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The Suicide Index: Putting My Father's Death in Order
by Joan WickershamNational Book Award Finalist: &“Wickersham has journeyed into the dark underworld inside her father and herself and emerged with a powerful, gripping story.&” —The Boston Globe One winter morning in 1991, Joan Wickersham&’s father shot himself in the head. The father she loved would never have killed himself, and yet he had. His death made a mystery of his entire life. Who was he? Why did he do it? And what was the impact of his death on the people who loved him? Using an index—the most formal and orderly of structures—Wickersham explores this chaotic and incomprehensible reality. Every bit of family history, every encounter with friends, doctors, and other survivors, exposes another facet of elusive truth. Dark, funny, sad, and gripping, at once a philosophical and a deeply personal exploration, The Suicide Index is, finally, a daughter&’s anguished, loving elegy to her father.
Beat Punks: New York's Underground Culture from the Beat Generation to the Punk Explosion
by Victor BockrisThe &“poet laureate of the New York underground scene&” chronicles three decades of electrifying artistic expression Once dominated by Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, by the 1970s and &’80s, New York City&’s creative scene had given way to a punk rock–era defined by figures like Debbie Harry and Richard Hell. While the aesthetics of these two movements seem different on the surface, author and prolific interviewer Victor Bockris—who witnessed it all—argues that the punks borrowed from the ideology and style of the beats, and that the beats were reenergized by the emergence of punk. In intimate conversation, Bockris&’s close friends—including celebrities from both periods, such as William Burroughs, Andy Warhol, Joey Ramone, and Patti Smith—reveal more about themselves and their art to him than to any other interviewer. Along with dozens of rare photos, Bockris&’s interviews and essays capture the energy of this unique time.
Live Through This: A Mother's Memoir of Runaway Daughters and Reclaimed Love
by Debra GwartneyAn &“achingly beautiful&” memoir about a mother&’s mission to rescue her two teenage daughters from the streets and bring them back home (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). After a miserably failed marriage, Debra Gwartney moves with her four young daughters to Eugene, Oregon, for a new job and what she hopes will be a new life for herself and her family. But the two oldest, fourteen-year-old Amanda and thirteen-year-old Stephanie, blame their mother for what happened, and one day the two run off together—to the streets of their own city, then San Francisco, then nowhere to be found. The harrowing subculture of the American runaway, with its random violence, its dangerous street drugs, and its patchwork of hidden shelters, is captured with brilliant intensity in Live Through This as this panicked mother sets out to find her girls—examining her own mistakes and hoping against hope to bring them home and become a family again, united by forgiveness and love. &“For all the raw power of this true story and the fearless honesty of the voice telling it, what sticks out for me is the literary craft that shapes every sentence. Debra Gwartney has seen clear to the bottom of her experience, purged it of self-righteousness, and emerged with a stunningly humane and humbled awareness of life&’s troubles&” —Phillip Lopate
Where Nothing Sleeps Volume One: The Complete Short Stories and Other Related Works (Where Nothing Sleeps #1)
by Denton WelchThe first volume of Denton Welch&’s complete collected short works English novelist Denton Welch originally trained as a visual artist, and a painterly perspicacity and talent for human observation are evident in his writing. His close attention to detail renders even the most seemingly mundane trivialities memorable and important. Though he died at the young age of thirty-three, Welch was quite prolific, doing most of his writing while bedridden after a bicycling accident that left him seriously injured. He produced three novels, over seventy-five short stories, and a journal that ran over two hundred fifty thousand words long. Included in this volume are autobiographical works inspired by Welch&’s youth in China, such as &“I Can Remember&” and &“The Coffin on the Hill.&” &“I First Began to Write&” is a brief vignette detailing Welch&’s early efforts as an author. These stories, fragments, and poems reveal a writer gifted with superb powers of description.
The Whispering Land: A Zoo In My Luggage, The Whispering Land, And Menagerie Manor (The Zoo Memoirs #2)
by Gerald DurrellNaturalist Gerald Durrell recalls his expedition to South America to find exotic animals in this follow-up to A Zoo in My Luggage. After bringing multiple species of African animals back to the Channel Island of Jersey to populate their new zoo, British naturalist Gerald Durrell and his wife followed their passion for wildlife preservation on a journey to South America. With a team of helpers, they spent eight months on safari searching for exotic specimens. Through windswept Patagonian shores and tropical forests in the Argentine, from ocelots to penguins, fur seals to parrots to pumas, the author who inspired the public television drama The Durrells in Corfu captures the landscape and its inhabitants with his signature charm and humor. Filled with adventure, exploration, and the spirit of conservation, The Whispering Land is a memoir that animal lovers of all ages will enjoy. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Gerald Durrell including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out the Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll
by Fred GoodmanThe story of the notorious rock and roll manager, revealing new, behind-the-scenes details about some of the biggest bands in music history. Allen Klein was like no one the music industry had seen before. Though he became infamous for allegedly causing the Beatles&’ breakup and robbing the Rolling Stones, the truth is both more complex and more fascinating. As the manager of both groups—not to mention Sam Cooke, Pete Townshend, Donovan, The Kinks, and numerous others—he taught young soon-to-be legends how to be businessmen as well as rock stars. While Klein made millions for his clients, he was as merciless with them as he was with anyone, earning himself an outsize reputation for villainy that has gone unchallenged until now. Through unique, unprecedented access to Klein&’s archives, veteran music journalist Fred Goodman tells the full story of how the Beatles broke up, the Stones achieved the greatest commercial success in rock history, and the music business became what it is today. &“Fred Goodman makes this world come alive, and any fan of rock or insider tales of the music industry will be in heaven reading about this fascinating, troubling character.&” —Judd Apatow &“Writing about contracts, percentages and deals can be tedious, but Goodman makes it as exciting as reading about an artist&’s sex life. The book explodes with inside dope.&” —Daily News (New York) &“Succeed[s] both as a compelling work of rock-&’n&’-roll history and as a cautionary business primer.&” —The Wall Street Journal
Cold-Blooded: A True Story of Love, Lies, Greed, and Murder
by Carlton SmithFrom a New York Times–bestselling journalist: The story of the murder of a California attorney at the hands of the lethally cunning wife he never doubted. A wealthy and well-connected legal ace and the proud owner of a champion show horse, Larry McNabney had every reason to love his life. But when he disappeared in September 2001, his wife, Elisa, claimed he joined a cult. When Larry&’s body was found in a shallow grave three months later, Elisa was already gone. In a red convertible Jaguar, her brown hair dyed blond, Mrs. McNabney was speeding toward a new life in Florida—and a brand new identity. Who was Elisa McNabney? Beautiful, seductive, and ruthless, she had thirty-eight aliases and a rap sheet a mile long. Carlton Smith, coauthor of the true crime classic The Search for the Green River Killer, reveals one shocking surprise after another in this harrowing tale of broken vows and deadly betrayal.
Life on the Mississippi: The Authorized Uniform Edition
by Mark TwainA stirring tribute to America&’s mightiest river by one of its greatest authors Before Samuel Clemens became Mark Twain, world-famous satirist and the acclaimed creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, he trained to be a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. In this captivating memoir and travelogue, Twain recounts his apprenticeship under legendary captain Horace Bixby, an exacting mentor who teaches his charge how to navigate the ever-changing waterway. The colorful details of life on the river—from the reversals of fortune suffered by riverboat gamblers to the feuds waged by towns seeking to profit from the steamboat trade—fascinate Twain, and in his hands become the stuff of legend. Years later, as a passenger on a voyage from St. Louis to New Orleans, he vividly describes the stunning changes wrought by the Civil War and the steady advance of the railroads. A valuable piece of history and a revealing look at the origins of a national treasure, Life on the Mississippi is a true classic of American literature. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Dying for Daddy: The True Story of a Family's Worst Nightmare (St Martin's True Crime Library)
by Carlton SmithFrom the bestselling author of The Search for the Green River Killer: The account of the family tragedy that became one of California&’s most shocking murder cases. On a picturesque street in Sacramento County, California, three healthy saplings stand side by side. But what they symbolize are the deaths of three innocent people—two of them children. The man who took their lives, then planted trees in their honor, was their own husband and father. Hearts went out to Jack Barron when his wife, Irene, died mysteriously in her sleep. Soon after, his two young children were also found dead in their beds. Barron claimed they suffered from the same rare genetic disorder as their mother. But when his fifty-two-year-old mother died, also of asphyxiation in her sleep, law enforcement officials finally took action: The fatal pattern was impossible to ignore. Was this &“devoted&” father really a heartless murderer? Did he suffer from a bizarre syndrome known as Munchausen by proxy, whereby a parent kills a child to gain sympathy? With firsthand interviews and exclusive inside information, author Carlton Smith paints a chilling portrait of a man driven to commit the most unspeakable of acts.
John F. Kennedy and PT-109: Guadalcanal Diary, Invasion Diary, And John F. Kennedy And Pt-109
by Richard TregaskisFrom the bestselling author of Guadalcanal Diary: The thrilling true story of the future president&’s astonishing act of heroism during World War II. In the early morning hours of August 2, 1943, US Navy motor torpedo boat PT-109 patrolled the still, black waters of Blackett Strait in the Solomon Islands. Suddenly, the Japanese destroyer Amagiri loomed out of the darkness, bearing directly down on the smaller ship. There was no time to get out of the way—the destroyer crashed into PT-109, slicing the mosquito boat in two and setting the shark-infested waters aflame with burning gasoline. Ten surviving crewmembers and their young skipper clung to the wreckage, their odds of survival growing slimmer by the instant. Lt. John F. Kennedy&’s first command was an unqualified disaster. Yet over the next three days, the privileged son of a Boston multimillionaire displayed extraordinary courage, stamina, and leadership as he risked his life to shepherd his crew to safety and coordinate a daring rescue mission deep in enemy territory. Lieutenant Kennedy earned a Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart, and the story of PT-109 captured the public&’s imagination and helped propel the battle-tested veteran all the way to the White House. Acclaimed war correspondent Richard Tregaskis—who once beat out the future president for a spot on the Harvard University swim team—brings this remarkable chapter in American history to vivid life in John F. Kennedy and PT-109. From the crucial role torpedo boats played in the fight for the Solomon Islands to Kennedy&’s eager return to the front lines at the helm of PT-59, Tregaskis tells the full story of this legendary incident with the same riveting style and meticulous attention to detail he brought to Guadalcanal Diary and Invasion Diary. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Richard Tregaskis including rare images from the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming.
The Coroner Series: America's Most Controversial Medical Examiner Tells All (Coroner)
by Thomas T. Noguchi Joseph DiMonaA New York Times–bestselling author and renowned Los Angeles medical examiner challenges the verdicts in America&’s most controversial celebrity deaths. &“Dr. Thomas T. Noguchi encountered the best and the worst of Los Angeles—movie stars and gangsters, politicians and millionaires. . . . But by the time &‘the coroner to the stars&’ met them, they were on his autopsy table&” (Los Angeles Times). In his New York Times–bestselling autobiography and its fascinating follow-up—now together in a single volume—Dr. Noguchi recounts his stormy career, divulges his innovative techniques, and reveals the full story behind his most intriguing investigations. Coroner: Dr. Noguchi sheds light on his most controversial cases: the suspicious drowning death of Natalie Wood, Marilyn Monroe&’s suicide, the assassination of Robert Kennedy, the circumstances behind the drug-related deaths of Janis Joplin and John Belushi, the murder of Sharon Tate. and more. Coroner at Large: Often called the &“Detective of Death,&” Dr. Noguchi continues to probe the most famous fatalities in recent pop-culture history: the drowning of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, the Hollywood murder of Sal Mineo, the suicide of Freddie Prinze, the slaying of &“Playmate of the Year&” Dorothy Stratten, Elvis Presley&’s final hours, and more. Noguchi&’s forensic acumen also provides new clues to the fates of such historical figures as Gen. George Custer, Napoleon, and Adolf Hitler. In both riveting accounts, Dr. Noguchi documents his own investigations and pioneering work in the field, as the mysteries of death—natural and unnatural—are unraveled by &“one of the greats of modern forensic pathology&” (Barry A. J. Fisher, director of the Los Angeles County sheriff&’s crime lab).
A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson: First Printed In 1682 At Cambridge, Massachusetts, & London, England. Now Reprinted In Facsimile; Whereunto Are Annexed A Map Of Her Removes, Biographical & Historical Notes, And The
by Mary RowlandsonCaptured by hostile natives, a Puritan woman in colonial New England must rely on her faith to survive When Mary Rowlandson awoke on February 10, 1675, the village of Lancaster, Massachusetts, was already on fire. For two hours, Rowlandson&’s family fought to protect their home from marauding Narragansett Indians. Finally, their little house was set ablaze, and the Rowlandsons fled into the open, where Mary and her three children were taken captive. So begins one of the most harrowing and unforgettable captivity narratives in the history of American literature. For eleven weeks, Mary and her surviving children traveled the wilderness with their captors, an arduous ordeal that tested the limits of her faith, and taught her the true meaning of empathy. A thrilling story packed with fascinating details about Native American customs and culture, Mary Rowlandson&’s account was an immediate bestseller when first published in 1682 and is a must-read for students of American history. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Truth about Belle Gunness: The True Story of Notorious Serial Killer Hell's Belle
by Lillian de la TorreEdgar Award Finalist: The true story of the female Norwegian immigrant who led a secret life as a serial killer in the early twentieth-century Midwest. On the morning of April 27, 1908, the farmhand on a lonely property outside La Porte, Indiana, woke to the smell of smoke. He tried to rouse the lady of the house, the towering Belle Poulsdatter Sorenson Gunness, and he called the names of her three children—but they didn&’t answer, and the farmhand barely escaped alive. The house burned to the foundation, and in the rubble, firemen found the corpses of Belle, her two daughters, and her son. The discovery raised two chilling questions: Who started the fire, and who cut off Belle&’s head? As investigators searched the property, they uncovered something astonishing: The remains of a dozen or more men and children who had been murdered with poison or cleaver were buried beneath the hog pen. It turned out Belle Gunness was one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. And when the investigation revealed that the body found in the fire might not have been hers, the people of La Porte were forced to confront the terrifying realization that Belle might have gotten out alive. Nominated for an Edgar Award for best factual crime story, The Truth about Belle Gunness is based on extensive interviews with witnesses and residents of La Porte who knew Belle and her family. Perfect for fans of In Cold Blood or The Devil in the White City, it is a &“magnificent [and] brilliantly written&” exploration of a highly unusual murderer (The New York Times).
X-15 Diary: The Story of America's First Space Ship
by Richard TregaskisThe riveting true story of the world&’s fastest plane and the first manned flights into outer space. First tested in 1959, the X-15 rocket plane was at the forefront of the space race. Developed by the US Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in collaboration with North American Aviation, the X-15 was sleek, black, and powerful—a missile with stubby wings and a cockpit on the nose. By 1961 it could reach speeds over three thousand miles per hour and fly at an altitude of thirty-one miles above the earth&’s surface—the lower reaches of outer space. Acclaimed journalist and bestselling author Richard Tregaskis tells the story of the X-15&’s development through the eyes of the brave pilots and brilliant engineers who made it possible. From technological breakthroughs to disastrous onboard explosions to the bone-crushing effects of intense g-force levels, Tregaskis captures all the drama and excitement of this crucial proving ground for the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. X-15 Diary recounts a thrilling chapter in the history of the American space program and serves as a fitting tribute to the courageous scientists and adventurers who dared to go where no man had gone before. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Richard Tregaskis including rare images from the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming.
Beyond Obsession: The Shocking True Story of a Teenage Love Affair Turned Deadly
by Richard HammerThe chilling true story of a beautiful violin prodigy, her devoted boyfriend, and the devastating family secrets that led to a brutal murder. Joyce Aparo seemed to be the perfect single mother. She doted on her sixteen-year-old daughter, Karin, encouraging her musical ability and lavishing affection on her. But behind closed doors, Joyce was a terror. For thirteen years, she beat Karin savagely, kept her away from other children, and demeaned her relentlessly. When Karin met the troubled yet brilliant Dennis Coleman, the two fell head-over-heels into lustful infatuation. But Joyce disapproved—so she had to die. On August 5, 1987, Joyce&’s body was found under a bridge near the Connecticut–Massachusetts border. She had been strangled, and was covered in bruises, with paper stuffed in her mouth and pantyhose knotted around her throat. The police investigation soon dragged her horrific treatment of Karin into the open, and the teenage lovers became the prime suspects. Dennis eventually confessed to the murder, testifying that Karin begged him to kill her mother. But Karin had a very different story to tell, claiming to have no knowledge of Dennis&’s plans. Was she manipulating the police the same way she manipulated her former boyfriend, or was she an innocent victim? Based on meticulous research, court transcripts, and interviews with the survivors, Beyond Obsession is the definitive account of an American tragedy and the basis for a popular TV movie starring Victoria Principal and Emily Warfield.
Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs
by John Bloom Jim AtkinsonThe &“fascinating&” true story behind the HBO Max and Hulu series about Texas housewife Candy Montgomery and the bizarre murder that shocked a community (Los Angeles Times Book Review). Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore had a lot in common: They sang together in the Methodist church choir, their daughters were best friends, and their husbands had good jobs working for technology companies in the north Dallas suburbs known as Silicon Prairie. But beneath the placid surface of their seemingly perfect lives, both women simmered with unspoken frustrations and unanswered desires. On a hot summer day in 1980, the secret passions and jealousies that linked Candy and Betty exploded into murderous rage. What happened next is usually the stuff of fiction. But the bizarre and terrible act of violence that occurred in Betty&’s utility room that morning was all too real. Based on exclusive interviews with the Gore and Montgomery families, Edgar Award finalist Evidence of Love is the &“superbly written&” account of a gruesome tragedy and the trial that made national headlines when the defendant entered the most unexpected of pleas: not guilty by reason of self-defense (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Adapted into the Emmy and Golden Globe Award–winning television movie A Killing in a Small Town—as well as the new limited series Candy on Hulu and Love and Death on HBO Max—this chilling tale of sin and savagery will &“fascinate true crime aficionados&” (Kirkus Reviews).
They Called Him Stonewall: A Life of Lieutenant General T. J. Jackson, CSA (Classics Of War Reprint Ser.)
by Burke DavisThe New York Times–bestselling biography of the South&’s most brilliant and audacious military commander: &“Completely fascinating&” (Kirkus Reviews). With the exception of Robert E. Lee, no Confederate general was more feared or admired than Thomas &“Stonewall&” Jackson. Once derisively known as &“Tom Fool,&” Jackson was an innovative battlefield strategist who struck terror in the hearts of Union army commanders and inspired Confederate soldiers to victory after victory in the early days of the Civil War. A fanatically religious man, Jackson prayed at the start and conclusion of every battle—yet showed no mercy when confronting the enemy. Eccentric, enigmatic, and fiercely intelligent, he became the stuff of legend soon after he died from wounds suffered during the Battle of Chancellorsville; his untimely death would help to change the course of the conflict. Based on a wealth of first-person sources, including Jackson&’s private papers and correspondences, and the memoirs of family, friends, and colleagues, They Called Him Stonewall is a masterful portrait of the man behind the myth.
Emperor of Rome: Ruling The Ancient Roman World
by Mary BeardINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Best Books of 2023: New Yorker, The Economist, Smithsonian Most Anticipated Books of Fall: Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, TODAY, Literary Hub, and Publishers Weekly "A vivid way to re-examine what we know, and don’t, about life at the top.... Emperor of Rome is a masterly group portrait, an invitation to think skeptically but not contemptuously of a familiar civilization." —Kyle Harper, Wall Street Journal A sweeping account of the social and political world of the Roman emperors by “the world’s most famous classicist” (Guardian). In her international bestseller SPQR, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome, from its slightly shabby Iron Age origins to its reign as the undisputed hegemon of the Mediterranean. Now, drawing on more than thirty years of teaching and writing about Roman history, Beard turns to the emperors who ruled the Roman Empire, beginning with Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) and taking us through the nearly three centuries—and some thirty emperors—that separate him from the boy-king Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE). Yet Emperor of Rome is not your typical chronological account of Roman rulers, one emperor after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Instead, Beard asks different, often larger and more probing questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained? What kind of jokes did Augustus tell? And for that matter, what really happened, for example, between the emperor Hadrian and his beloved Antinous? Effortlessly combining the epic with the quotidian, Beard tracks the emperor down at home, at the races, on his travels, even on his way to heaven. Along the way, Beard explores Roman fictions of imperial power, overturning many of the assumptions that we hold as gospel, not the least of them the perception that emperors one and all were orchestrators of extreme brutality and cruelty. Here Beard introduces us to the emperor’s wives and lovers, rivals and slaves, court jesters and soldiers, and the ordinary people who pressed begging letters into his hand—whose chamber pot disputes were adjudicated by Augustus, and whose budgets were approved by Vespasian, himself the son of a tax collector. With its finely nuanced portrayal of sex, class, and politics, Emperor of Rome goes directly to the heart of Roman fantasies (and our own) about what it was to be Roman at its richest, most luxurious, most extreme, most powerful, and most deadly, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before.
Slipstream: A Memoir
by Elizabeth Jane HowardThe intimate and revealing memoir of the woman behind the bestselling Cazalet Chronicles and a fascinating window into the British literary world. One of Britain&’s most famous and beloved authors, Elizabeth Jane Howard&’s life was as rich, varied, and passionate as the characters in her novels. In her brutally honest, at times humorous, wholly captivating autobiography, the woman who felt she lived &“in the slipstream of experience&” employs her prodigious skills as a novelist to chart the course of an eventful life—including three marriages, multiple affairs, and friendships with the literary giants of the day, among them Kenneth Tynan and Cecil Day-Lewis. Born in 1923 to bohemian parents within a large Edwardian family, Howard was raised in privilege and security. Educated at home from the age of eleven, she enjoyed short-lived careers as a model, an actress, and an editor before she found her métier as a novelist. She gained invaluable experience growing up in a time bookended by two world wars and enjoyed a level of independence denied an earlier generation of British women. In her memoir, Howard writes with painful candor about her introduction to sex—her father abused her when she was fifteen—and her marriage to Peter Scott, son of the famed British explorer, along with her tempestuous third marriage to Kingsley Amis. She delves into complicated romantic and family relationships, inviting the reader to accompany her on her search for truth in life. Featuring cameos by William Faulkner, Rosamond Lehmann, Evelyn Waugh, Charlie Chaplin, Paul Scofield, and many others, Slipstream finally illuminates a struggle common to women writers of every time and place: carving out a room of one&’s own.
Autobiography of a Yogi: Reprint Of The Philosophical Library 1946 First Edition
by Paramhansa YoganandaThe spiritual journey of the man who introduced yoga to the West, and inspired practitioners from George Harrison to Steve Jobs. The remarkable life story of Paramhansa Yogananda is the groundbreaking work that introduced millions of Westerners to the practices of meditation and Kriya Yoga. Yogananda tells of his childhood in Gorakhpur, India, with his Bengali family, and his quest to find a guru who could satiate his desire for wisdom. After becoming a monk, he began his teachings of Kriya Yoga. But when he accepted an invitation to speak at a religious congress in Boston in 1920, his knowledge found an entirely new audience, as he then traveled across America lecturing and finally establishing the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles, where he was able to complete this classic work of spiritual expression. Autobiography of a Yogi has been in print for over seventy years, sold over four million copies, and been translated into forty-six languages, spreading the wisdom of one of the most highly revered teachers of the Hindu religion and philosophy. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Memoir of Col. Benjamin Tallmadge: Prepared By Himself, At The Request Of His Children (classic Reprint)
by Col. Benjamin TallmadgeThe Revolutionary War colonel—and leader of the famed Culper Spy Ring—tells his story in this fascinating historical autobiography. When British troops defeated the Continental Army on Long Island, General George Washington was forced to abandon New York in order to save the revolution. The British established their headquarters in New York City—beginning an occupation that would last the length of the war. Priceless intelligence flowed through the city&’s harbor, and Washington wanted to claim it as his own. To Benjamin Tallmadge, a young officer of the Continental Army, the general assigned an impossible mission: Infiltrate New York, establish a spy network, and report everything the British know. Throughout the war, Tallmadge and his spies collected intelligence on troop movements, sneak attacks, and the treachery of Benedict Arnold. Nearly two and a half centuries later, the heroic exploits of the Culper Spy Ring have served as the inspiration for the acclaimed TV series Turn: Washington&’s Spies and the video game Assassin&’s Creed III. In this lively and engaging memoir, the days of revolution are remembered by a patriot who fought in the shadows—and helped redefine the nature of espionage.This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Great Lion of God: A Novel About Saint Paul
by Taylor CaldwellNew York Times Bestseller: A &“beautifully written&” and &“truly outstanding&” novel based on the life of Paul the Apostle (The Cincinnati Enquirer). Born a veritable great lion of God to a devout Jewish family, Saul of Tarsus is raised by his parents to embrace their love of humanity. Dogged by what he perceives as a lack of true faith, he embarks on a journey to save his people from sacrilege. But on the road to Damascus a vision of the resurrected Jesus changes the course of his life. Converting to Christianity, the newly christened Paul transforms from persecutor of blasphemers into apostle to the gentiles, becoming one of the supreme influences on the Catholic Church and the Western world. Great Lion of God paints a unique and very human portrait of Saint Paul, one of the most passionate, dauntless, and complex figures of early Christianity—Pharisee, lawyer, theologian, and above all, a &“man like ourselves with our own despairs, doubts, anxieties and angers and intolerances, and &‘lusts of the flesh.&’&” The central novel in author Taylor Caldwell&’s biblical trilogy, which also includes Dear and Glorious Physician and I, Judas, Great Lion of God is both &“sheer entertainment&” and a moving tribute to the majesty and power of the Christian faith (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Taylor Caldwell including rare images from the author&’s estate.
The Garden of the Gods: My Family And Other Animals; Birds, Beasts And Relatives; And The Garden Of The Gods (The Corfu Trilogy #3)
by Gerald DurrellPart of the trilogy of memoirs that inspired the television show The Durrells in Corfu: A naturalist&’s adventures with animals—and humans—on a Greek island. When his family moved to a Greek island, young naturalist Gerald Durrell was able to indulge his passion for wildlife of all sorts as he discovered the new world around him—and the creatures and people who inhabited it. Indeed, Durrell&’s years growing up on Corfu would inspire the rest of his life. In addition to his tales of wild animals, Durrell recounts stories about his even wilder family—including his widowed mother, Louisa, and elder siblings Lawrence, Leslie, and Margo—with undeniable wit and humor. The final chapter in Durrell&’s reflections on his family&’s time in Greece before the start of World War II, The Garden of the Gods is a fascinating look at the childhood of a naturalist who was ahead of his time. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Gerald Durrell including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
Life Without Armour: An Autobiography
by Alan SillitoeA candid and surprising memoir of the early life of one of England&’s most acclaimed and enduring post-WWII writers. Born in 1928 into a poverty-stricken family in working-class Nottingham, bestselling British novelist Alan Sillitoe&’s childhood was marked by his father&’s unpredictable and violent rage, as well as a near-certain condemnation to a life of labor on an assembly line. His family relocated frequently to avoid rent collectors, trading in one bug-infested hovel for another. Though intelligent and curious, the young author-to-be failed his grammar school entrance exams, and it seemed he was destined for work in a factory. The onset of Sillitoe&’s teenage years, however, coincided with the advance of Hitler into Russia, and the war offered a chance for the boy to seek out a different fate. At the age of fourteen, Sillitoe used a fake ID to enroll in the Air Training Corps and went on to join the Ministry of Aircraft Production as an air traffic control assistant. He dreamed of becoming a pilot, but the war ended just after he qualified for training and he was instead shipped off to the Malayan jungle during the Communist insurgency as a radio operator for the Royal Air Force (RAF). After two years of living from one wireless watch to the next—taking in bearings and atmospherics though the radio, and exploring dangerous and primal landscapes by foot—Sillitoe finally returned to a prospectless postwar England and was diagnosed with tuberculosis. But this curse soon became a blessing: In the RAF hospital, Sillitoe began to read—everything from Kant to Descartes to Bernard Shaw—and he decided to become a writer. Already a veteran on an RAF disability pension at the age of twenty-one, Sillitoe began writing full-time, neither his physical challenges nor his numerous rejections from publishers deterring him in the least. He joined the Nottingham Writers&’ Club, and his short stories began to achieve some minor local success. Soon after, a chance meeting with the American poet Ruth Fainlight led to full-blown love, and the two set off for France eager to live in a bucolic setting where they could dedicate all of their time to writing. Circumstance and favorable exchange rates then led the couple to Spain where Sillitoe continued his literary pursuits, met many artists and writers, had run-ins with gypsies, and even underwent police interrogations. Four unpublished novels later—and after nearly a decade of honing his craft—Sillitoe finally found staggering success in his working-class novel Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and his collection of short stories The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner. Written with Sillitoe&’s signature simplicity, this in-depth autobiography not only gives insight into the formative years and mental maturation of one of Britain&’s most influential writers, but also tells a great story of an underprivileged man who, with perseverance, made the most of his particular fate.
My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru
by Tim GuestA memoir of formative years spent on a series of communes: A &“wonderful account of a frankly ghastly childhood . . . Hilarious and heartbreaking&” (Daily Mail). At the age of six, Tim Guest was taken by his mother to a commune modeled on the teachings of the notorious Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. The Bhagwan preached an eclectic doctrine of Eastern mysticism, chaotic therapy, and sexual freedom, and enjoyed inhaling laughing gas, preaching from a dentist's chair, and collecting Rolls Royces. Tim and his mother were given Sanskrit names, dressed entirely in orange, and encouraged to surrender themselves into their new family. While his mother worked tirelessly for the cause, Tim—or Yogesh, as he was now called—lived a life of well-meaning but woefully misguided neglect in various communes in England, Oregon, India, and Germany. In 1985 the movement collapsed amid allegations of mass poisonings, attempted murder, and tax evasion, and Yogesh was once again Tim. In this extraordinary memoir, Tim Guest chronicles the heartbreaking experience of being left alone on earth while his mother hunted heaven. &“An intelligent, wry, openhearted memoir of surviving a childhood and a cultural phenomenon that were both extraordinary.&” —Booklist (starred review)