that Caitlyn Jenner was introduced to the world and set free to exist on her own terms. Since then, Caitlyn has undertaken an arduous emotional and physical odyssey to achieve the completeness she always felt was missing. <P>In THE SECRETS OF MY LIFE, Caitlyn reflects on the inner conflict she experienced growing up in an era of rigidly defined gender identities, and the cruel irony of being hailed by an entire nation as the ultimate symbol of manhood. She recounts her Olympic triumph, her rise to fame, and relates how her sense of frustration and shame grew with the passing years and the lengths to which she had to go to conceal her true self. Caitlyn in turn uncovers the toll that these personal struggles had on her three marriages and, subsequently, the relationships with her children. She also talks candidly about her life in the public eye as a member of the Kardashian clan, what led to her decision to become Caitlyn, and how she, her family, the transgender community, and the rest of the world has since embraced her new life. <P>Filled with incredibly personal and moving stories of struggle and victory, of anxiety and fear, and, finally, of surrender and acceptance, THE SECRETS OF MY LIFE reveals the real Caitlyn Jenner by tracing her long and eventful journey to becoming herself. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Living with No Excuses: The Remarkable Rebirth of an American Soldier
by Noah GallowayMilitary hero and beloved Dancing with the Stars alum Noah Galloway shares his life story, and how losing his arm and leg in combat forced him to relearn how to live--and live to the fullest.Inspirational, humorous, and thought provoking, Noah Galloway's LIVING WITH NO EXCUSES sheds light on his upbringing in rural Alabama, his military experience, and the battle he faced to overcome losing two limbs during Operation Iraqi Freedom. From reliving the early days of life to his acceptance of his "new normal" after losing his arm and leg in combat, Noah reveals his ambition to succeed against all odds. Noah's gripping story is a shining example that with laughter, and the right amount of perspective, you can tackle anything. Whether it be overcoming injury, conquering the Dancing with the Stars ballroom, or taking the next steps forward in life with his young family - Noah demonstrates how to live life to the fullest, with no excuses.
Good Night, I Love You: A Widow's Awakening from Pain to Purpose
by Jene Ray BarrancoIn the wake of her husband's abrupt and unexpected death, Jené Ray Barranco was suddenly forced to grapple with being a single mother to three grieving teenagers while feeling a deafening silence at the center of her relationship with God. To cope with her intense heartache, she began writing on a daily basis to create purpose from her pain. GOOD NIGHT, I LOVE YOU compiles those thoughts, and explores with raw and honest prose the author's journey as a widow and shares what she has learned about grief, marriage, parenting, faith, living a meaningful life, and utter dependence on God. Here is a book that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.
RX
by Rachel LindsayA graphic memoir about the treatment of mental illness, treating mental illness as a commodity, and the often unavoidable choice between sanity and happiness.In her early twenties in New York City, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Rachel Lindsay takes a job in advertising in order to secure healthcare coverage for her treatment. But work takes a strange turn when she is promoted onto the Pfizer account and suddenly finds herself on the other side of the curtain, developing ads for an antidepressant drug. She is the audience of the work she's been pouring over and it highlights just how unhappy and trapped she feels, stuck in an endless cycle of treatment, insurance and medication. Overwhelmed by the stress of her professional life and the self-scrutiny it inspires, she begins to destabilize and while in the midst of a crushing job search, her mania takes hold. Her altered mindset yields a simple solution: to quit her job and pursue life as an artist, an identity she had abandoned in exchange for medical treatment. When her parents intervene, she finds herself hospitalized against her will, and stripped of the control she felt she had finally reclaimed. Over the course of her two weeks in the ward, she struggles in the midst of doctors, nurses, patients and endless rules to find a path out of the hospital and this cycle of treatment. One where she can live the life she wants, finding freedom and autonomy, without sacrificing her dreams in order to stay well.
Keeping Hope Alive: One Woman--90,000 Lives Changed
by Hawa Abdi Sarah J. RobbinsThe moving memoir of one brave woman who, along with her daughters, has kept 90,000 of her fellow citizens safe, healthy, and educated for over 20 years in Somalia. Dr. Hawa Abdi, "the Mother Teresa of Somalia" and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is the founder of a massive camp for internally displaced people located a few miles from war-torn Mogadishu, Somalia. Since 1991, when the Somali government collapsed, famine struck, and aid groups fled, she has dedicated herself to providing help for people whose lives have been shattered by violence and poverty. She turned her 1300 acres of farmland into a camp that has numbered up to 90,000 displaced people, ignoring the clan lines that have often served to divide the country. She inspired her daughters, Deqo and Amina, to become doctors. Together, they have saved tens of thousands of lives in her hospital, while providing an education to hundreds of displaced children. In 2010, Dr. Abdi was kidnapped by radical insurgents, who also destroyed much of her hospital, simply because she was a woman. She, along with media pressure, convinced the rebels to let her go, and she demanded and received a written apology.Dr. Abdi's story of incomprehensible bravery and perseverance will inspire readers everywhere...
The Light of the World: A Memoir
by Elizabeth Alexander"PULITZER PRIZE IN LETTERS: BIOGRAPHY FINALIST"<P> "NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRLE AWARDS AUTOBIOGRAPHY FINALIST"<P> New York Times Bestseller<P> First Lady Michelle Obama's Favorite Book of 2015<P> A New Yorker, NPR, Boston Globe, Publisher's Weekly, Newsday, Library Journal, People.com, Shelf Awareness, The Root, and St. Louis Dispact Best Book of 2015 Pick<P> New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice<P> An Amazon's Best Book of the Month, April 2015<P> IndieBound Indie Next #1 Pick, May 2015<P> A deeply resonant memoir for anyone who has loved and lost, from acclaimed poet and Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Alexander.<P> In THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, Elizabeth Alexander finds herself at an existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband. Channeling her poetic sensibilities into a rich, lucid price, Alexander tells a love story that is, itself, a story of loss. As she reflects on the beauty of her married life, the trauma resulting from her husband's death, and the solace found in caring for her two teenage sons, Alexander universalizes a very personal quest for meaning and acceptance in the wake of loss.<P> THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD is at once an endlessly compelling memoir and a deeply felt meditation on the blessings of love, family, art, and community. It is also a lyrical celebration of a life well-lived and a paean to the priceless gift of human companionship. For those who have loved and lost, or for anyone who cares what matters most, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD is required reading.
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan: King of the Buccaneers
by Terry BrevertonDiscover the truth about the 17th-century Welsh naval officer who became a hero for the British Empire—and not a bloodthirsty pirate.This is the swashbuckling biography of the naval officer known as the Sword of England, the Welshman Henry Morgan. Over the years, Morgan came to be portrayed as a black-hearted, fierce pirate. This error in terms and in the assessment of Morgan’s character led to the filing of the first libel lawsuit, brought in protest to a book published in 1684 claiming he had been an indentured servant, was a pirate, and was responsible for atrocities. In fact, Morgan was commissioned to aid the British navy in fighting enemies of the crown and was a superb military tactician who led a dozen victorious campaigns against massive odds.In 1655, Spain was the greatest naval and military power on earth, and controlled the sea lanes of Central America and the Caribbean. Henry Morgan’s career as a buccaneer officially began when, at age twenty, he landed in Barbados as part of a force deployed to capture Cuba or Hispaniola (Puerto Rico) for the British. The deployment failed, but the forces did capture Jamaica, which would become Morgan’s adopted home base for the rest of his life. From there, Morgan planned the attacks that would enrich the British throne and usher in the era of British supremacy on the high seas.For his leadership in battle and as lieutenant governor of Jamaica, Admiral Sir Henry Morgan deserves to take his place alongside Sir Francis Drake and the Duke of Wellington in the panoply of history’s greatest heroes.
Anatole's Story
by Polly Broussard MartinA biographical novel following the life of the Cajun religious leader in southern Louisiana and his spiritual journey in the early twentieth century.Anatole&’s Story is a biographical novel about author Polly Broussard Martin&’s father-in-law, Anatole Martin, and his spiritual journey, which transformed the religious landscape of the areas below Houma, Louisiana. Polly Broussard Martin writes with poignancy about Anatole&’s unwavering faith in the Bible and his lifelong devotion to serving God. Anatole&’s life began on April 23rd, 1882, in Bayou Blue, Louisiana, during a time when almost all South Louisianians were devout Catholics. He picked up his father&’s Bible, one given to him by a Confederate soldier, and began to read. This first experience with the Bible led to his lifetime quest for spiritual truth and his dedication to spreading Christ&’s message to his Cajun and Indian neighbors. Without any prior religious instruction, Anatole founded his own church, the Spiritual Church. He often traveled through the marshy, and sometimes dangerous, swamps in only a small pirogue, wanting to leave no one untouched by the gospel. After learning of the Methodist faith, Anatole became a Methodist convert. But in 1930, Anatole decided to enroll in correspondence classes to further his knowledge of the Baptist faith and was ordained a Baptist minister in 1936. His life was spent leading his neighbors into deeper spiritual lives, always looking to his Bible as his mentor. This tenderly crafted novel serves not only as the story of one man&’s extraordinary bond with his Bible, but also as a vital piece of historical literature on South Louisiana. Anatole&’s untiring efforts to spread the gospel to his fellow Cajuns built the solid religious foundation on which South Louisianians now stand. Praise for Anatole&’s Story &“An asset to any Louisiana history collection . . . books on the growth . . . of Protestantism in South Louisiana are lacking.&” —Mary Cosper LeBoeuf, director, Terrebonne Parish Libraries &“The story of Anatole Martin and his work is an invaluable resource for historical research and information of Baptists in South Louisiana.&” —Karon Smith, archivist, Louisiana Baptist Convention
Audubon: An Intimate Life of the American Woodsman
by Stanley Clisby Arthur&“In recreating The American Woodsman, as Audubon so delighted to characterize himself, it is with the hope that I shall let him speak for himself, and set him wandering again in the printed pages as he did, a century and more ago, through the magnolia forests of his beloved Louisiana.&” —Stanley Clisby Arthur, from the Prologue John James Audubon was one of the greatest artists and naturalists of all time. For many years a biographical screen consisting of a heterogeneous combination of fact, fancy, and misrepresentation obscured the real Audubon. Some of the contributions to this shroud were penned by loving but misguided relatives who, through domestic partiality when writing about him, colored his life misleadingly. His own account of himself and his affairs, which was never completed and was generously edited before being given to the public, is manifestly not four-square with fact . . . for Audubon had a romantic imagination which defeats verification. This detailed biography provides an extensive look into the background of a man variously described as a dandy, an unkempt wanderer, and a gifted artist. Above all, it is clear that John James Audubon was a man of many talents, revealed here in his own words.
Big Chief Harrison and the Mardi Gras Indians
by Al KennedyA biography of the life, work, and legacy of a pivotal figure in New Orleans cultural history. Based on more than seventy interviews with the subject and his close friends and family, this biography delves deep into the life of Donald Harrison—a waiter, performer, mentor to musicians, philosopher, devoted family man, and, most notably, the Big Chief of the Guardians of the Flame, a Mardi Gras Indian tribe. The firsthand accounts and anecdotes from those who knew him offer insight into the electrifying existence of a man who enriched the culture of New Orleans, took pride in his African American heritage, and advocated education throughout the city. Beneath a vibrant costume of colorful feathers and intricate beading stood a man of conviction who possessed a great intellect and intense pride. Harrison grew up during the Great Depression and faced discrimination throughout his life but refused to bow down to oppression. Through determination and an insatiable eagerness to learn, he found solace in philosophy, jazz, and art and spiritual meaning in the Mardi Gras Indian tradition. He shared his ideals and discoveries with his family, whom he protected fiercely, until he took his last breath in 1998. Harrison&’s wife, children, and grandchildren continue to carry his legacy by furthering literacy programs for New Orleans&’ youth. From Harrison&’s birth in 1933 to his desire to become a Mardi Gras Indian to the moment he met his beloved wife, author Al Kennedy shares Harrison&’s significant life experiences. He allows Big Chief Donald to take center stage and explain—in his own words—the mysterious world of the Mardi Gras Indians, their customs, and beliefs. Rare personal photographs from family albums depict the Big Chief with his family, parading through the streets on Carnival Day, and performing the timeless rituals of the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans. This well-researched biography presents a side of the Big Chief the public did not see, revealing the rebellious spirit of a man who demanded respect, guarded his family, and guided his tribe with utmost pride. Praise for Big Chief Harrison and the Mardi Gras Indians&“Enormously enjoyable, richly informative, and deeply moving. . . . To meet the Harrisons is to encounter an America you can't help but fall in love with and be inspired by forever, while gaining a glimpse into the powerful and meaningful tradition of the Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans. It's a story of strength, passion, survival, and resistance. It&’s a story for today.&” —Jonathan Demme, Academy Award–winning director&“Building on his impressive knowledge of New Orleans culture, Al Kennedy delivers a masterpiece of artistic biography. The world needs to know about Big Chief Donald Harrison, Sr. Al Kennedy tells his full story in this wonderful book. . . . A powerful read.&” —Robert Farris Thompson, Col. John Trumbull Professor, History of Art; Master of Timothy Dwight College, Yale University; and author, Tango: The Art History of Love, Face of the Gods, and Aesthetic of the Cool
Black Bart Roberts: The Greatest Pirate of Them All
by Terry BrevertonThe story of the last buccaneer of the Golden Age of Piracy—a fascinating figure who was far from the stereotypical swashbuckler. Pirate Black Bart Roberts roamed the Atlantic from age thirteen in 1695 until his death in an ambush by the Royal Navy off Cape Lopez on the Guinea coast in 1722. Those years, coinciding with the Golden Age of Piracy, are chronicled here in excerpts from firsthand accounts and court documents, along with vintage illustrations and maps and the superb historical analysis of Terry Breverton. Though they&’re more famous, pirates Blackbeard and Captain Kidd took only thirty vessels between them, compared to Black Bart&’s more than four hundred. And while today&’s image of a pirate includes a drunken sway within the swashbuckling—and few would argue that many a crew and captain of the era were prodigious drunkards—Black Bart Roberts breaks the mold. Not only was he a Christian who ordered his musicians to play hymns each Sunday, he was also famous among his seagoing contemporaries for his abstention from alcohol. Tall for the time, and dressed head to toe in red silk, Black Bart was a striking figure whom maritime history will not soon forget.
Bob Gibson: I Come for to Sing
by Carole Bender Bob GibsonInspired by a meeting with Pete Seeger, a young Bob Gibson left behind a successful job to collect folk songs. His arrangements, songwriting, and musical innovations took his audiences by storm, lighting the fire that led to the full-blown folk-music revival of the late 1950s. He introduced Joan Baez in 1959, Judy Collins in 1960, and his songs have been recorded by Peter, Paul & Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, The Kingston Trio, and many others. The book follows Bob Gibson through his meteoric rise to fame, his twenty-year struggle with drug addiction, and his never-ending process of reinventing himself to find new expressions for his art. Two years after his life-changing meeting with Pete Seeger, Gibson burst onto the music scene with an unprecedented joy for his music. He not only changed public perception of what folk music was, but he helped introduce a new format for the presentation of music, which became the coffeehouse circuit. His own arrangements of folk music, coupled with his original songs, began the trend of the 1950s and 1960s in which songwriters created their own modern day folk songs, giving expression to that turbulent era. Bob Gibson: I Come For To Sing includes the reminiscences and interviews with many musicians and songwriters including Gordon Lightfoot, Joan Baez, George Carlin, Judy Collins, and Odetta, as well as many others instrumental to the formulation of the folk-music revival of the 1960s.
The Brutality of War
by Gene R. DarkA US Marine Corps Vet offers a gripping firsthand account of fighting on the frontlines of Vietnam in this hard-hitting memoir. In 1968, nineteen-year-old Gene R. Dark joined the Marine Corps. It was the height of the Vietnam War, and Dark was assigned to Fox Company, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines—one of the most decorated companies to be deployed there. A carefree young man when he had entered the service, Dark was soon transformed into a hardened soldier. Dark recounts his experience in the notoriously dangerous Arizona Territory, humping through the swampy jungles, forging a brotherhood with his fellow soldiers, and watching many of those same comrades die in combat. While Dark found solace in surrendering his fate on the battlefield to God, it took him many years to find peace with his experiences. A tribute to every man and woman who has served the United States, this moving account demonstrates the exacting price of war on America and her many fallen, forgotten, and heroic soldiers.