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Crusader: General Donn Starry and the Army of His Times
by Mike GuardiaThe biography of US Army general Donn Starry, creator of the AirLand Battle doctrine that led to victory in Operation Desert Storm. Donn Starry, one of the most influential commanders of the Vietnam War, went on to become one of the &“intellectual giants&” who reshaped the US Army and, throughout his career, worked to improve training, leadership, and conditions for the men who served under him. Starry was a leading advocate for tank warfare in Vietnam. His recommendations helped shape the American armor position in Southeast Asia and paved the way for his success as commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry during the invasion of Cambodia. As commander of Fort Knox and the US Army Armor School in the 1970s, Starry brought new advances to armor tactics, training, and strategy. Most notably, he created the new &“AirLand Battle&” doctrine, which paved the way for a decisive US victory in the Gulf War. Like most Vietnam-era commanders, Starry&’s legacy has been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the war itself—but few have had as much of an impact on modern maneuver warfare. In this new biography of Gen. Donn Starry, armor officer Mike Guardia examines the life and work of this pioneering officer using extracts from interviews with veterans and family, as well as from Starry&’s personal papers.
The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism
by Paul KengorBased on extraordinary research: a major reassessment of Ronald Reagan's lifelong crusade to dismantle the Soviet Empire–including shocking revelations about the liberal American politician who tried to collude with USSR to counter Reagan's efforts Paul Kengor's God and Ronald Reagan made presidential historian Paul Kengor's name as one of the premier chroniclers of the life and career of the 40th president. Now, with The Crusader, Kengor returns with the one book about Reagan that has not been written: The story of his lifelong crusade against communism, and of his dogged–and ultimately triumphant–effort to overthrow the Soviet Union. Drawing upon reams of newly declassified presidential papers, as well as untapped Soviet media archives and new interviews with key players, Kengor traces Reagan's efforts to target the Soviet Union from his days as governor of California to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of what he famously dubbed the "Evil Empire." The result is a major revision and enhancement of what historians are only beginning to realize: That Reagan not only wished for the collapse of communism, but had a deep and specific understanding of what it would take––and effected dozens of policy shifts that brought the USSR to its heels within a decade of his presidency. The Crusader makes use of key sources from behind the Iron Curtain, including one key memo that implicates a major American liberal politician–still in office today–in a scheme to enlist Soviet premier Yuri Andropov to help defeat Reagan's 1984 reelection bid. Such new finds make The Crusader not just a work of extraordinary history, but a work of explosive revelation that will be debated as hotly in 2006 as Reagan's policies were in the 1980s.
The Crusader: The Life and Tumultuous Times of Pat Buchanan
by Timothy StanleyThe Crusader tells the fascinating life story of Pat Buchanan, the three-time presidential candidate, Nixon confidant, White House communications director during Iran-Contra, pundit, and bestselling author.Buchanan is one of America's most controversial conservative rebels. After serving Nixon and Reagan, he led a revolt against the Republican establishment that was a forerunner for the Tea Party. In 1992 he tried to take away his party's nomination from the incumbent president, George H. W. Bush. Although he lost, Buchanan set the tone for political debate for the next two decades when he declared a "cultural war" against liberalism and a jihad on Republican moderates. Throughout the 1990s, his radical, rollicking presidential campaigns tore apart the GOP and articulated the hopes and fears of a new generation of Middle American conservatives. This balanced, and often funny, biography explores the highs and lows of Buchanan's career, from his stunning victory in the 1996 New Hampshire primary to his humiliating "grudge match" against Donald Trump in the 2000 Reform Party contest. At its heart is a man who embodies the contradictions of the conservative movement: a wealthy bookworm who branded himself as an everyman reactionary, a Republican insider who became a populist outsider, a patriarch whose campaigns were directed by his sister, a socially unacceptable ideologue who won the affection of liberals and conservatives alike—Rachel Maddow, Ralph Nader, Eugene McCarthy, Ron Paul, even Mel Gibson.Timothy Stanley tells the intimate story of the man who defined the culture war for a generation of Americans with outrage and wit; the man who, when asked what he thought about gun control, replied, "I think it's important to have a steady aim."
Crusader for Justice: Federal Judge Damon J. Keith
by Mitch Albom Peter J. Hammer Trevor W. ColemanThe Honorable Damon J. Keith was appointed to the federal bench in 1967 and has served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 1977, where he has been an eloquent defender of civil and constitutional rights and a vigorous enforcer of civil rights law. In Crusader for Justice: Federal Judge Damon J. Keith, authors Peter J. Hammer and Trevor W. Coleman presents the first ever biography of native Detroiter Judge Keith, surveying his education, important influences, major cases, and professional and personal commitments. Along the way, the authors consult a host of Keith's notable friends and colleagues, including former White House deputy counsel John Dean, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and industrialist Edsel Ford II for this candid and comprehensive volume.Hammer and Coleman trace Keith's early life, from his public school days in Detroit to his time serving in the segregated U.S. army and his law school years at Howard University at the dawn of the Civil Rights era. They reveal how Keith's passion for racial and social justice informed his career, as he became co-chairman of Michigan's first Civil Rights Commission and negotiated the politics of his appointment to the federal judiciary. The authors go on to detail Keith's most famous cases, including the Pontiac Busing and Hamtramck Housing cases, the 1977 Detroit Police affirmative action case, the so-called Keith Case (United States v. U.S. District Court), and the Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft case in 2002. They also trace Keith's personal commitment to mentoring young black lawyers, provide a candid look behind the scenes at the dynamics and politics of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and even discuss some of Keith's difficult relationships, for instance with the Detroit NAACP and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Judge Keith's forty-five years on the bench offer a unique viewpoint on a tumultuous era of American and legal history. Readers interested in Civil Rights-era law, politics, and personalities will appreciate the portrait of Keith's fortitude and conviction in Crusader for Justice.More information can be found at crusaderforjustice.com
A Crusader Of France: The Letters Of Captain Ferdinand Belmont Of The Chasseurs Alpins (August 2, 1914-December 28, #1915)
by George Frederic Lees Captain Ferdinand BelmontThe Chasseurs Alpins, trained to fight in the mountains that border France, were and are to this day considered among the elite of the French Army. It was in the mountains of the Alsace region during the First World War that Captain Ferdinand Belmont fell prey to German fire. He was a soldier of rare ability fighting, decorated with the Légion d'Honneur and mentioned in despatches three times, but does not truly paint the picture of the man. A doctor by profession, he volunteered for front-line service along with his brother and was described by his superiors only in the most glowing terms as both a man and a soldier. In his letters home, Captain Belmont provides a detailed and rich picture of his men, full of the thoughtful musings of an educated man on the strains of war. His encounters with the enemy were fairly numerous and are detailed from his first clashes on the Somme up to the mountain fighting in the Vosges, with not a little venom directed at his German foe. During the bitter struggles for the mountain peak at Hartmannswillerkopf, he and his men suffered heavy casualties, and during a barrage, Captain Belmont was wounded by a shell splinter that took off his right arm, a wound that proved fatal.
Crusaders and Revolutionaries of the Thirteenth Century: De Montfort
by Darren BakerThis family biography charts the rise and fall of the medieval dynasty credited with establishing England’s parliamentary system.Originally from France, the de Montfort family grew to prominence during the 13th century as heroes of the Crusades. Winning lordships around the Mediterranean, they married into the English aristocracy and ascended to an Earlship. Historian Darren Baker explores the family history, dispelling misconceptions and shedding light on its most significant members.Simon de Montfort, a renowned commander of the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in France, ascended to the peerage as the 5th Earl of Leicester. But it is his son and namesake who is perhaps the best known. Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, led the Second Baron’s War against King Henry III and established the first parliamentary state in Europe.After Simon’s death at Evesham in 1265, the family falls into decline. Their fate is sealed when their role in a vengeful political murder scandalizes Europe. The lineage ends when Eleanor de Montfort, the last Princess of Wales, dies in childbirth and her daughter is raised as a nun.
Crusaders and Revolutionaries of the Thirteenth Century: De Montfort
by Darren BakerThis family biography charts the rise and fall of the medieval dynasty credited with establishing England’s parliamentary system.Originally from France, the de Montfort family grew to prominence during the 13th century as heroes of the Crusades. Winning lordships around the Mediterranean, they married into the English aristocracy and ascended to an Earlship. Historian Darren Baker explores the family history, dispelling misconceptions and shedding light on its most significant members.Simon de Montfort, a renowned commander of the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in France, ascended to the peerage as the 5th Earl of Leicester. But it is his son and namesake who is perhaps the best known. Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, led the Second Baron’s War against King Henry III and established the first parliamentary state in Europe.After Simon’s death at Evesham in 1265, the family falls into decline. Their fate is sealed when their role in a vengeful political murder scandalizes Europe. The lineage ends when Eleanor de Montfort, the last Princess of Wales, dies in childbirth and her daughter is raised as a nun.
Crusaders in the Courts: How a Dedicated Band of Lawyers Fought for the Civil Rights Revolution
by Jack GreenbergStory of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
The Crusading General: The Life of General Sir Bernard Paget GCB DSO MC
by Julian PagetBernard Paget enjoyed a hugely successful military career which culminated in his top level appointments in WW2. As C-in-C Home Forces and the C-in-C 21st Army Group he was responsible for preparing the Army for the long awaited Second Front in Europe in 1944. To his lasting chagrin he was not to use in battle the weapon that he had shaped and tempered. He proved himself both a gallant soldier in the Great War and a shrewd commander in the dire conditions of the ill-fated Norway campaign.It was as a trainer that he excelled and this ideally fitted him for his wartime appointments. An irascible, brusque and, at times, downright rude man, possibly due to constant pain from his war wounds, he nonetheless worked well with Alanbrooke (the CIGS) but he had, like many others, a stormy relationship with Monty who, to Pagets deep disappointment, took over 21st Army Group from him prior to D-Day. Paget was made Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, a key post previously held by Wavell, Alexander and Jumbo Wilson. This book throws fresh light on other major World War II figures.After retiring in 1946 he pursued a full career both in education and charities. Although one of the most influential generals of his time, due to circumstances, and possible character, he was regarded as always the bridesmaid and never the bride. But his contribution to victory cannot be overestimated.
Crusading Iowa Journalist Verne Marshall: Exposing Graft and the 1936 Pulitzer Prize
by Jerry HarringtonOn December 12, 1934, police raided a canning factory in Cedar Rapids, uncovering an illegal liquor and gambling set-up. Verne Marshall, tempestuous editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, sensed a bigger story and a wider network of corruption. His aggressive investigative reporting led to multiple resignations, nearly fifty indictments and the dramatic trial of the state's attorney general. These explosive exposés earned Verne Marshall and the paper the 1936 Pulitzer Prize. Author Jerry Harrington traces the legacy of Marshall's incendiary crusade across Iowa's political landscape.
CRUSH: Writers Reflect on Love, Longing, and the Lasting Power of Their First Celebrity Crush
by Cathy Alter Dave Singleton“Jodi Picoult, James Franco, and Stephen King are among the starry-eyed standouts” in this collection of captivating essays about a first celebrity crush (Elle).Crush brings together stories of heartbreak, humiliation, and hilarity from a roster of popular luminaries, including James Franco, Carrie Fisher, Stephen King, Roxane Gay, Jodi Picoult, Emily Gould, and Hanna Rosin, who share intimate memories of that first intense taste of love. Here are funny, whimsical, sometimes cringe-worthy tales of falling head over heels for River Phoenix, Mary Tyler Moore, Howard Cosell, Jared Leto, and a host of other pop culture icons.A few contributors channeled their devotion into obsessively writing embarrassing fan letters. Some taped pics in school lockers. Others decorated their bedroom walls with posters. For tweenaged Karin Tanabe, it was discovering bad boy Andy Garcia—playing the gun-loving mobster Vincent Corleone in The Godfather III. Barbara Graham unsuccessfully staked out an apartment on Park Avenue for a glimpse of her blue-eyed soulmate, Paul Newman. There was only one puppy for six-year-old Jodi Picoult—Donny Osmond—while Jamie Brisick’s pre-teen addiction was Speed Racer.Swoon-worthy and unforgettable, the essays in Crush will leave you laughing, make you cry, and keep you enthralled—just like your first celebrity crush.“Charming.” —Entertainment Weekly“A wonderful collection.” —People, a People Book of the Week“Enthralling.” —In Touch Weekly“[A] box of treats . . . There’s a lot to enjoy in these three dozen pieces.” —The Washington Post“The seemingly lightweight premise of an anthology built around celebrity crushes yields an outstanding selection of poignant and thought-provoking stories.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Crushing Soft Rubies: A Memoir (10th Anniversary Edition)
by Janet C. StickmonCrushing Soft Rubies is the place where spirit, culture, and survival meet. It is the story of a Filipino-African-American who is caught between the death of her parents and the desperate need to define herself--not as an orphan, but as a strong woman who is willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure that her past does not become a barrier to her future. Janet, now a teacher and a married woman, leads us through the intense details of her story. From her childhood home being burned to the ground, to the joys and conflicts with her Filipino family, to seeking a connection to her African-American heritage, and then to the beautiful moment of her marriage, Janet navigates the rough waters of love, spirit, identity, and survival, maintaining a life filled with faith and wonder.
Crusoe
by Katherine FrankIt is January 1719 and Daniel Defoe, almost sixty, sits at a table, writing. He is troubled with gout and debt, but for now is preoccupied with a younger man on a barren shore – Robinson Crusoe, for which he will principally be remembered. Several miles south, an old man, Robert Knox, is bent over a heavy volume. It is Historical Relation, his account of being held captive on Ceylon, published forty years ago after he escaped and returned to England. It has long been out of print, but a copy perhaps sits on the desk of Daniel Defoe as he writes. Where did Crusoe come from? And what is the secret of his endurance? Crusoe explores the intertwined lives of two real men – Daniel Defoe and Robert Knox – and the character and book that emerged from their peculiar conjunction. It is the biography of a book and its hero, the story of Defoe, the man who wrote Robinson Crusoe, and of Robert Knox, the man who was Crusoe.
Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail
by Mike Rendell&“Fascinating&” stories of real-life people and events that inspired the author of the classic adventure novel Robinson Crusoe (Historical Novel Society). This book looks at some of the stories that inspired Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe—stories of bravery, determination, and good fortune, as well as human negligence, sheer stupidity, and bad luck. In addition to an overview of Defoe&’s life and his monumentally successful novel, it also considers some of the reasons why people found themselves cast away—as a result of being wrecked, abandoned as a punishment, or marooned by pirates, or even out of deliberate choice. Major hurricanes in the eighteenth century causing huge damage to shipping and loss of life are also covered, along with catastrophes when ships were lost, and astonishing tales of survival in the face of adversity—down in the Falklands, in the Caribbean, and off the coast of Australia. It looks at how being cast away brings out the best in some—and in others the very worst. And it examines perhaps the most astonishing story of them all—sixty slaves abandoned on a desolate treeless island in the Indian Ocean and left there for fifteen years, some of whom survived against all odds.
Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir
by Jean GuerreroA daughter’s quest to understand her charismatic and troubled father, an immigrant who crosses borders both real and illusory—between sanity and madness, science and spirituality, life and death <P><P>Winner of the PEN/FUSION Emerging Writers Prize Throughout Jean Guerrero’s childhood, her father, Marco Antonio, was an erratic and elusive presence. A self-taught genius at fixing, creating, and conjuring things—and capable of transforming himself into a shaman, dreamcaster, or animal whisperer in his enchanted daughter’s eyes—he gradually began to lose himself in his peculiar obsessions, careening wildly between reality and hallucination. In time, he fled his family and responsibilities—to Asia, Europe, and eventually back to Mexico. He succumbed to drug- and alcohol-fueled manias, while suffering the effects of what he said were CIA mind-control experiments. As soon as she was old enough, Jean set out after him. <P><P>Now a journalist, she used the tools of her trade, hoping to find answers to the questions he left behind. In this lyrical, haunting memoir, Jean Guerrero tries to locate the border between truth and fantasy as she searches for explanations for her father’s behavior. <P><P>Refusing to accept an alleged schizophrenia diagnosis at face value, she takes Marco Antonio’s dark paranoia seriously and investigates all his wildest claims. She crisscrosses the Mexican-American border to unearth the stories of cousins and grandparents and discovers a chain of fabulists and mystics in her lineage, going back to her great-great-grandmother, a clairvoyant curandera who was paid to summon spirits from the afterlife. <P><P>As she delves deeper and deeper into her family’s shadowy past, Jean begins mirroring her father’s self-destructive behavior. She risks death on her adventures, imperiling everything in her journey to redeem her father from the underworld of his delusions. In the tradition of engrossing family memoirs like The Liar’s Club and The Glass Castle, Crux is both a riveting adventure story and a profoundly original exploration of the human psyche, the mysteries of our most intimate relationships—and ourselves.
Cruzadas e os Soldados da Cruz: Os 10 Cruzados Mais Importantes
by Débora Souza Santos Michael Rank10 pequenas biografias dos combatentes mais importantes das cruzadas 'As Cruzadas e os Soldados da Cruz' é um novo livro interessante de autor best-seller e historiador Michael Rank sobre a missão para reconquistar a Terra Santa. Ele observa a vida e tempos das 10 pessoas mais importantes em um dos momentos mais interessantes da história, abrangendo de 1095 a 1212. Quer se trate de Pedro, o Eremita, levantando um exército de 100.000 camponeses para lutar nas cruzadas na Terra Santa com nada além de forcados, ou Balduíno IV pessoalmente liderando suas forças contra Saladino, apesar de sofrer com lepra terminal, estes personagens lendários foram obrigados a abandonar suas extensas posses territoriais para embarcar em uma aventura perigosa contra um inimigo superior. Este livro vai observar as razões que fizeram estas 10 figuras se juntarem às cruzadas. Talvez fosse pela glória nas batalhas, como foi o caso de Ricardo Coração de Leão. Para outros, era simplesmente curiosidade, como Leonor da Aquitânia, que acrescentou a verve dramática à situação e trouxe 300 servas vestidas de armadura decorativa e carregando lanças, enquanto marchavam para Jerusalém. Para muitos, foi uma simples convicção de fé, como os milhares cruzados mirins, que, segundo a lenda, marcharam para o mar Mediterrâneo e esperavam que ele se abrisse para eles como o mar vermelho tinha feito para Moisés. Qualquer que fossem seus antecedentes, estes 10 participantes das cruzadas demonstram que uma pessoa disposta a enfrentar a jornada extremamente perigosa, viajando para a um continente diferente sobre a terra, ainda por cima, tinham uma personalidade adequada para a época fascinante em que viviam.
Las Cruzadas Y Los Soldados De La Cruz
by Michael Rank Sandra Cifuentes DowlingDescripción del libro: "Las Cruzadas y los Soldados de la Cruz" es un emocionante libro recién publicado del historiador súper ventas Michael Rank sobre aquella remota epopeya por la recuperación de Tierra Santa. En él se analizan la vida y época de 10 personajes relevantes durante una de las etapas históricas más interesantes jamás vividas, cubriendo el período entre los años 1095 y 1212. Ya sea Pedro el Ermitaño conduciendo un ejército de 100.000 campesinos hasta Tierra Santa sin más pertrecho que simples horcas o Balduino IV quien lideró personalmente a sus tropas contra Saladino a pesar de ser un leproso terminal, estas figuras legendarias se sintieron obligadas a abandonar sus vastos territorios para embarcarse en una peligrosa aventura contra un enemigo considerablemente superior. Estudiaremos las razones que llevaron a estos 10 personajes a efectuar tamaño sacrificio. Para algunos pudo tratarse de afán por alcanzar la gloria en el campo de batalla, como es el caso de Ricardo Corazón de León. Para otros, mera curiosidad, como Leonor de Aquitania, quien le añadió un garbo espectacular a la contienda viajando protegida por lanzas hasta Jerusalén y en compañía de 300 sirvientas ataviadas con armaduras meramente decorativas. Y para muchos se trató de simple convicción religiosa, como aquellos miles de niños cruzados que marcharon, según se cuenta, hasta la costa mediterránea en espera de que el mar se abriera ante sus ojos tal como el Mar Rojo lo había hecho ante Moisés. Cualquiera haya sido su motivación personal, estos 10 protagonistas de las Cruzadas demuestran que la voluntad de afrontar un viaje tremendamente peligroso hasta otro continente indica que su personalidad fue la precisa para el fascinante tiempo en que les correspondió vivir.
Cry and You Cry Alone: The Girl Who Vowed She'd Never Forget
by Rosalinda V. HuttonAfter an idyllic early childhood in Surrey, Linda's life descended into poverty and chaos when her parents' marriage crumbled and her unstable mother's sanity declined.She experienced a brief period of comfort in a caring foster home before being plunged into the dark, terrifying world of a 1960s institution. St Anne's Convent, Orpington, was a Catholic children's home run by the infamous Sisters of Mercy and a former monk who inflicted bizarre and barbaric beliefs and practices on the children in his care.Cry and You Cry Alone is the achingly honest story of a survivor of shocking child abuse that took place in the heart of an English suburb.
Cry Havoc
by Simon Mann<p>For the first time since he was released from five years' incarceration in some of Africa's toughest prisons, making worldwide headlines, Simon Mann breaks his silence to tell everything. <p>Simon Mann's remarkable firsthand account of his life reads like a thriller, taking readers into the world of mercenaries and spooks, of murky international politics, big oil and big bucks, action, danger, love, despair, and betrayal. On March 7, 2004, former SAS soldier and mercenary Simon Mann prepared to take off from Harare International Airport. His destination was Equatorial Guinea; his was intention to remove one of the most brutal dictators in Africa in a privately organized coup d'etat. The plot had the tacit approval of Western intelligence agencies and Mann had planned, overseen, and won two wars in Angola and Sierra Leone. So why did it go so wrong? Here he reveals the full involvement of Mark Thatcher in the coup d'etat, the endorsement of a former prime minister, and the financial involvement of two internationally famous members of the House of Lords. He also discusses how the British government approached him in the months preceding the Iraq War, to suggest ways in which a justified invasion of Iraq could be engineered. He also discusses the pain of telling his wife Amanda, who gave birth to their fourth child while he was incarcerated, that he believed he would never be freed.</p>
Cry Like a Man: Fighting for Freedom from Emotional Incarceration
by Jason Wilson Eshon BurgundyAs a leader in teaching, training, and transforming boys in Detroit, Jason Wilson shares his own story of discovering what it means to “be a man” in this life-changing memoir. His grandfather’s lynching in the deep South, the murders of his two older brothers, and his verbally harsh and absent father all worked together to form Jason Wilson’s childhood. But it was his decision to acknowledge his emotions and yield to God’s call on his life that made Wilson the man and leader he is today. As the founder of one of the country’s most esteemed youth organizations, Wilson has decades of experience in strengthening the physical, mental, and emotional spirit of boys and men. In Cry Like a Man, Wilson explains the dangers men face in our culture’s definition of “masculinity” and gives readers hope that healing is possible. As Wilson writes, “My passion is to help boys and men find strength to become courageously transparent about their own brokenness as I shed light on the symptoms and causes of childhood trauma and ‘father wounds.’ I long to see men free themselves from emotional incarceration—to see their minds renewed, souls weaned, and relationships restored.”
The Cry of the Gull
by Emmanuelle Laborit Constantina Mitchell Paul Raymond CoteA memoir by a deaf, French actress who starred in the French production of Children of a Lesser God.
Cry Purple
by Christine McdonaldThis is the story of the author's journey from almost two decades of prostitution, crack addiction and prison to her present life of blindness, motherhood and happiness.
Crying at Movies: A Memoir
by John ManderinoWhen Hitchcock's The Birds began showing in the summer of 1963 at the Dolton Theater, the starlings of Riverside, Illinois launched their attacks. They were "black, freckled, oily-looking things" with "tiny black buttons for eyes." They carried off Skippy Whalen's baseball cap, pooped on Father Rowley's finger, and attacked a feisty little dog named Tuffy who fought them off. "I blamed Hitchcock" says the author, a Catholic grammar school student at the time. In this comical, witty memoir, John Manderino shows us how the pivotal points of his life have been enmeshed with movie moments. Crying at Movies presents thirty-eight succinct chapters, each bearing the title of a film. It is at once a love-letter to an art form and a humorous appreciation of the distinctions between movie scenes and life's realities.
Crying at the Movies: A Film Memoir
by Madelon Sprengnether"For years, I cried, not over my own losses, but at the movies. When bad things happened to me in real life, I didn't react. I seemed cool or indifferent. Yet in the dark and relative safety of the movie theater, I would weep over fictional tragedies, over someone else's tragedy."At age nine, Madelon Sprengnether watched her father drown in the Mississippi River. Her mother swallowed the family's grief whole and no one spoke of the tragedy thereafter. Only years later did Sprengnether react, and in a most unlikely place: in the theater watching the film Pather Panchali, by Satyajit Ray.In the fascinating memoir Crying at the Movies, Sprengnether looks at the sublime connections between happenings in the present, troubling events from the past, and the imagined world of movies. By examining the films she had intense emotional reactions to throughout her adult life--House of Cards, Solaris, Fearless, The Cement Garden, Shadowlands, and Blue--Sprengnether finds a way to work through her own losses, mistakes, and pain.
The Crying Book
by Heather ChristleThis bestselling "lyrical, moving book: part essay, part memoir, part surprising cultural study" is an examination of why we cry, how we cry, and what it means to cry from a woman on the cusp of motherhood confronting her own depression (The New York Times Book Review).Heather Christle has just lost a dear friend to suicide and now must reckon with her own depression and the birth of her first child. As she faces her grief and impending parenthood, she decides to research the act of crying: what it is and why people do it, even if they rarely talk about it. Along the way, she discovers an artist who designed a frozen–tear–shooting gun and a moth that feeds on the tears of other animals. She researches tear–collecting devices (lachrymatories) and explores the role white women’s tears play in racist violence.Honest, intelligent, rapturous, and surprising, Christle’s investigations look through a mosaic of science, history, and her own lived experience to find new ways of understanding life, loss, and mental illness. The Crying Book is a deeply personal tribute to the fascinating strangeness of tears and the unexpected resilience of joy.