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Herndon Davis
by Craig Leavitt Thomas J. Noel"Herndon Davis, an artist and journalist, dedicated his life to depicting the major landmarks and personalities of Colorado in watercolor, oil, pen, and pencil. Best known for the Face on the Barroom Floor, the portrait of an alluring woman on the floor of the Teller House Hotel barroom in Central City, Colorado, Davis was a prolific artist whose murals, sketches, and portraits can be found all over the state, from the Sage Room of the Oxford Hotel on Seventeenth Street to the Denver Press Club poker room. Despite his numerous contributions, his work was never showcased or exhibited in the traditional manner.In this biography and first-ever collection featuring most of his life's work, authors Craig Leavitt and Thomas J. Noel provide a detailed look into Davis's life and career and include a catalog of almost 200 photographs of his work from Colorado and around the country. They also put his work into the broader context of the time through comparison with such contemporary Colorado artists as Muriel Sibell Wolle, Allen Tupper True, Charles Waldo Love, and Juan Menchaca.Published to coincide with the Denver Public Library's 2016 exhibition--the only public display of Davis's work to date--and bringing deserved attention to this overlooked figure, Herndon Davis: Painting Colorado History, 1901-1962 is an important contribution to Colorado's cultural history.This book and the accompanying exhibit are sponsored by the Western History/Genealogy Department at the Denver Public Library. Publication originated and supported in part by Diane B. Wunnike."
Occupying Aging
by Katherine SchneiderPerhaps you’re one of the forty million Americans over sixty-five or the 76 million Americans called baby boomers who are joining the over sixty-five set at a rate of 8,000 per day. I’m one of you and would love to take you on a ride with me through a full year of occupying aging. I’ve been blind since birth and have had fibromyalgia for over twenty years, so I’ve struggled with disabilities and society’s disabling attitudes long enough to have learned a few tricks of the trade. As you’ll see if you tag along, sometimes they work and sometimes…I’m not sure who first said “if it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger” but I could have that as my motto. The year is full of delightful people and events, as well as tears and laughter. The other major characters in this journal are my Seeing Eye dogs past and present. They’d encourage you to read the book because then at least some good will come of my spending so much time tapping on the keyboard of my talking computer. Welcome to my year of occupying aging. I hope it encourages you in occupying your life at whatever stage in the journey of life you are.
The Girl's Guide to Homelessness
by Brianna KarpBrianna Karp entered the workforce at age ten, supporting her mother and sister throughout her teen years in Southern California. Although her young life was scarred by violence and abuse, Karp stayed focused on her dream of a steady job and a home of her own. By age twenty-two her dream became reality. Karp loved her job as an executive assistant and signed the lease on a tiny cottage near the beach.And then the Great Recession hit. Karp, like millions of others, lost her job. In the six months between the day she was laid off and the day she was forced out onto the street, Karp scrambled for temp work and filed hundreds of job applications, only to find all doors closed. When she inherited a thirty-foot travel trailer after her father's suicide, Karp parked it in a Walmart parking lot and began to blog about her search for work and a way back.
Making Piece
by Beth M. Howard"You will find my story is a lot like pie, a strawberry-rhubarb pie. It's bitter. It's messy. It's got some sweetness, too. Sometimes the ingredients get added in the wrong order, but it has substance, it will warm your insides, and even though it isn't perfect, it still turns out okay in the end."When journalist Beth M. Howard's young husband dies suddenly, she packs up the RV he left behind and hits the American highways. At every stop along the way-whether filming a documentary or handing out free slices on the streets of Los Angeles-Beth uses pie as a way to find purpose. Howard eventually returns to her Iowa roots and creates the perfect synergy between two of America's greatest icons-pie and the American Gothic House, the little farmhouse immortalized in Grant Wood's famous painting, where she now lives and runs the Pitchfork Pie Stand.Making Piece powerfully shows how one courageous woman triumphs over tragedy. This beautifully written memoir is, ultimately, about hope. It's about the journey of healing and recovery, of facing fears, finding meaning in life again, and moving forward with purpose and, eventually, joy. It's about the nourishment of the heart and soul that comes from the simple act of giving to others, like baking a homemade pie and sharing it with someone whose pain is even greater than your own. And it tells of the role of fate, second chances and the strength found in community.
Reluctant Witness: Robert Taylor, Hollywood, and Communism
by Linda MarkowiakReluctant Witness: Robert Taylor, Hollywood, Communism is the exhaustive biography of the life of Golden Era movie star, Robert Taylor. He was called "The Man With The Perfect Profile," and some considered him the most beautiful man to ever grace the movie world. Yet there was more to him, lots more. He was complicated. He saw history--movie history and world history--and he was part of both.
Wild Card
by Susan AmarillasActive in Hollywood from the 1920s through the 1940s, Dudley Murphy was one of the industry's first independent filmmakers. In this biography, independent scholar Delson pays particular attention to Murphy's visually oriented and musically inspired cinematic style, which was looser and more evocative than that of more mainstream directors. The volume is illustrated with b&w movie stills and photographs from the Murphy family collection. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Pearl
by Ruth LanganWhen Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered in Pakistan, many Jews were particularly touched by his last words affirming his Jewish identity. Many were moved to reflect on or analyze their feelings toward their lives as Jews. The saying "two Jews, three opinions" well reflects the Jewish community's broad range of views on any topic. I Am Jewish captures this richness of interpretation and inspires Jewish people of all backgrounds to reflect upon and take pride in their identity. Contributions, ranging from major essays to a paragraph or a sentence, come from adults as well as young people in the form of personal feelings, statements of theology, life stories, and historical reflections. Despite the diversity, common denominators shine through clearly and distinctly.
One Step at a Time
by Caroline AndersonA promising representative cricketer, an accomplished student, ambitious and talented, Claire Anderson at 20 was facing the brightest future, with the best times of her life beckoning. But one night everything abruptly changed. Sexually assaulted by a friend after attending a party, Claire found her wide world narrowing to one of bleak despair, beset by hopelessness, and in the grip of a crippling depression. She was tormented by questions: 'Was it my fault? Why has my attacker not been held accountable? What can I do to escape these memories? 'Five years later, still haunted by these questions and armed with a few packets of pills, she headed to a tranquil spot in search of a single, final answer: suicide. Saved by a phone call, this is the remarkable story of Claire's journey back from that dark place to a point where she could accept the events of her past and, at last, herself. From a life-changing moment on an Outward Bound course, and through the rigours of training towards and completing an Ironman, Claire redefined herself as a strong, capable woman who not only has changed her own life, but who can now impact upon others' lives as well, through sharing her story and through her sponsorship of Outward Bound candidates. Claire's selfless, moving tale charts her course, from sadness to gladness, from despair to triumph. This is the best kind of self-help book: the story of a woman who helped herself back from the brink, one small but rewarding step at a time.
Real Justice: The Story of Steven Truscott (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Bill SwanAt fourteen, Steve Truscott was a typical teenager in rural Ontario in the fifties, mainly concerned about going fishing, playing football, and racing bikes with his friends. One summer evening, his twelve-year-old classmate, Lynne Harper, asked for a lift to the nearby highway on his bicycle and Steve agreed. Unfortunately, that made Steve the last person known to see Lynne alive. His world collapsed around him when he was arrested and then convicted of killing Lynne Harper. The penalty at the time was death by hanging. Although the sentence was changed to life in prison, Steve suffered for years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit. When his case gained national attention, the Supreme Court of Canada reviewed the evidence—and confirmed his conviction. It took over forty years and a determination to prove his innocence for him to finally clear his name. He has since received an apology and compensation for his ordeal. In this book, young readers will discover how an innocent boy was presumed guilty by the justice system, and how in the end, that same justice system, prodded by Truscott and his lawyers, was able to acknowledge the terrible wrong done to him. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of Robert Baltovich (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Jeff MitchellAt twenty-five, Rob Baltovich lost the love of his life, Elizabeth Bain. That was bad enough. Then he was arrested, jailed, sent to trial for murder, convicted, and sent to prison—for life. Throughout his years in prison, Rob maintained that he was innocent, refusing to admit to a crime he didn't commit. The result was he was never granted parole. Finally, his luck began to turn when he hired new lawyers who believed in him. Not only did they get Rob acquitted, they also made a strong case that the real murderer was the infamous serial killer Paul Bernardo. Author Jeff Mitchell tells much of the story in Baltovich's own words. In this book, young readers will discover how this tragic miscarriage of justice happened—and how the legal system can right its own wrongs when lawyers and judges are willing to re-examine a case with fresh eyes. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of Guy Paul Morin (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Cynthia J. FaryonAt twenty-four, Guy Paul Morin was considered a bit strange. He still lived at home, drove his parents' car, kept bees in the backyard, and grew flowers to encourage the hives. He played the saxophone and clarinet in three bands and loved the swing music of the 1940s. In the small Ontario town where he lived, this meant Guy Paul stood out. So when the nine-year-old girl next door went missing, the police were convinced that Morin was responsible for the little girl’s murder. Over the course of eight years, police manipulated witnesses and tampered with evidence to target and convict an innocent man. It took ten years and the just-developed science of DNA testing to finally clear his name. This book tells his story, showing how the justice system not only failed to help an innocent young man, but conspired to convict him. It also shows how a determined group of people dug up the evidence and forced the judicial system to give him the justice he deserved. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of David Milgaard (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Cynthia J. FaryonDavid Milgaard was a troubled kid, and he got into lots of trouble. Unfortunately, that made it easy for the Saskatoon police to brand him as a murderer. At seventeen, David Milgaard was arrested, jailed, and convicted for the rape and murder of a young nursing assistant, Gail Miller. He was sent to adult prison for life. Throughout his twenty-three years in prison, David maintained that he was innocent and refused to admit to the crime, even though it meant he was never granted parole. Finally, through the incredible determination of his mother and new lawyers who believed in him, David was released and proven not guilty. Astonishingly, in hindsight the real murderer was obvious from the start. This is the true story of how bad decisions, tunnel vision, poor representation, and outright lying and coercion by those within the justice system caused a tragic miscarriage of justice. It also shows that wrongs can be righted and amends made. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of Donald Marshall Jr. (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Bill SwanWhen a black teen was murdered in a Sydney, Cape Breton park late one night, his young companion, Donald Marshall Jr., became a prime suspect. Sydney police coached two teens to testify against Donald which helped convict him of a murder he did not commit. He spent 11 years in prison until he finally got a lucky break. Not only was he eventually acquitted of the crime, but a royal commission inquiry into his wrongful conviction found that a non-aboriginal youth would not have been convicted in the first place. Donald became a First Nations activist and later won a landmark court case in favor of native fishing rights. He was often referred to as the "reluctant hero" of the Mi'kmaq community. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Bill SwanRubin Carter was in and out of reformatories and prisons from the age of twelve. At twenty-four, he became a winning professional boxer and was turning his life around. But Carter was also very vocal about racism in the local New Jersey police force. In 1966, local policemen arrested Carter and a friend for a triple murder. The two were convicted and sent to jail for life. Carter spent nearly twenty years in jail, proclaiming his innocence. A teen from Brooklyn, Lesra Martin, heard Carter's story and believed he was innocent. He and a small group of Canadians contacted Carter and began working with Carter's lawyers in New York to get the boxer exonerated. In 1985, a judge released Carter, ruling that Carter's conviction had been based not on evidence, but on racism. Carter moved to Canada in 1985, where until his death in 2014 he worked helping others prove that they had been wrongfully convicted. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of Kyle Unger (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Richard BrignallOn the night of June 23, 1990, teenage friends Kyle Unger and John Beckett made a last-minute decision to attend a music festival near Roseisle, Manitoba. They were loners, not the popular kids at school. But on this night they seemed to finally fit in. They had fun, played games, drank, and hung around bonfires with other people. The next morning, a sixteen-year-old girl was dead. By the next week, Kyle was charged with her murder. Due to insufficient evidence he was let go, but the Mounties were convinced he was the killer. They laid a trap, called the Mr. Big operation, for Kyle. With offers of money, friends, and a new criminal lifestyle, the RCMP got Kyle to confess to the murder. But the confession was false—he had not been the killer. He was convicted and sent to prison. For the next twenty years Kyle fought for his freedom. He was finally acquitted in 2009. This book tells the story of an impressionable but innocent teenager who was wrongfully convicted based on the controversial Mr. Big police tactic. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
Real Justice: The Story of Tammy Marquardt (Lorimer Real Justice)
by Jasmine D'CostaIn 1991, nineteen-year-old Tammy Marquardt gave birth to a baby boy. Two years later he was dead. Tammy was convicted of his murder and sent to prison for life. Her conviction hinged largely on the evidence given by pediatric forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Smith. At the time, Dr. Smith was considered top in his field and his findings went unquestioned. Tammy spent fourteen years in prison for a murder she did not commit. Then, an inquiry found that Dr. Smith was unqualified for his position and he had made serious errors in dozens of cases. Tammy was released on bail in 2009 and eventually acquitted of all charges in 2011. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
P.K. Subban: Fighting Racism to Become a Hockey Superstar and Role Model for Athletes of Colour (Lorimer Recordbooks)
by Catherine RondinaP.K. Subban is a remarkable athlete and role model. Initially drafted in 2007 to the Montreal Canadiens, P.K. now plays for the New Jersey Devils. He's set records and won the Norris Trophy, the highest honor in hockey for a defenseman. Often the center of controversy, he is the pride of many fans and a hero to young athletes of color. His stand against racism relies more on actions to support others than on relating his own experiences. He is known to have made the largest donation to charity by a Canadian athlete in history, and works to build an understanding between at-risk youth and law enforcement across North America. Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group
The Astonishing General: The Life and Legacy of Sir Isaac Brock
by Wesley B. TurnerWinner of the 2011 OHS Donald Grant Creighton Award This book is about Major General Sir Isaac Brock (1769 - October 13, 1812). It tells of his life, his career and legacy, particularly in the Canadas, and of the context within which he lived. One of the most enduring legacies of the War of 1812 on both the United States and Canadian sides was the creation of heroes and heroines. The earliest of those heroic individuals was Isaac Brock who in some ways was the most unlikely of heroes. For one thing, he was admired by his American foes almost as much as by his own people. Even more striking is how a British general whose military role in that two-and-a-half-year war lasted less than five months became the best known hero and one revered far and wide. Wesley B. Turner finds this outcome astonishing and approaches the subject from that point of view.
Writing History: A Professor’s Life
by Michael BlissOne of Canada’s best-known and most-honoured biographers turns to the raw material of his own life in Writing History. A university professor, prolific scholar, public intellectual, and frank critic of the world he has known, Michael Bliss draws on extensive personal diaries to describe a life that has taken him from small-town Ontario in the 1950s to international recognition for his books in Canadian and medical history. His memoir ranges remarkably widely: it encompasses social history, family tragedy, a critical insider’s view of university life, Canadian national politics, and, above all, a rare glimpse into the craftsmanship that goes into the research and writing of history in our time. Whether writing about pigs and millionaires, the discovery of insulin, sleazy Canadian politicians, or the founders of modern medicine and brain surgery, Michael Bliss is noted for the clarity of his prose, the honesty of his opinions, and the breadth of his literary interests.
Revisiting "Our Forest Home": The Immigrant Letters of Frances Stewart
by Jodi Lee AokiFrances Stewart arrived in Upper Canada from Ireland in 1822 with her husband, three children, and two servants. The family settled in Douro Township on the bank of the Otonabee River in 1823. Spanning three-quarters of a century, her letters represent the immigrant experience of one of the first pioneer women in the Peterborough, Ontario, area. Included are transcripts of the extant collection. They chronicle the three stages of Francess life: the years of her childhood in Ireland to her departure for North America; her voyage across the Atlantic and her life in Upper Canada to the time of her husbands death in 1847; and the period of widowhood until her death in 1872. The chapter summaries, annotations, and key passages extracted from letters written by others further the story of Francess nineteenth-century immigrant life. Advance Praise for Revisiting Our Forest Home Presenting the perspective of a cultivated immigrant who refrained from publication, Frances Stewarts articulate letters to her family and friends nicely complement the narratives of her Peterborough neighbours, Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill. Jodi Aokis intelligent approach to the editorial complexities of the Stewart archive has given us a reliable and welcome volume that makes an important contribution to our understanding of womens lives on the Upper-Canadian frontier. Carole Gerson, University Professor, English Department, Simon Fraser University Revisiting Our Forest Home is a welcome addition to the scholarly record of nineteenth-century writing and letters by immigrant gentlewomen to Upper Canada. To have this well-edited and thoughtful record of Stewarts struggles available is a boon to scholars, old and new. With precision and tenderness, Jodi Aoki brings forward these important and culturally revealing letters. In her hands, the original Our Forest Home, initially a project meant only for family members, becomes a valuable and much fuller record of social and family life in early Ontario. Michael Peterman, Professor Emeritus, Trent University, FRSC
Tilted: The Trials of Conrad Black, Second Edition
by Steven SkurkaWith the advent of Conrad Black’s new appeal, Steven Skurka is back to deliver a thorough, in-depth account of the controversial businessman’s legal difficulties. It was the trial that captivated observers on both sides of the Atlantic. Media titan Conrad Black, by turns respected and reviled for decades in Canada and around the world, faced off with U.S. prosecutors on charges of criminal fraud stemming from his activities with Hollinger International. As the only Canadian writer to attend the trials of Conrad Black, lawyer Steven Skurka delivers a thorough, in-depth account of the controversial businessman’s legal difficulties. Skurka offers analysis, insights, and personal anecdotes to present the clearest picture of the trials to date, featuring interviews with key members of the prosecution and defence, as well as a peek into the jury room during final deliberations. In the first edition of Tilted, Skurka showed how the prosecution attempted to "tilt" the trial in its favour, but he also demonstrated how Black unsuccessfully attempted to tilt the trial his way. Black lost his appeal to the Court of Appeals and began serving a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence in Florida. Black’s legal battles moved to the U.S. Supreme Court, followed by a second appeal in Chicago and leading eventually to a dramatic conclusion. Now Skurka brings the reader up to date on all of the recent developments in Conrad Black’s case, including new interviews and behind the scenes strategy.
Simon Girty: Wilderness Warrior
by Edward ButtsDuring the American Revolution and the border conflicts that followed, Simon Girty’s name struck terror into the hearts of U.S. settlers in the Ohio Valley and the territory of Kentucky. Girty (1741-1818) had lived with the Natives most of his life. Scorned by his fellow white frontiersmen as an "Indian lover," Girty became an Indian agent for the British. He accompanied Native raids against Americans, spied deep into enemy territory, and was influential in convincing the tribes to fight for the British. The Americans declared Girty an outlaw. In U.S. history books he is a villain even worse than Benedict Arnold. Yet in Canada, Girty is regarded as a Loyalist hero, and a historic plaque marks the site of his homestead on the Ontario side of the Detroit River. In Native history, Girty stands out as one of the few white men who championed their cause against American expansion. But was he truly the "White Savage" of legend, or a hero whose story was twisted by his foes?
Mary Pickford: Canada’s Silent Siren, America’s Sweetheart
by Peggy Dymond LeaveyMary Pickford’s ambition, passion, innate talent, and savvy business acumen sent her career into the stratosphere and set the blueprint for the modern movie star. Born Gladys Louise Smith in 1892, Pickford was raised in a house on University Avenue in Toronto and began her acting career on the stage. However, her determination led her to the new world of motion pictures, where she not only revolutionized acting method but negotiated her own terms for the highest salary for any actress and complete creative control over her films – unheard of behaviour for a woman of that period. Pickford co-founded United Artists in 1919 with Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin, which turned the existing studio system on its head. The actress’s subsequent marriage to Fairbanks incited a fan frenzy comparable to today’s obsession with couples like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Although Pickford’s star faded with the advent of talking pictures, she was the catalyst for the culture of Hollywood celebrity that enthralls us today.
100 More Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces
by Merna Forster Julie PayetteFollowing the bestselling 100 Canadian Heroines, Merna Forster presents 100 more stories of amazing women who changed our country. In this second installment of the bestselling Canadian Heroines series, author Merna Forster brings together 100 more incredible stories of great characters and wonderful images. Meet famous and forgotten women in fields such as science, sport, politics, war and peace, and arts and entertainment, including the original Degrassi kids, Captain Kool, hockey star Hilda Ranscombe, and the woman dubbed "the atomic mosquito." This book is full of amazing facts and trivia about extraordinary women. You’ll learn about Second World War heroine Joan Fletcher Bamford, who rescued 2,000 Dutch captives from a prison camp in a Sumatran jungle while commanding 70 Japanese soldiers. Hilwie Hamdon was the woman behind the building of Canada’s first mosque, and Frances Gertrude McGill was the crime fighter named the "Sherlock Holmes of Saskatchewan." Read on and discover 100 more Canadian heroines and how they’ve changed our country.
Two Billion Trees and Counting: The Legacy of Edmund Zavitz
by John Bacher Kenneth A. ArmsonShort-listed for the 2012 Speaker’s Book Award Edmund Zavitz (1875–1968) rescued Ontario from the ravages of increasingly more powerful floods, erosion, and deadly fires. Wastelands were talking over many hectares of once-flourishing farmlands and towns. Sites like the Oak Ridges Moraine were well on their way to becoming a dust bowl and all because of extensive deforestation. Zavitz held the positions of chief forester of Ontario, deputy minister of forests, and director of reforestation. His first pilot reforestation project was in 1905, and since then Zavitz has educated the public and politicians about the need to protect Ontario forests. By the mid-1940s, conservation authorities, provincial nurseries, forestry stations, and bylaws protecting trees were in place. Land was being restored. Just a month before his death, the one billionth tree was planted by Premier John Robarts. Some two billion more would follow. As a result of Zavitz’s work, the Niagara Escarpment, once a wasteland, is now a UNESCO World Biosphere. Recognition of the ongoing need to plant trees to protect our future continues as the legacy of Edmund Zavitz.