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Second Life: A West Bank Memoir
by Janet Varner GunnA fascinating memoir interweaving Gunn's experiences as a human rights worker in Deheishe, a Palestinian refugee camp, and those of Mohammad Abu Aker who was critically shot during a stone throwing demonstration, living in the camp with his family as a "living martyr" until his death at 19 in 1990. Gunn's perspective is from the inside: what it means to live in a camp, under curfew, her efforts to obtain medical attention for the young man, the strength of these families and their humor. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc. , Portland, Or.
Sailor in the Desert: The Adventures of Philip Gunn, DSM, RN in the Mesopotamia Campaign, 1915
by David GunnSailor in the Desert is the personal account of a Royal Navy sailor's experiences during the Mesopotamian campaign of 1915. As an able seaman on an armed sloop supporting the British expedition up the River Tigris, Philip Gunn's recollections give a rare perspective of this ill-fated campaign.At the outbreak of war, Phillip Gunn was serving on HMS Clio, a naval sloop fitted with sails and guns stationed in China and immediately tasked with hunting the soon-to-be-famous German cruiser Emden, but failed to prevent her escape. Gunn and Clio were next in action defending the Suez Canal against an attempted Turkish invasion before joining the expedition to invade Turkish-held Mesopotamia (Iraq). When the River Tigris became too shallow for Clio, Gunn took over a Calcutta River Police launch. He towed improvised gunboats to bombard the enemy in close support of the advancing land forces, whose assaults on enemy positions he witnessed. Though he repeatedly came under fire, it was malaria which finally struck him down during the pivotal Battle of Ctesiphon. He was fortunate to survive the journey back downriver. Sailor in the Desert is an authentic account drawn from Phillip Gunn's unpublished memoirs as well as conversations with the author, his son David. It is illustrated with archive photographs and colour paintings by Philip Gunn himself.As featured in the Cotswold Journal and Aberdeen Press & Journal.
Ben & Me
by Cameron GunnThirteen weeks. Thirteen virtues. Cameron Gunn considered himself a regular guy-a pretty good husband, father, attorney, and friend. But was there room for improvement? A reader of history and a fan of Ben Franklin (and weary of self-help advice that never seems to offer much help), Gunn decided to try a little experiment. He would attempt to live by Franklin's thirteen virtues, a list of lofty ideals the Founding Father held dear, as enumerated in his famous autobiography. Would Gunn's plan to improve his life, Citizen Ben-style, prove to be a brilliant reinvention of the self-help movement or a boondoggle of revolutionary proportions? By turns heartfelt, hilarious, and more than a little humbling, Gunn's adventure takes this ordinary man way outside his comfort zone and into a thicket of not-so-modern values. The result is an engaging mix of humor and history-with perhaps a lightning bolt of inspiration or two along the way. Prepare to get up close and personal with everyone's favorite Founding Father. Temperance * Silence * Order * Resolution * Frugality * Industry * Sincerity * Justice * Moderation * Cleanliness * Tranquility * Chastity * Humility .
Richard II and the Rebel Earl
by A. K. GundyThe reign of Richard II and the circumstances of his deposition have long been subject to intense debate. This new interpretation of the politics of the late-fourteenth century offers an in-depth survey of Richard's reign from the perspective of one of the leading nobles who came to oppose him, Thomas Beauchamp, the Appellant Earl of Warwick. This is the first full-length study of one of Richard II's opponents to explore not only why the Earl rebelled against the King, but also why Richard lost his throne. Rather than offering the traditional explanation of a subject grown too mighty, Alison Gundy sets Warwick's rule in the context of the political and constitutional framework of the period. The interplay of local and national events helps to reveal Warwick's motives as a long-serving member of the nobility faced with a king determined to rule in a manner contradictory to contemporary political structures.
Mussolini's Dream Factory
by Stephen GundleThe intersection between film stardom and politics is an understudied phenomenon of Fascist Italy, despite the fact that the Mussolini regime deemed stardom important enough to warrant sustained attention and interference. Focused on the period from the start of sound cinema to the final end of Fascism in 1945, this book examines the development of an Italian star system and evaluates its place in film production and distribution. The performances and careers of several major stars, including Isa Miranda, Vittorio De Sica, Amedeo Nazzari, and Alida Valli, are closely analyzed in terms of their relationships to the political sphere and broader commercial culture, with consideration of their fates in the aftermath of Fascism. A final chapter explores the place of the stars in popular memory and representations of the Fascist film world in postwar cinema.
Benedict Arnold: Battlefield Hero or Selfish Traitor?
by Jessica GundersonSoldier and commander. Traitor and turncoat. Benedict Arnold has been called many names throughout history. But who was the real Benedict Arnold? Explore Arnolds life as he fights his way through the American Revolution. Then decide for yourself whether he was a hero or a villain.
Ida Lewis Guards the Shore: Courageous Kid of the Atlantic (Courageous Kids)
by Jessica GundersonIda Lewis spent a lifetime on the water, starting when her family moved the island of Lime Rock in 1857 for her father's job as lighthouse keeper. By age 15, Ida was the best swimmer in Newport, Rhode Island. And when her father suffers a stroke, Ida herself takes over as keeper of the lighthouse. But guarding the shore also means guarding the water. And when Ida spots four local boys in danger on the water, she knows she must take action, the boys' lives depend on it.
Immigrants Who Built an Empire (Immigrants Who Dared)
by Jessica GundersonSome of the most important American industries and ideas stem from people born outside the United States. Immigrants have had major influence on daily life in the United States, from how Americans search the internet and use their phones to the clothes they wear and the buildings in which they live. Meet 25 immigrants who built empires as artists, scientists, writers, musicians, inventors, and entrepreneurs.
Sybil Ludington Rides to the Rescue: Courageous Kid of the American Revolution (Courageous Kids)
by Jessica GundersonIn 1777, the American Revolution is well underway. At 16, Sybil Ludington knows the war all too well. Her father is a colonel in the Continental Army, battling for America's independence from Great Britain. Colonel Ludington and his regiment are home for the season when word comes that the British Army is attacking nearby. With her father too ill to ride, it's up to young Sybil to alert the American militia that the British are coming.
Journey to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante G.
by Bhante Gunaratana Malmgren JeanneThe inspiring life-story of from the bestselling author of Mindfulness in Plain English—updated and expanded in honor of his 90th birthday.Bhante Gunaratana—Bhante G., as he is affectionately called—has long been among the most beloved Buddhist teachers in the West. Ordained at twelve, he would eventually become the first Buddhist chaplain at an American university, the founder of a retreat center and monastery, and a bestselling author. Here, Bhante G. lays bare the often-surprising ups and downs of his more than ninety years, from his boyhood in Sri Lanka to his decades of sharing the insights of the Buddha, telling his story with the "plain-English" good-humored approach for which he is so renowned. This expanded anniversary edition includes four new chapters in which Bhante reflects on the impact of the tsumani that struck his homeland in 2004 and his subsequent appearance on Larry King Live, his brief experiment in ordaining nuns at his monastery, as well intimate reflections on the loss of family members, and his own aging and infirmity—providing a model an inspiring model to us all of gracious equanimity.
Memorias prematuras
by Rafael GumucioEdición aniversario (20 años) de una extraordinaria novela de aprendizaje. En clave de ácida ironía, esta novela se plantea la respuesta a algunas preguntas necesarias: ¿se puede sobrevivir a la adolescencia sin convertirse en un imbécil? ¿El mundo está mal hecho, o está uno mal hecho para el mundo? Memorias prematuras cuenta los recuerdos de infancia y adolescencia del autor, pero no lo hace desde el punto de vista compasivo de un adulto que perdona o pondera los actos, los miedos, los amores y los odios de su juventud. Estas memorias están narradas en directo, desde la inmadurez más viva de un joven que intenta comprender su vida a través de la escritura. Una vida dividida entre dos países: Chile, donde nació, y Francia, donde fue exiliado por la dictadura de Pinochet. Entre su necesidad de ser un héroe o un genio y su miedo a la noche, al servicio militar, a las mujeres; entre sus ganas de creer en Dios y la ambición de ser él mismo su propio Dios.
Nicanor Parra, rey y mendigo
by Rafael GumucioEl gran autor chileno Rafael Gumucio ha escrito una biografía conmovedora sobre uno de los grandes poetas en lengua hispana. «Esta no es una biografía de Parra. Esta es una biografía con Parra. Es una biografía contra Parra. Parra es en este libro apenas un abrigo, una máscara más.»Rafael Gumucio Cuando Nicanor Parra obtuvo el premio Cervantes 2012, la literatura en español reveló al público uno de sus secretos mejor guardados. Desde mucho antes, su casa en Las Cruces se había convertido en un lugar de peregrinación para una generación entera de jóvenes escritores chilenos. Allí acudió por primera vez Rafael Gumucio con apenas treinta y dos años dispuesto a comentar sus libros con el octogenario antipoeta. Pero Parra solo quería hablar de una de las tantas columnas que el autor de Memoriasprematuras publicaba en los periódicos: «Supe en ese instante que no le importaban mis libros ni mi prosa, que yo pensaba ingenuamente me habían llevado hasta aquí. Le gustaba una columna de entre las miles que había escrito, y era esa y nada más. Con eso basta y sobra». Gumucio siguió visitando a Parra asiduamente, pero en aquel primer encuentro quedó sellada la textura que tendría la relación entre ambos: Parra proyectaría su sombra apabullante cargada de inteligencia y de talento, y Gumucio se debatiría bajo esa sombra entre la admiración, el desconcierto y el terror: «Vive en el infierno, pienso, o en el purgatorio, ese señor que hace chistes todo el tiempo, que camina como si bailara y odia el patetismo existencial o cualquier tipo de gravedad. No descansa nunca, aunque esté tranquilamente sentado frente al ventanal que da al mar». Partiendo de una tarea de documentación monumental, apelando a sus propios recuerdos y a la memoria de su relación con Parra, Gumucio escribió un libro cuyo título -Nicanor Parra, rey y mendigo- condensa la complejidad inabarcable de uno de los más grandes poetas de habla hispana, una biografía conmovedora que echa luz sobre cada uno de los momentos de la vida de un hombre irrepetible. La crítica ha dicho...«Rafael Gumucio es una de las voces narrativas más sólidas de la última horneada chilena.»El Mundo «Su cercanía con el antipoeta convierte a esta suerte de diario en una lectura encantadora de principio a fin. Estando lejos de ser una biografía definitiva -si es que las hay-, Nicanor Parra, rey y mendigo será una pieza central para la siguiente generación de biógrafos de Nicanor.»Christopher Domínguez Michael, Letras libres «Rafael Gumucio presenta una biografía poco tradicional del antipoeta, [...] es capaz de atrapar los guiños de un hombre que nunca envejeció: sus gestos vehementes, sus frases exageradas, sus muletillas para interpelar a sus visitantes con tal o cual poeta o escritor.»Joaquín Castillo, El libero «En la biografía destaca la mirada de Gumucio. Personal y aguda, sin duda, su propia versión, atravesada por los lugares que visita y marcaron la vida de Parra [...] también por personas que lo conocieron de cerca.»Pablo Sheng, Revista lecturas
¿Por qué soy católico?
by Rafael Gumucio"Yo no puedo asegurarle a nadie que Dios existe. He hablado muchas veces con él, pero estoy dispuesto a admitir que su voz se parece extrañamente a la mía", dice Rafael Gumucio en este ensayo autobiográfico donde explica, no sin humor, no sin contradicciones, su catolicismo. Y no es una mera provocación, como podría parecerlo en los tiempos que corren: el autor -a su modo, claro está- en verdad profesa dicha fe. Por opción personal, por tradición familiar y un poco, sí, por llevar la contra. <P><P> Expresión radical de la libertad de pensamiento, Por qué soy católico habla de la vida y de la muerte, de la filosofía y de los textos bíblicos, de la infancia y del presente, de la comunidad y de un yo en permanente conflicto con su fe y sus conductas. El relato de ese combate muestra la decadencia de una religión, pero también su relevancia, así como los cambios culturales de todo un país y de un individuo que vacila entre esos derroteros y se expone sin miramientos.
Maestro: André Tchelistcheff and the Rebirth of Napa Valley (At Table)
by James O. GumpWine insiders called André Tchelistcheff the &“winemaker&’s winemaker,&” the &“wine doctor,&” and simply &“maestro.&” After Prohibition brought Napa Valley and its wine industry to the brink of catastrophe, Tchelistcheff (1901–94) proved essential in its revitalization. Tchelistcheff&’s unique background—a sickly child, a Russian émigré forced from his homeland during the Bolshevik Revolution, a White Army lieutenant who fought in the Crimea, a physical laborer in a Bulgarian coal mine, a Czechoslovakian-trained agronomist, and a French-schooled viticulturist and enologist—prepared him for a remarkable winemaking career. He spent thirty-five years in Napa Valley&’s Beaulieu Vineyard and nearly two &“post-retirement&” decades doing freelance consulting work for more than thirty wineries. His early struggles forged his principal character traits, which he passed on to an entire generation of winemakers. His students, including some of the most accomplished winemakers of the post-Prohibition period, marveled over their mentor&’s sense of authority, profound insight, humble presence, and abundant wisdom. This inspiring account of Tchelistcheff&’s life includes interviews with friends, family, and mentees, which reveal how one man used his passion and knowledge to help save a community on the edge of disaster. In Maestro James O. Gump preserves the memory of a fascinating individual and one of the most influential winemakers of the modern era.
Homer Kelley's Golfing Machine
by Scott GummerThe remarkable story of a curious genius whose lifelong quest to unlock the science behind the perfect golf swing changed the game forever. In 1939, an average Joe named Homer Kelley played golf for the first time and scored 116-a respectable score for a beginner, but frustrating for a science-minded perfectionist like Kelley. He did not play again for six months; then when he did, he carded a seventy-seven. Vexed, he grew increasingly obsessed and devoted over the next thirty years to solving the science behind the perfect golf swing, self-publishing his findings in 1969 in a book titled The Golfing Machine. This revolutionary book explainedgolf, unlike every other tome that merely describedit. Unfortunately, the majority of golfers dismissed the book because it was all but unreadable, too thick with physics and geometry and scientific vernacular. The Golfing Machineseemed doomed to obscurity until visionary teacher Ben Doyle and superstar-in-the-making Bobby Clampett brought Kelley's teachings to prominence-only to witness Clampett implode on golf's most public stage. Validation finally came seventy years after Homer Kelley's lifework began, and twenty-five years after his death, when a teenage prodigy named Morgan Pressel became the youngest golfer, male or female, ever to win a major championship. In Homer Kelley's Golfing Machine, veteran journalist Scott Gummer brings to light the untold story of golf's most curious genius. A colorful portrait of obsession and an enlightening look into the nuances of the game, Kelley's amazing journey illuminates an important but underappreciated chapter in the history of golf.
After 1945: Latency as Origin of the Present
by Hans Ulrich GumbrechtWhat is it the legacy that humankind has been living with since 1945? We were once convinced that time was the agent of change. But in the past decade or two, our experience of time has been transformed. Technology preserves and inundates us with the past, and we perceive our future as a set of converging and threatening inevitabilities: nuclear annihilation, global warming, overpopulation. Overwhelmed by these horizons, we live in an ever broadening present. In identifying the prevailing mood of the post-World War II decade as that of "latency," Gumbrecht returns to the era when this change in the pace and structure of time emerged and shows how it shaped the trajectory of his own postwar generation. Those born after 1945, and especially those born in Germany, would have liked nothing more than to put the catastrophic events and explosions of the past behind them, but that possibility remained foreclosed or just out of reach. World literatures and cultures of the postwar years reveal this to have been a broadly shared predicament: they hint at promises unfulfilled and obsess over dishonesty and bad faith; they transmit the sensation of confinement and the inability to advance. After 1945 belies its theme of entrapment. Gumbrecht has never been limited by narrow disciplinary boundaries, and his latest inquiry is both far-ranging and experimental. It combines autobiography with German history and world-historical analysis, offering insightful reflections on Samuel Beckett and Paul Celan, detailed exegesis of the thought of Martin Heidegger and Jean Paul Sartre, and surprising reflections on cultural phenomena ranging from Edith Piaf to the Kinsey Report. This personal and philosophical take on the last century is of immediate relevance to our identity today.
Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox
by Andrew Gumbel Raffaele SollecitoThey were accused of one of the most infamous murders of our time. Targeted by the media, sentenced by the courts, and wrongfully imprisoned for four excruciating years for a crime neither could fathom let alone perpetrate, Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox were the victims in a trial so bizarre it defied all reason. Now, for the first time since his acquittal, Raffaele reveals what really happened between him and his then girlfriend before, during, and after Amanda’s roommate Meredith Kercher’s brutal murder. Filled with family drama, wild reversals of fortune, and a blow-by-blow account of the legal catastrophe as it unfolded, this harrowing firsthand account sheds fascinating new light on one of the world’s most controversial murder cases. With startling candor, Raffaele shares intimate details about his changing relationship with Amanda—one that veered in a matter of days from giddy romance to grueling police interrogations. Over the next four years, Raffaele was the only solid alibi Amanda had for the night of the murder. He came under unrelenting pressure—from his own family and lawyers as much as the police and prosecution—to change his testimony and stop vouching for her. But he wouldn’t do it. He refused to testify against her to save his own skin, because he knew she would be lost forever. Raffaele sifts through the wild accusations depicting him as a druggie, a porn addict, and reckless thrill seeker, and shows how these stories were gross distortions of trivial episodes in his young life. With unflinching honesty, he takes readers behind the scenes of the trial of the century—and inside the day-to-day hell of prison life. Finally, and poignantly, Raffaele talks about his first face-to-face reunion with Amanda following their release. Emotional, disturbing, and ultimately galvanizing, this memoir is more than a true-crime story—it is a riveting account of an egregious miscarriage of justice, of public condemnation, and personal survival. Honor Bound is also, at its heart, a tragic love story about a young man who trusted his feelings, refused to give up hope, and ultimately triumphed.
Honor Bound
by Andrew Gumbel Raffaele SollecitoThey were accused of one of the most infamous murders of our time. Targeted by the media, sentenced by the courts, and wrongfully imprisoned for four excruciating years for a crime neither could fathom let alone perpetrate, Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox were the victims in a trial so bizarre it defied all reason. Now, for the first time since his acquittal, Raffaele reveals what really happened between him and his then girlfriend before, during, and after Amanda's roommate Meredith Kercher's brutal murder. Filled with family drama, wild reversals of fortune, and a blow-by-blow account of the legal catastrophe as it unfolded, this harrowing firsthand account sheds fascinating new light on one of the world's most controversial murder cases. With startling candor, Raffaele shares intimate details about his changing relationship with Amanda--one that veered in a matter of days from giddy romance to grueling police interrogations. Over the next four years, Raffaele was the only solid alibi Amanda had for the night of the murder. He came under unrelenting pressure--from his own family and lawyers as much as the police and prosecution--to change his testimony and stop vouching for her. But he wouldn't do it. He refused to testify against her to save his own skin, because he knew she would be lost forever. Raffaele sifts through the wild accusations depicting him as a druggie, a porn addict, and reckless thrill seeker, and shows how these stories were gross distortions of trivial episodes in his young life. With unflinching honesty, he takes readers behind the scenes of the trial of the century--and inside the day-to-day hell of prison life. Finally, and poignantly, Raffaele talks about his first face-to-face reunion with Amanda following their release. Emotional, disturbing, and ultimately galvanizing, this memoir is more than a true-crime story--it is a riveting account of an egregious miscarriage of justice, of public condemnation, and personal survival. Honor Bound is also, at its heart, a tragic love story about a young man who trusted his feelings, refused to give up hope, and ultimately triumphed.
Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s
by Gary Gulman“One of my favorite books of all time.” ―Amy SchumerA tour de force of comedy and reflection about the perilous journey from kindergarten to twelfth grade and beyond―from the beloved stand-up comic and creator of The Great DepreshFor years, Gary Gulman had been the comedian’s comedian, acclaimed for his delight in language and his bracing honesty. But after two stints in a psych ward, he found himself back in his mother’s house in Boston—living in his childhood bedroom at age forty-six, as he struggled to regain his mental health. That’s where Misfit begins. Then it goes way back. This is no ordinary book about growing older and growing up. Gulman has an astonishing memory and takes the reader through every year of his childhood education, with obsessively detailed stories that are in turn alarming and riotously funny. We meet Gulman’s family, neighbors, teachers, heroes, and antagonists, and get to know the young comedian-in-the-making who is his own worst―and most persistent―enemy. From failing to impress at grade school show-and-tell to literally fumbling at his first big football game―in settings that take us all the way from the local playground to the local mall, from Hebrew School to his best (and only) friend’s rec room, young Gary becomes a stand-in for everyone who grew up wondering if they would ever truly fit in. And that’s not all: the book is also chock-full of ‘80s nostalgia (Scented Markers, indifference to sunscreen, mall culture).Misfit is a book that only Gary Gulman could have written: a brilliant, witty, poignant, laugh-until-your-face-hurts memoir that speaks directly to the awkward child in us all.
Sisters of Heaven
by Patti GullyIn the late 1930s, as the world moved closer to war, three vivacious Chinese women defied gender perceptions by becoming pilots. Driven by a fierce independent spirit, they realized their dream of flying, completed barnstorming goodwill missions across the Western Hemisphere, and captured the imagination of all those whose lives they touched.They were Hilda Yan, once China's representative at the League of Nations; Li Xiaqing, known as film actress Li Dandan before becoming China's "First Woman of the Air"; and Jessie Zheng, the only commissioned female officer in the Chinese Air Force.In a story almost forgotten to history, Patti Gully's exhaustive research delves into the personal lives of these women, uncovering their fascinating personalities, loves, passions, and above all their overwhelming sense of patriotism and duty. In a time when no Chinese woman could even drive a car, these aviatrixes used flight as a metaphor for their own freedom as well as a symbol of empowerment.Gully shows how, despite their success, their relationships with men were checkered and stormy, leaving behind the wreckage of broken marriages and the children they abandoned--the price they ultimately paid to realize their dream of flying.With an uncanny eye for detail and technical accuracy, Sisters of Heaven offers a rare look at a lost era in aviation history, gender studies, and the history of China and the West. Patti Gully is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg. She holds a BA in arts with an emphasis on English, religious studies, and classics. She also holds an MLIS from the University of British Columbia. She is an amateur pilot and aviation history scholar and lives in Vancouver.
How to Watch Soccer
by Ruud GullitAn opinionated masterclass in the art and science of “reading” a match from one of professional soccer’s most respected and beloved international figures <P><P>Ruud Gullit knows better than anyone else that to understand soccer you have to understand strategy. When he started playing soccer, his only “strategy” was to get the ball, outrun everyone else to the other end of the field, and score. At first it served him well, but as he advanced through the sport, he learned that it takes much more than speed to make a winning team. He worked his way from the Dutch junior leagues all the way to the legendary AC Milan, eventually retiring from the field to be a trainer, then a manager, and finally a commentator. <P>Each step came with its own lessons, and its own unique perspective on the game. Having looked at soccer through just about every lens possible, Gullit is now sharing his own perspective. Most spectators simply watch the ball, but in How to Watch Soccer, Gullit explains how to watch the whole game. He shows how every part of a match, from formations to corner kicks, all the way down to what the players do to influence the referees, is important. And he uses his own vast experience to illustrate each point, so his lessons are filled with anecdotes from his years on the field and insights from his observations as a manager and commentator. <P>This exhaustive guide will change the way even the most die-hard fan watches the beautiful game.
I Love You, Miss Huddleston
by Philip GulleyWith his ear for the small town and his knack for finding the needle of humor in life's haystack, Philip Gulley might well be Indiana's answer to Missouri's Mark Twain. In I Love You, Miss Huddleston we are transported to 1970's Danville, Indiana, the everyone-knows-your-business town where Gulley still lives today, to witness the uproarious story of Gulley's young life, including his infatuation with his comely sixth-grade teacher, his dalliance with sin--eating meat on Friday and inappropriate activities with a mannequin named Ginger--and his checkered start with organized religion. Sister Mary John had shown us a flannelgraph of the apostles receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They looked quite happy, except that their hair was on fire. . . . I was suspicious of a religion whose highpoint was the igniting of one's head, and my enthusiasm for church, which had never been great, began to fade. Even as Kennedy was facing down Khrushchev, Danny Millardo and his band of youthful thugs conducted a reign of terror still unmatched in the annals of Indiana history. With Gulley's sharp wit and keen observation, I Love You, Miss Huddleston captures these dramas and more, revisiting a childhood of unrelieved and happy chaos. From beginning to end, Gulley recalls the hilarity (and heightened dangers) of those wonder years and the easy charm of midwestern life.
The Game of Hope
by Sandra GullandFor Napoleon's stepdaughter, nothing is simple - especially love.Paris, 1798. Hortense de Beauharnais is engrossed in her studies at a boarding school for aristocratic girls, most of whom have suffered tragic losses during the tumultuous days of the French Revolution. She loves to play and compose music, read and paint, and daydream about Christophe, her brother's dashing fellow officer. But Hortense is not an ordinary girl. Her beautiful, charming mother, Josephine, has married Napoleon Bonaparte, soon to become the most powerful man in France, but viewed by Hortense at the outset as a coarse, unworthy successor to her elegant father, who was guillotined during the Terror.Where will Hortense's future lie? it may not be in her power to decide.Inspired by Hortense's real-life autobiography with charming glimpses of life long ago, this is the story of a girl destined by fate to play a role she didn't choose.
Cradles of Power: The Mothers and Fathers of the American Presidents
by Harold I. GullanWhy have there been so many books about first ladies and so few about the mothers and fathers of our presidents? Many of us, for better or worse, are shaped by our early life. Heads of state are no exception. In this compact and compelling narrative of truly popular history, Gullan offers insights into the early influences that helped shape our presidents, shedding light into a much neglected corner of history. How many presidential parents were also their son’s best friends? How many were an inspiration, a source of support, a model to emulate? How many were just the opposite? In Cradles of Power, readers will learn the stories of ?first parents” from Augustine and Mary Washington to Barack Obama, Sr. and Ann Dunham, including: The heroic Elizabeth Jackson, who literally saved her son’s life The beloved senior Theodore Roosevelt, who seemingly founded and funded every worthwhile charity in New York The handsome and unpredictable Jack Reagan, whose drunken blackout one winter night became a pivotal moment for the young Ronald The pious ?Mother” McKinley, who wanted her William to become a Methodist bishop The vibrant Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, whose personal tragedies never stopped her from showing unflagging support for her sons’ campaigns, and the domineering Joseph P. Kennedy who himself aspired to be our first Catholic president Gullan’s reader-friendly vignettes are sure to fascinate and entertain, but they will also elucidate the formative forces and motivations in the lives of the most powerful men in the nation. Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Remember Me?: Discovering My Mother as She Lost Her Memory
by Shobna GulatiAfterword by Alzheimer's Research UK. 'Shobna Gulati is the Northern heroine of a nation' - Lemn Sissay Remember Me? is a memoir about caring for a parent with dementia and the memories that resurface in the process. In her first book, Shobna Gulati sets out to reclaim her mother's past after her death, and in turn, discovers a huge amount about herself and their relationship. Remember Me? captures the powerful emotions that these memories hold to both Shobna and her mother; secrets they had collectively buried and also the concealment of her mother's condition. What ensues is a story of cultural assimilation, identity and familial shame.