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Camping and Tramping with Roosevelt
by John BurroughsIn 1903, a renowned naturalist joined the President of the United States for a two-week camping trip to Yosemite. John Burroughs offers these delightful reminiscences of Theodore Roosevelt, which center on their ramble through America's first national park and their shared joy in the region's wildlife and geologic wonders. The two observed gophers, badgers, elk, mountain sheep, black-tailed deer, and birds of all kinds while camping in picturesque wilderness settings. "I found his interest in bird life very keen, and his eye and ear remarkably quick," notes Burroughs of his friend, adding, "His training as a big-game hunter stood him in good stead, but back of that were his naturalist's instincts, and his genuine love of all forms of wildlife."Burroughs' account offers a splendid firsthand portrait of the larger-than-life president, recapturing Roosevelt's inexhaustible energy, infinite curiosity, and convivial personality. A second, briefer sketch recounts a visit to Sagamore Hill, the "summer White House," where the President and his companion took a walk in the woods to identify local birds. Twelve historic black-and-white photographs complement this engaging memoir.
Camping with the President
by Ginger WadsworthShows how, while on a camping trip in 1903 with world-famous naturalist John Muir in Yosemite National Park, President Theodore Roosevelt formed his position on conservation, deciding to set aside new national parks and monuments to preserve wilderness lands for future generations.
Campy: The Two Lives of Roy Campanella
by Neil LanctotNeil Lanctot's biography of Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella--filled with surprises--is the first life of the Dodger great in decades and the most authoritative ever published. Born to a father of Italian descent and an African- American mother, Campanella wanted to be a ballplayer from childhood but was barred by color from the major leagues. He dropped out of school to play professional ball with the Negro Leagues' Washington (later Baltimore) Elite Giants, where he honed his skills under Hall of Fame catcher Biz Mackey. Campy played eight years in the Negro Leagues until the major leagues integrated. Ironically, he and not Jackie Robinson might have been the player to integrate baseball, as Lanctot reveals. An early recruit to Branch Rickey's "Great Experiment" with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Campy became the first African-American catcher in the twentieth century in the major leagues. As Lanctot discloses, Campanella and Robinson, pioneers of integration, had a contentious relationship, largely as a result of a dispute over postseason barnstorming. Campanella was a mainstay of the great Dodger teams that consistently contended for pennants in the late 1940s and 1950s. He was a three-time MVP, an outstanding defensive catcher, and a powerful offensive threat. But on a rainy January night in 1958, all that changed. On his way home from his liquor store in Harlem, Campy lost control of his car, hit a utility pole, and was paralyzed below the neck. Lanctot reveals how Campanella's complicated personal life (he would marry three times) played a role in the accident. Campanella would now become another sort of pioneer, learning new techniques of physical therapy under the celebrated Dr. Howard Rusk at his Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. As he gradually recovered some limited motion, Campanella inspired other athletes and physically handicapped people everywhere. Based on interviews with dozens of people who knew Roy Campanella and diligent research into contemporary sources, Campy offers a three-dimensional portrait of this gifted athlete and remarkable man whose second life after baseball would prove as illustrious and courageous as his first.
Camus, a Romance
by Elizabeth HawesAlbert Camus is best known for his contribution to twentieth-century literature. But who was he, beneath the trappings of fame? Camus, a Romance reveals the French-Algerian of humble birth; the TB-stricken exile editing the war resistance newspaper Combat; the pied noir in anguish over the Algerian War; the Don Juan who loved a multitude of women. These form only the barest outlines of Camus’s life, which Elizabeth Hawes chronicles alongside her own experience following in his footsteps. Camus, a Romance is at once biography and memoir wrought with passion and detail, it is the story not only of Camus, but of the relationship between a reader and a most beloved writer.
Can Christianity Cure Obsessive-compulsive Disorder?: A Psychiatrist Explores The Role Of Faith In Treatment
by Ian OsbornObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relentless condition, the primary symptom being the occurrence of terrifying ideas, images, and urges that jump into a person's mind and return again and again, despite the individual's attempt to remove them. Christians who suffer from OCD may grapple with additional guilt, as the undesired thoughts are frequently of a spiritual nature. Yet people may be surprised to learn that some of the greatest leaders in Christian history also struggled with this malady. What did they experience? How did they cope? Were they able to overcome these tormenting, often violent, obsessions? Where did God fit into the picture? Ian Osborn shares the personal accounts of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, as well as his own story, in exploring how faith and science work together to address this complex issue.
Can I Carry Your Bags?: The Life of a Sports Hack Abroad
by Martin JohnsonIn nearly 25 years as a sports journalist for the Independent, Daily Telegraph, and The Sunday Times, Martin Johnson has covered sporting events all over the world, including cricket and tennis in Australia, golf in America, Formula One in Kuala Lumpur, boxing in Cairo, petanque in Gran Canaria, beach volleyball in Brazil, Olympics in Sydney, football in China, and rugby in South Africa. Sounds like a nice job? You must be joking. Get the true story from sports journalism's equivalent of Victor Meldrew. Ever tried to get a phone call out of Nagpur? Make contact with the office from Norfolk Island? Trudged several miles up a Japanese mountain to watch Britain's No 1 woman skier plough straight through the first gate? Attempted to write a semi-coherent report after a night out with Ian Botham? Nearly frozen to death at a cricket match in New Zealand? Been hi-jacked in Moscow by a drunken Russian? It's hell out there, says Martin, who makes out his case for a life of hardship, deprivation, and a breathless dedication to duty in the face of overwhelming odds. Frankly, however, we still think it reads more like the Life of Riley.
Can I Carry Your Bags?: The Life of a Sports Hack Abroad
by Martin JohnsonIn nearly 25 years as a sports journalist for the Independent, Daily Telegraph, and The Sunday Times, Martin Johnson has covered sporting events all over the world, including cricket and tennis in Australia, golf in America, Formula One in Kuala Lumpur, boxing in Cairo, petanque in Gran Canaria, beach volleyball in Brazil, Olympics in Sydney, football in China, and rugby in South Africa. Sounds like a nice job? You must be joking. Get the true story from sports journalism’s equivalent of Victor Meldrew. Ever tried to get a phone call out of Nagpur? Make contact with the office from Norfolk Island? Trudged several miles up a Japanese mountain to watch Britain’s No 1 woman skier plough straight through the first gate? Attempted to write a semi-coherent report after a night out with Ian Botham? Nearly frozen to death at a cricket match in New Zealand? Been hi-jacked in Moscow by a drunken Russian? It’s hell out there, says Martin, who makes out his case for a life of hardship, deprivation, and a breathless dedication to duty in the face of overwhelming odds. Frankly, however, we still think it reads more like the Life of Riley.
Can I Get a Witness?: Thirteen Peacemakers, Community-Builders, and Agitators for Faith and Justice
by Charles Marsh Shea Tuttle Daniel P. RhodesHow do we transform American Culture through our religious convictions? Discover here the compelling stories of thirteen pioneers for social justice who engaged in peaceful protest and gave voice to the marginalized, working courageously out of their religious convictions to transform American culture. Their prophetic witness still speaks today. Comprising a variety of voices—Catholic and Protestant, gay and straight, men and women of different racial backgrounds—these activist witnesses represent the best of the church’s peacemakers, community builders, and inside agitators. Written by select authors, Can I Get a Witness? showcases vibrant storytelling and research-enriched narrative to bring these significant “peculiar people” to life.CONTRIBUTORS & SUBJECTS:Daniel P. Rhodes on Cesar Chavez Donyelle McCray on Howard Thurman Grace Y. Kao on Yuri Kochiyama Peter Slade on Howard Kester Nichole M. Flores on Ella Baker Carlene Bauer on Dorothy Day Heather A. Warren on John A. Ryan Becca Stevens on William Stringfellow W. Ralph Eubanks on Mahalia Jackson Susan M. Glisson and Charles H. Tucker on Lucy Randolph Mason Soong-Chan Rah on Richard Twiss David Dark on Daniel Berrigan M. Therese Lysaught on Mary Stella Simpson
Can I Go Now?
by Brian KellowA lively and colorful biography of Hollywood's first superagent--one of the most outrageous showbiz characters of the 1960s and 1970s whose clients included Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Faye Dunaway, Michael Caine, and Candice BergenBefore Sue Mengers hit the scene in the mid-1960s, talent agents remained quietly in the background. But staying in the background was not possible for Mengers. Irrepressible and loaded with chutzpah, she became a driving force of Creative Management Associates (which later became ICM) handling the era's preeminent stars.A true original with a gift for making the biggest stars in Hollywood listen to hard truths about their careers and personal lives, Mengers became a force to be reckoned with. Her salesmanship never stopped. In 1979, she was on a plane that was commandeered by a hijacker, who wanted Charlton Heston to deliver a message on television. Mengers was incensed, wondering why the hijacker wanted Heston, when she could get him Barbra Streisand.Acclaimed biographer Brian Kellow spins an irresistible tale, exhaustively researched and filled with anecdotes about and interviews more than two hundred show-business luminaries. A riveting biography of a powerful woman that charts show business as it evolved from New York City in the 1950s through Hollywood in the early 1980s, Can I Go Now? will mesmerize anyone who loves cinema's most fruitful period.
Can I Go Now?: The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Superagent
by Brian Kellow"To call Sue Mengers a 'character' is an understatement, unless the word is written in all-caps, followed by an exclamation point and modified by an expletive. And based on Brian Kellow's assessment in his thoroughly researched Can I Go Now? even that description may be playing down her personality a bit." --Jen Chaney, The Washington Post* A NY Times Culture Bestseller * An Entertainment Weekly Best Pop Culture Book of 2015 * A Booklist Top Ten Arts Book of 2015 *A lively and colorful biography of Hollywood's first superagent--one of the most outrageous showbiz characters of the 1960s and 1970s whose clients included Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Faye Dunaway, Michael Caine, and Candice BergenBefore Sue Mengers hit the scene in the mid-1960s, talent agents remained quietly in the background. But staying in the background was not possible for Mengers. Irrepressible and loaded with chutzpah, she became a driving force of Creative Management Associates (which later became ICM) handling the era's preeminent stars.A true original with a gift for making the biggest stars in Hollywood listen to hard truths about their careers and personal lives, Mengers became a force to be reckoned with. Her salesmanship never stopped. In 1979, she was on a plane that was commandeered by a hijacker, who wanted Charlton Heston to deliver a message on television. Mengers was incensed, wondering why the hijacker wanted Heston, when she could get him Barbra Streisand.Acclaimed biographer Brian Kellow spins an irresistible tale, exhaustively researched and filled with anecdotes about and interviews more than two hundred show-business luminaries. A riveting biography of a powerful woman that charts show business as it evolved from New York City in the 1950s through Hollywood in the early 1980s, Can I Go Now? will mesmerize anyone who loves cinema's most fruitful period.From the Hardcover edition.
Can I Have My Ball Back?: A memoir of masculinity, mortality and my right testicle
by Richard Herring'Very funny, moving and heartwarming' BOB MORTIMERIf we are cowardly, we are told to grow someIf we're brave, we're said to have huge onesIf it's cold, they are liable to fall off - even if you're a brass monkeyIf we're in trouble, someone will threaten to break themIf we have to work hard, we might very well bust themIf we're in somebody's thrall, then they've got us by themAbout fifteen years ago, Richard Herring first took part in a campaign to encourage men to have a little (non-sexual) feel of their balls every now and again. But it was embarrassing and weird, and if there was something wrong, he didn't want to know about it.Anyway, that kind of stuff only happens to other people, doesn't it?At the start of 2021 Richard Herring was diagnosed with testicular cancer. For a man whose output includes a stand-up tour titled Talking Cock and who regularly interrogates our attitudes towards masculinity, it was a diagnosis that came with additional layers of complexity.Telling Rich's personal story alongside an exploration of what defines masculinity and 'maleness' in society, Can I Have My Ball Back? is not your typical cancer memoir. Whether they're nuts, bollocks, gonads or family jewels; from the phrase 'grow some balls' to infamous WWII songs about Hitler; Rich unpicks the tangle of emotions around his own testing times.
Can I Have My Ball Back?: A memoir of masculinity, mortality and my right testicle
by Richard Herring'Very funny, moving and heartwarming' BOB MORTIMERIf we are cowardly, we are told to grow someIf we're brave, we're said to have huge onesIf it's cold, they are liable to fall off - even if you're a brass monkeyIf we're in trouble, someone will threaten to break themIf we have to work hard, we might very well bust themIf we're in somebody's thrall, then they've got us by themAbout fifteen years ago, Richard Herring first took part in a campaign to encourage men to have a little (non-sexual) feel of their balls every now and again. But it was embarrassing and weird, and if there was something wrong, he didn't want to know about it.Anyway, that kind of stuff only happens to other people, doesn't it?At the start of 2021 Richard Herring was diagnosed with testicular cancer. For a man whose output includes a stand-up tour titled Talking Cock and who regularly interrogates our attitudes towards masculinity, it was a diagnosis that came with additional layers of complexity.Telling Rich's personal story alongside an exploration of what defines masculinity and 'maleness' in society, Can I Have My Ball Back? is not your typical cancer memoir. Whether they're nuts, bollocks, gonads or family jewels; from the phrase 'grow some balls' to infamous WWII songs about Hitler; Rich unpicks the tangle of emotions around his own testing times.
Can I Have My Ball Back?: A memoir of masculinity, mortality and my right testicle
by Richard HerringThis exclusive recording includes 4 audio extras that are unique to the audiobook, including interviews with Richard's wife Catie and oncologist Dr Sharma.'Very funny, moving and heartwarming' BOB MORTIMER'A bollockbuster!' ADAM BUXTONIf we are cowardly, we are told to grow someIf we're brave, we're said to have huge onesIf it's cold, they are liable to fall off - even if you're a brass monkeyIf we're in trouble, someone will threaten to break themIf we have to work hard, we might very well bust themIf we're in somebody's thrall, then they've got us by themAbout fifteen years ago, Richard Herring first took part in a campaign to encourage men to have a little (non-sexual) feel of their balls every now and again. But it was embarrassing and weird, and if there was something wrong, he didn't want to know about it. Anyway, that kind of stuff only happens to other people, doesn't it?At the start of 2021 Richard Herring was diagnosed with testicular cancer. For a man whose output includes a stand-up tour titled Talking Cock and who regularly interrogates our attitudes towards masculinity, it was a diagnosis that came with additional layers of complexity.Telling Rich's personal story alongside an exploration of what defines masculinity and 'maleness' in society, Can I Have My Ball Back? is not your typical cancer memoir. Whether they're nuts, bollocks, gonads or family jewels; from the phrase 'grow some balls' to infamous WWII songs about Hitler; Rich unpicks the tangle of emotions around his own testing times.
Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond
by Chuck Klosterman Paul ShirleyHe's been called a journeyman. Even Paul wouldn't dispute that classification. Regardless, Bill Simmons, ESPN.com's "The Sports Guy," has said of Paul Shirley, "We could finally have an answer to the question 'What would it be like if one of our friends was an NBA player?"There's no denying that Paul Shirley is the closest thing pro basketball's got to Odysseus. In Homeric fashion, he has logged time practically everywhere in the roundball universe, from six NBA cities to pro leagues in Spain and Greece to North America's pro ball Siberia, the minor leagues. Hell, he's even played in the real Siberia. And in Can I Keep My Jersey?, Shirley finally puts down roots long enough to deliver one of the great locker-room chronicles of the modern age. With sharp elbows and an even sharper wit, Shirley-whose writings have been described as "wildly entertaining" by The Wall Street Journal-drops hilarious commentary, revealing which teams have the best cheerleaders (he's spent many a time-out watching them ply their trade), why Christ is rapidly becoming every team's "sixth man," and even the best ways to get bloodstains out of your game uniform, using only an ordinary bar of soap and a hotel bathroom sink.From sharing the court with Kobe and Shaq to perusing the food court at some mall in a bush-league burg; from taking pregame layups to getting laid out by a stray knee from an NBA power forward; from hopping a limo to the team's charter jet to dashing to catch the van home from a B-league game in Tijuana, Shirley dishes on what it's like to try to make it as a professional athlete. Can I Keep My Jersey? is a rollicking, thoughtful, even thought-provoking insider's look at a pro baller's life on the fringe. Like Jim Bouton's Ball Four or John Feinstein's A Season on the Brink, Shirley's odyssey deserves to find a home on every sports fan's bookshelf.From the Hardcover edition.
Can I Let You Go?
by Cathy GlassCan I Let You Go? is the true story of Faye, a wonderful young woman who may never be able to parent her unborn child. <p><p> Faye is 24, pregnant, and has learning difficulties as a result of her mother's alcoholism. Faye is gentle, childlike and vulnerable, and normally lives with her grandparents, both of whom have mobility problems. Cathy and her children welcome Faye into their home and hearts. The care plan is for Faye to stay with Cathy until after the birth when she will return home and the baby will go for adoption. Given that Faye never goes out alone it is something of a mystery how she ever became pregnant and Faye says it's a secret. <p> To begin with Faye won't acknowledge she is pregnant or talk about the changes in her body as she worries it will upset her grandparents, but after her social worker assures her she can talk to Cathy she opens up. However, this leads to Faye realizing just how much she will lose and she changes her mind and says she wants to keep her baby. <p>Is it possible Faye could learn enough to parent her child? Cathy believes it is, and Faye's social worker is obliged to give Faye the chance.
Can I Recycle My Granny?: And Other Eco-dilemmas
by Ethan GreenhartMeet Ethan Greenhart, committed eco-activist, ethicist and campaigner. In this must-have guide, Ethan answers some of today’s most pressing environmental dilemmas such as, ‘Is it ethical to watch sport?’, ‘Is it ethical to get into an ambulance?’ and crucially, ‘Is it ethical to laugh?’Ethan makes no compromises as he advises us that having a baby is ‘an unethical crime of the highest order’ and that confetti is ‘Wedding Day acid rain’. Described as ‘One of this country’s sharpest social commentators’ (Telegraph) Brendan O’Neill has created a hugely popular fictional columnist, most famous for his contributions to online magazine, Spiked. Is it ethical to buy this book? Probably not, but it’ll be worth every tree-murdering page . . .
Can I Say No?: One Woman's Battle with a Small Word
by Stefanie PreissnerFor most of her life, Stefanie Preissner was a people-pleaser. From hair-raising sleepovers and endless offers of cake to unwanted second dates and unrealistic work demands, she said yes to everything - even if it scared her or made her uncomfortable. Until, one day, she realised that her life had become more about agreeing to other people's decisions than making any of her own. What did she want? And how would she figure this out?So Stefanie made a decision: she would start saying no. To everything. Hilarious and honest, Can I Say No? follows Stefanie through managing her fear of disappointing people, the thrill of setting boundaries, and finally coming to understand that she was worth more than the sum of her yeses. But is 'no' always the right answer? And what's the secret to finding the right balance so you can say YES to who you really are?'What Stefanie captures so beautifully is that our value and worth are not tied to saying yes to everything that's asked of us' Arianna Huffington
Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums
by Gavin Edwards Travis BarkerTravis Barker's soul-baring memoir chronicles the highlights and lowlights of the renowned drummer's art and his life, including the harrowing plane crash that nearly killed him and his traumatic road to recovery--a fascinating never-before-told-in-full story of personal reinvention grounded in musical salvation and fatherhood.<P><P>After breaking out as the acclaimed drummer of the multiplatinum punk band Blink-182, everything changed for Travis Barker. But the dark side of rock stardom took its toll: his marriage, chronicled for an MTV reality show, fell apart. Constant touring concealed a serious drug addiction. A reckoning did not truly come until he was forced to face mortality: His life nearly ended in a horrifying plane crash, and then his close friend, collaborator, and fellow crash survivor DJ AM died of an overdose.In this blunt, driving memoir, Barker ruminates on rock stardom, fatherhood, death, loss, and redemption, sharing stories shaped by decades' worth of hard-earned insights. His pulsating memoir is as energetic as his acclaimed beats. It brings to a close the first chapters of a well-lived life, inspiring readers to follow the rhythms of their own hearts and find meaning in their lives.
Can I See Your I.D. , Son?
by Heath KizzierQuite often an actor bursts on the scene and everyone says, 'He's an overnight success.' But this is a true story of one actor whose road to the top was winding and filled with potholes. The reader will follow the author on an adventure from his childhood days homeless in the Colorado Rockies, to the pinacle of success as a television actor. But this difficult exploration can also be funny and ironic--from encounters with a bear, to an earthquake, to an evil mountain in the Alps that nearly kills him. Along the way you can listen to the inner voices of a man coming of age and reaching a dream he might not have known existed without his own determination. You will laugh, you might cry, and you will certainly be entertained by this revealing story.
Can I See Your I.D.?: True Stories of False Identities
by Paul Barton Chris HoppeTrue crime, desperation, fraud, and adventure: From the impoverished young woman who enchanted nineteenth-century British society as a faux Asian princess, to the sixteen-year-old boy who "stole" a subway train in 1993, to the lonely but clever Frank Abagnale of Catch Me if You Can fame, these ten vignettes offer riveting insight into mind-blowing masquerades. Graphic panels draw you into the exploits of these pretenders, and meticulously researched details keep you on the edge of your seat. Each scene is presented in the second person, a unique point of view that literally places you inside the faker's mind. With motivations that include survival, delusion, and plain, old-fashioned greed, the psychology of deception has never been so fascinating or so close at hand.
Can Russia Modernise?
by Alena V. LedenevaIn this original, bottom-up account of the evolution of contemporary Russia, Alena Ledeneva seeks to reveal how informal power operates. Concentrating on Vladimir Putin's system of governance - referred to as 'sistema' - she identifies four key types of networks: his inner circle, useful friends, core contacts and more diffuse ties and connections. These networks serve 'sistema' but also serve themselves. Reliance on networks enables leaders to mobilise and to control, yet they also lock politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen into informal deals, mediated interests and personalised loyalty. This is the 'modernisation trap of informality': one cannot use the potential of informal networks without triggering their negative long-term consequences for institutional development. Ledeneva's perspective on informal power is based on in-depth interviews with 'sistema' insiders and enhanced by evidence of its workings brought to light in court cases, enabling her to draw broad conclusions about the prospects for Russia's political institutions.
Can Themba: The Making and Breaking of the Intellectual Tsotsi, a Biography
by Siphiwo MahalaMahala's biography gives insight into the life and writing of Can Themba (1924–1967), an iconic figure of the South African literary world and Drum journalist who died in exileThis rich and absorbing biography of Can Themba, iconic Drum-era journalist and writer, is the definitive history of a larger-than-life man who died too young. Siphiwo Mahala's intensive and often fresh research features unprecedented archival access and interviews with Themba's surviving colleagues and family.Mahala’s biography takes a critical historical approach to Themba’s life and writing, giving a picture of the whole man, from his early beginnings in Marabastad to his sombre end in exile in Swaziland. The better-known elements of his life – his political views, passion for teaching and mentoring, family life and his drinking – are woven together with an examination of his literary influences and the impact of his own writing (especially his famous short story 'The Suit') on modern African writers in turn. Mahala, a master storyteller, deftly follows the threads of Themba's dynamic life, showcasing his intellectual acumen, scholarly aptitude and wit, along with his flaws, contradictions and heartbreaks, against a backdrop of the sparkle and pathos of Sophiatown of the 1950s.Can Themba’s successes and failures as well as his triumphs and tribulations reverberate on the pages of this long-awaited biography. The result is an authoritative and entertaining account of an often misunderstood figure in South Africa's literary canon.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?: Memoirs of a Literary Forger
by Lee IsraelNow a major motion picture starring Melissa McCarthy—Lee Israel’s hilarious and shocking memoir of the astonishing caper she carried on for almost two years when she forged and sold more than three hundred letters by such literary notables as Dorothy Parker, Edna Ferber, Noel Coward, and many others.Before turning to her life of crime—running a one-woman forgery business out of a phone booth in a Greenwich Village bar and even dodging the FBI—Lee Israel had a legitimate career as an author of biographies. Her first book on Tallulah Bankhead was a New York Times bestseller, and her second, on the late journalist and reporter Dorothy Kilgallen, made a splash in the headlines. But by 1990, almost broke and desperate to hang onto her Upper West Side studio, Lee made a bold and irreversible career change: inspired by a letter she’d received once from Katharine Hepburn, and armed with her considerable skills as a researcher and celebrity biographer, she began to forge letters in the voices of literary greats. Between 1990 and 1991, she wrote more than three hundred letters in the voices of, among others, Dorothy Parker, Louise Brooks, Edna Ferber, Lillian Hellman, and Noel Coward—and sold the forgeries to memorabilia and autograph dealers. “Lee Israel is deft, funny, and eminently entertaining…[in her] gentle parable about the modern culture of fame, about those who worship it, those who strive for it, and those who trade in its relics” (The Associated Press). Exquisitely written, with reproductions of her marvelous forgeries, Can You Ever Forgive Me? is “a slender, sordid, and pretty damned fabulous book about her misadventures” (The New York Times Book Review).
Can You Ever Forgive Me?: Memoirs of a Literary Forger
by Lee IsraelBefore turning to the criminal life, running a onewoman forgery scam out of an Upper West Side studio shared with her tortoiseshell cat, and dodging the FBI, Lee Israel enjoyed a celebrated reputation as an author. When her writing career suddenly took a turn for the worse, she conceived of the astonishing literary scheme that fooled even many of the experts. Forging hundreds of letters from such collectible luminaries as Dorothy Parker, Noël Coward, and Lillian Hellman -- and recreating their autographs with a flourish -- Israel sold her "memorabilia" to dealers across the country, producing a collection of pitch-perfect imitations virtually indistinguishable from the voices of their real-life counterparts. Exquisitely written, with reproductions of her marvelous forgeries, Can You Ever Forgive Me? is Israel's delightful, hilarious memoir of a brilliant and audacious literary crime caper.
Can You Hear Me Now?: How I Found My Voice and Learned to Live with Passion and Purpose
by Celina Caesar-ChavannesIn Can You Hear Me Now?, Celina Caesar-Chavannes digs deep into her childhood and her life as a young Black woman entrepreneur and politician, and shows us that effective and humane leaders grow as much from their mistakes and vulnerabilities as from their strengths.Celina Caesar-Chavannes, already a breaker of boundaries as a Black woman in business, got into politics because she wanted to make a bigger difference in the world. But when she became the first Black person elected to represent the federal riding of Whitby, Ontario, she hadn't really thought about the fact that Ottawa wasn't designed for someone like her. Celina soon found herself both making waves and breaking down, confronting at night, alone in her Ottawa apartment, all the painful beauty of her childhood and her troubled early adult life. She paid the price for speaking out about micro-aggressions and speaking up for her community and her riding, but she also felt exhilaration and empowerment. As she writes, "This is not your typical leadership book where the person is placed in a situation and miraculously comes up with the right response for the wicked problem. This is the story of me falling in love, at last, with who I am, and finding my voice in the unlikeliest of places." Both memoir and leadership book, Can You Hear Me Now? is a funny, self-aware, poignant, confessional and fierce look at how failing badly and screwing things up completely are truly more powerful lessons in how to conduct a life than extraordinary success. They build an utter honesty with yourself and others that allows you to say things nobody else dares to say--the necessary things about navigating the places that weren't built for you and holding firm to your principles. And, if you do that, you will help build a world where inclusion is real. Just as Celina is now trying to do, in all her brilliance and boldness.