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The Decade (Images of Modern America)
by Gabby Means Dom DisilvioThe Decade was the birthplace of rock 'n' roll in Pittsburgh, at the corner of Atwood and Sennott. The eclectic bar with parachutes covering the ceiling was home base for local bands such as the Iron City Houserockers, but it also served as a showcase for rising international recording acts, including the Police, U2, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Ramones. Under the shadow of the University of Pittsburgh, The Decade was an oasis of live rock and blues music in the 1970s to the early 1990s. The small venue had wide appeal to bands who felt they could intimately connect with their audience. Owned and operated by Dom DiSilvio, The Decade will forever be a home to many Pittsburghers, and Images of Modern America: The Decade is a home for their stories.
Decade of Disunion: How Massachusetts and South Carolina Led the Way to Civil War, 1849-1861
by Robert W. MerryExploring a critical lesson about our nation that is as timely today as ever, Decade of Disunion shows how the country came apart during the enveloping slavery crisis of the 1850s. The Mexican War brought vast new territories to the United States, which precipitated a growing crisis over slavery. The new territories seemed unsuitable for the type of agriculture that depended on slave labor, but they lay south of the line where slavery was permitted by the 1820 Missouri Compromise. The subject of expanding slavery to the new territories became a flash point between North and South. First came the 1850 compromise legislation, which strengthened the fugitive slave law and outraged the North. Then in 1854, Congress repealed the Missouri Compromise altogether, unleashing a violent conflict in &“Bleeding Kansas&” over whether that territory would become free or slave. The 1857 Dred Scott decision—abrogating any rights of African Americans, enslaved or free—further outraged the North. And John Brown&’s ill-planned 1859 attack at the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry stirred anger and fear throughout the South. Through a decade, South Carolina, whose economy depended heavily on slave labor, struggled over whether to secede in a stand-alone act of defiance or to do so only in conjunction with other states. Meanwhile, Massachusetts became the country&’s antislavery epicenter but debated whether the Constitution was worth saving in the effort to abolish bondage. Both states widened the divide between North and South until disunion became inevitable. Then, in December 1860, in the wake of the Lincoln election, South Carolina finally seceded, leading the South out of the Union. Beginning with the deaths of the great second-generation figures of American history—Calhoun, Webster, and Clay—Decade of Disunion tells the story of this great American struggle through the aims, fears, and maneuvers of the subsequent prominent figures at the center of the drama, with particular attention to the key players from Massachusetts and South Carolina. This history is a sobering reminder that democracy is not self-sustaining—it must be constantly and carefully tended.
Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford
by Jessica Mitford'These letters are a treat ... as an example of what a woman can do once she has rid herself of, or at least decided to ignore, the expectations of others - family, men, society - Jessica Mitford will always take some beating' OBSERVER'Captures history's most charming muckraker, from her friendships with Katharine Graham and Maya Angelou to her devotion to civil rights' VOGUE'Jessica Mitford is a sister of mine. If I had to go into a room with a leopard, I wouldn't hesitate to ask for her' Maya AngelouOver her 78 years, Decca's letters reveal a remarkable life - from her childhood as the daughter of a British peer to her scandalous elopement to the Spanish Civil War with her cousin, to her life in the USA, where she married a radical lawyer. The Mitford girls included Diana (who married the British fascist leader Oswald Mosley), Unity (who was close to Adolf Hitler) and Debo (who became the Duchess of Devonshire). Decca shocked them all when she joined the American Communist Party. Her letters are the stories of a century: gossip and politics, war and mores, the wonders of rapid technological change, the poignancy of personal struggles. They are also a record of her never-ending quest for social justice. This is a fascinating collection that reveals to us intimately the most ebullient Mitford of them all.
Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford
by Peter Y. SussmanOver her 78 years, Decca's letters are the most tangible tracks left of a remarkable life from her childhood as the daughter of a British peer (Lord Redesdale) to her scandalous elopement to the Spanish Civil War with her cousin Esmond Romilly, to her life in the United States, where she married a radical lawyer, Robert Treuhaft in San Francisco. The Mitford girls (five sisters) included Diana (who married the British fascist leader Oswald Mosley), Unity (who was close to Adolf Hitler) and Debo (who became the Duchess of Devonshire). Decca shocked them all when she joined the American Communist Party. Her letters are the stories of a century: gossip and politics, war and mores, the wonders of rapid technological change, the poignancy of personal struggles. They are also a record of her never-ending quest for social justice. Her letters were also a rehearsal for her published works (which included her memoir, HONS AND REBELS and her investigative masterpiece, THE AMERICAN WAY OF DEATH), which refined the first observations she threw into her letters. This is a fascinating collection that reveals to us intimately the most ebullient Mitford of them all.
Deception and Abuse at the Fed
by Robert D. Auerbach Henry B. Gonzalez Battles Alan Greenspan'S BankThe Federal Reserve-the central bank of the United States-is the most powerful peacetime bureaucracy in the federal government. Under the chairmanship of Alan Greenspan (1987-2006), the Fed achieved near mythical status for its part in managing the economy, and Greenspan was lauded as a genius. Few seemed to notice or care that Fed officials operated secretly with almost no public accountability. There was a courageous exception to this lack of oversight, however: Henry B. Gonzalez (D-TX)-chairman of the U. S. House of Representatives Financial Services (banking) Committee. In Deception and Abuse at the Fed, Robert Auerbach, a former banking committee investigator, recounts major instances of Fed mismanagement and abuse of power that were exposed by Rep. Gonzalez, including:- Blocking Congress and the public from holding powerful Fed officials accountable by falsely declaring-for 17 years-it had no transcripts of its meetings;- Manipulating the stock and bond markets in 1994 under cover of a preemptive strike against inflation;- Allowing $5. 5 billion to be sent to Saddam Hussein from a small Atlanta branch of a foreign bank-the result of faulty bank examination practices by the Fed;- Stonewalling Congressional investigations and misleading the Washington Post about the $6,300 found on the Watergate burglars. Auerbach provides documentation of these and other abuses at the Fed, which confirms Rep. Gonzalez's belief that no government agency should be allowed to operate with the secrecy and independence in which the Federal Reserve has shrouded itself. Auerbach concludes with recommendations for specific, broad-ranging reforms that will make the Fed accountable to the government and the people of the United States.
“Deceptive game of the light.”: SERBIAN (1 #1000)
by Snezana Pisaric MilicBook description: An exciting story about two women they talk about their fates. Six love stories in a novel. One woman is young, the other old. Events in the Balkans - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The love of Christians and Muslims. The war is over. Translation from Google Translate
Decidí contarlo
by Isabel López Giraldo Guillermo PerryEste libro cuenta una historia asombrosa, la historia de la transformación económica, social e institucional de Colombia durante los últimos 50 años, de 1969 a 2019. El libro podría dividirse en dos partes, la primera, que va de 1968 a 1996, es una historia contada desde adentro, desde las entrañas, por un protagonista y testigo excepcional: director de impuestos, ministro en dos ocasiones, constituyente, asesor. Esta es en buena medida un ejercicio memorístico, las memorias de un técnico que, de manera ambivalente, con dudas al comienzo y con convicción después, ingresa al mundo de la política. La segunda parte, que va desde 1996 a 2018, es más analítica, es una historia ya no contada desde adentro, sino desde afuera, con la distancia escéptica que dan los años y el desapego al poder. En las dos partes hay anécdotas y reflexiones, pero la perspectiva es diferente. Los recuerdos cuentan más en la primera. Los análisis más en la segunda. La primera y la segunda parte están divididas por una decisión trascendental, un dilema trágico (la lealtad y la moralidad no siempre son compatibles) que definió la trayectoria profesional del autor: su renuncia al gobierno de Ernesto Samper una vez se hizo público que la campaña había sido financiada en parte con dineros del narcotráfico. La crítica ha dicho... Testigo y protagonista. Así puede describirse este libro escrito por alguien que a lo largo de medio siglo de vida y profesional, estuvo involucrado en varias de las grandes decisiones que marcaron no solo el destino de la economía colombiana, sino el rumbo del país. Agudo analista de su época, Perry confirma que es una de las mentes más brillantes de su generación: alguien que entiende y explica por qué el país debería progresar mucho más y las razones de no haberlo hecho. Todo ello, dicho de manera franca, con respeto a principios a los cuales sigue fiel y con la rara capacidad de poder llamar a las cosas por su nombre. En resumen, este es un texto inigualable. Ricardo Ávila, director de Portafolio Un libro de referencia para quienes quieran entender cómo se ha ido construyendo la política económica del país: las casi insuperables dificultades técnicas; los inevitables dilemas morales; las tensiones y conexiones entre las lógicas políticas y tecnocráticas; el engranaje de lo público y el poder en Colombia; el ámbito reducido en el que se toman las decisiones; el alto nivel de influencia que tienen algunas personas individualmente -sobre todo aquellas que se obsesionan con sus sueños o sus metas- y el peso que tienen las ideas en los proyectos de cada Gobierno. Perry demuestra un agudo sentido del humor y una virtud escasa en nuestro país y es que elogia y critica a todos los presidentes y Gobiernos sin importar la afinidad ideológica o personal que tenga con ellos. Sin ninguna aspiración a ganarse con él un contrato o un amigo para el futuro, el libro es no solo la recapitulación de una vida de compromiso con el país sino una invitación a los jóvenes para seguir ese camino. Juanita León, directora de La Silla Vacía
Decision at Tom’s Brook: George Custer, Tom Rosser, and the Joy of the Fight
by William J. MillerThe Battle of Tom’s Brook, recalled one Confederate soldier, was “the greatest disaster that ever befell our cavalry during the whole war.” The fight took place during the last autumn of the Civil War, when the Union General Phil Sheridan vowed to turn the crop-rich Shenandoah Valley into “a desert.” Farms and homes were burned, livestock slaughtered, and Southern families suffered. The story of the Tom’s Brook cavalry affair centers on two young men who had risen to prominence as soldiers: George A. Custer and Thomas L. Rosser. They had been fast friends since their teenage days at West Point, but the war sent them down separate paths—Custer to the Union army and Rosser to the Confederacy. Each was a born warrior who took obvious joy in the exhilaration of battle. Each possessed almost all of the traits of the ideal cavalryman—courage, intelligence, physical strength, inner-fire. Only their judgment was questionable. Their separate paths converged in the Shenandoah Valley in the summer of 1864, when Custer was ordered to destroy, and Rosser was ordered to stop him. For three days, Rosser’s gray troopers pursued and attacked the Federals. On the fourth day, October 9, the tables turned in the open fields above Tom’s Brook, where each ambitious friend sought his own advancement at the expense of the other. One capitalized upon every advantage fate threw before him, while the other, sure of his abilities in battle and eager to fight, attempted to impose his will on unfavorable circumstances and tempted fate by inviting catastrophe. This long-overlooked cavalry action had a lasting effect on mounted operations and influenced the balance of the campaign in the Valley. Based upon extensive research in primary documents and gracefully written, award-winning author William J. Miller’s Decision at Tom’s Brook presents significant new material on Thomas Rosser, and argues that his character was his destiny. Rosser’s decision-making that day changed his life and the lives of hundreds of other men. Miller’s new study is Civil War history and high personal drama at its finest.
Decision Points
by George W. BushPresident George W. Bush describes the critical decisions of his presidency and personal life. Decision Points is the extraordinary account of America's 43rd president. Shattering the conventions of political autobiography, George W. Bush offers a strikingly candid journey through the defining decisions of his life. In gripping, never-before-heard detail, President Bush brings readers inside the Texas Governor's Mansion on the night of the hotly contested 2000 election; aboard Air Force One on 9/11, in the hours after America's most devastating attack since Pearl Harbor; at the head of the table in the Situation Room in the moments before launching the war in Iraq; and behind the Oval Office desk for his historic and controversial decisions on the financial crisis, Hurricane Katrina, Afghanistan, Iran, and other issues that have shaped the first decade of the 21st century. President Bush writes honestly and directly about his flaws and mistakes, as well as his accomplishments reforming education, treating HIV/AIDS in Africa, and safeguarding the country amid chilling warnings of additional terrorist attacks. He also offers intimate new details on his decision to quit drinking, discovery of faith, and relationship with his family. A groundbreaking new brand of memoir, Decision Points will captivate supporters, surprise critics, and change perspectives on one of the most consequential eras in American history - and the man at the center of events.
The Decision to Kill: A True Crime Story of a Teenage Killer and the Mother Who Loved Him
by Leslie GhiglieriA family tragedy propels this gripping true crime debut as a mother searches for answers in the shocking murder of her husband—and conviction of her son.In the early morning of October 18, 1986, Cherie Wier’s life collapses when her teenage son takes the life of her beloved husband. For years, Cherie grapples with events preceding and following the crime, struggling to overcome the consuming grief she suffers from her loss and the difficulty she faces as she attempts to forgive her son. The courtroom accounts of gruesome details and the shocking testimonies from experts, only add to Cherie’s yearning to make sense of the crime. She is tormented, wanting to know how and WHY this tragedy happened and if there was anything she could have done to prevent it . . .
Decisiones difíciles
by Felipe Calderón Hinojosa«Con el liderazgo de México hemos podido ver progresos en una amplia gama de retos que son vitales para prosperar: la seguridad alimentaria, el crecimiento económico verde, el combate al cambio climático, la educación financiera... Todo esto se dio en gran parte por el liderazgo del Presidente Calderón.» Barack Obama. Reunión del G20 en Los Cabos, BCS, 2012. "Gobernar es decidir. No es ni remotamente algo simple. En las decisiones que se toman como Presidente de la República lo que está en juego es el rumbo de la nación y las condiciones de vida de decenas de millones de personas." Así comienza este recorrido en el que Felipe Calderón reflexiona sobre la compleja tarea de gobernar y lo que significa tomar decisiones en escenarios de incertidumbre, decisiones que, a fin de cuentas, nadie más quiere tomar. Al enfrentar este reto, dice el autor, es inevitable relatar las circunstancias, las vivencias, las ideas que rodean cada hecho. Así, a partir de una concepción muy particular de la política, como vocación y deber, Felipe Calderón presenta una visión de conjunto de las decisiones más difíciles que ha tomado en su trayectoria, como espectador privilegiado de la transición democrática primero y después como protagonista en momentos fundamentales del pasado reciente, en particular como Presidente de México. En un recuento crítico en el que intercala anécdotas personales y episodios inéditos hasta hoy, aborda sin cortapisas los temas más delicados de su administración, desde las elecciones en las que resultó ganador, pasando por la extinción de Luz y Fuerza, la crisis económica o la pandemia de la influenza, hasta la estrategia de seguridad implementada por su gobierno, lo cual permite al lector entrever las razones detrás de sucesos cruciales que configuraron el presente del país. Con plena concienciade que en las decisiones presidenciales es imprescindible la capacidad de preguntarse qué es lo correcto, la firmeza de carácter para actuar y la disposición de enmendar los errores que inevitablemente llegan a cometerse, Felipe Calderón finaliza la travesía con una carta dirigida a Andrés Manuel López Obrador, donde expone puntualmente su visión de la actualidad y los desafíos por venir.
Declan Farmer: Paralympic Hockey Star (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
by Matt ChandlerDeclan Farmer has never let anything hold him back. Despite being born with only partial legs, Farmer has been an avid athlete since youth. He fell in love with sled hockey and quickly became a teen sensation. Farmer has led the USA Paralympic Sled Hockey Team to not one, but two, Paralympic gold medals. Learn what it took for him to get to the podium and where he would like to go from there.
The Declaration of Independence: A Study in the History of Political Ideas
by Carl BeckerCarl Becker's important study is an analysis of the concepts expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Here is a lucid explanation of what the Declaration really is, what views it sets forth, where those views arose, and how they have been accepted or modified by succeeding generations. A book that every American should read.
The Declaration of the Rights of Women: The Originial Manifesto for Justice, Equality and Freedom
by Olympe de GougesOlympe de Gouges was the most important fighter for women's rights you've never heard of. An activist and writer in revolutionary Paris, she published 'The Declaration of the Rights of Women' in 1791, and was beheaded two years later, her articulate demands for equality proving too much for their time.Over one hundred and fifty years later, the key statements of her declaration were internationally endorsed by the United Nations in its Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which in turn went on to be legally recognized by nearly every country in the world. This volume presents both of these key texts along with enlightening and inspiring commentary from a host of powerful women, from Virginia Woolf to Hillary Clinton.
The Declaration of the Rights of Women: The Originial Manifesto for Justice, Equality and Freedom
by Olympe De GougesOlympe de Gouges was the most important fighter for women's rights you've never heard of. An activist and writer in revolutionary Paris, she published 'The Declaration of the Rights of Women' in 1791, and was beheaded two years later, her articulate demands for equality proving too much for their time.<P><P>Over one hundred and fifty years later, the key statements of her declaration were internationally endorsed by the United Nations in its Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which in turn went on to be legally recognized by nearly every country in the world. <P>This volume presents both of these key texts along with enlightening and inspiring commentary from a host of powerful women, from Virginia Woolf to Hillary Clinton.
The Declarations of Havana
by Fidel CastroIn response to the American administrations attempt to isolate Cuba, Fidel Castro delivered a series of speeches designed to unify Latin American society. Renowned radical writer and activist Tariq Ali provides a searing analysis of the relevance of Castro's message for today.
Decline And Fall Of Napoleon
by Field Marshal Viscount Garnet WolseleyThe Napoleon in power in later years may have lacked the absolute genius and resolution that his earlier campaigns displayed; however, he was more than a match for his enemies on more than one occasion. Field-Marshal Wolseley's short biography of Wellington begins in 1812, following the travails of Napoleon as he and the few survivors of the La Grande Armée trudged back from the Russian snows. As Napoleon feverishly combs depots for recruits, and conscripts more men for his army, he takes the fight to the Allies in Germany. But outnumbered, and demanding the impossible from his generals and troops, he is heavily defeated by the Allied forces. Pushed back to the borders of France, Napoleon contrives his finest campaign since the early Italian campaigns that gained him his fame. However, the number of allied forces eventually pushed him back, forcing his abdication and banishment to Elba. In the final throw of the dice, Napoleon returns to France and, despite some of his finest manoeuvring, is finally defeated at the battle of Waterloo."An admirable monograph, by the new Commander-in-Chief of the Forces,...giving in a crisp resume the last half of the career of Napoleon, ... Limited by space, there is yet a well-digested mass within these covers, clearly collated and tersely expressed..."-Theodore Aryault Dodge
Decline and Fall of Napoleon's Empire: How the Emperor Self-Destructed (World War Ii German Debriefs Ser.)
by Digby SmithUntil now, there has been no study of the significant errors that Napoleon made himself which, though apparently trivial at the time, proved to be major factors in his downfall. Digby Smith tracks his rise to power, his stewardship of France from 180415, and his exile. He highlights his military mistakes, such as his unwillingness to appoint an effective overall supremo in the Iberian Peninsula, and the decision to invade Russia while the Spanish situation was spiralling out of control.
A Decline in Prophets (Rowland Sinclair WWII Mysteries #2)
by Sulari Gentill&“I thoroughly enjoyed the glamour of the ocean voyage . . . yet all the time, simmering beneath the surface, was . . . savage violence&” —Anne Perry, New York Times–bestselling author of the Daniel Pitt series Winner of the Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel Travel back in time to 1932 and book a first-class suite on the passenger liner RMS Aquitania, but take care, for among your fellow passengers is a ruthless killer. . . . Direct threats from Australia&’s warring Right and the Left having quieted, so wealthy Rowland Sinclair and his group of bohemian friends are their way home to Sydney via New York after a lengthy stay in Europe. The wealthy Sinclair scion has treated his artist friends to first-class accommodations on the Cunard ship, the luxury liner of the day. Also on board are some members of the Theosophical Society (a spiritualism movement), as well as an aggressively conservative Irish Catholic Bishop and his cohorts. Their clash ups the tensions in first class and presents the liner&’s captain with a tricky situation when bodies start to drop. It is Sinclair&’s bad luck that he becomes a suspect in the first death, that of the Bishop&’s beautiful young niece. But before the ship docks, he is cleared and the investigation, and further crimes, are taken ashore to the Australian capital and into some of its grand country houses—and of course, Rowly and his amateur sleuth friends follow. &“[Rowland Sinclair] is a little like a male Phryne Fisher . . . Gentill has a lot of fun with a hero who is always getting paint on his immaculate tailoring.&” —The Sydney Morning Herald &“A delightful period piece.&” ―Kirkus Reviews &“Gentill&’s lively second mystery featuring dashing Australian millionaire Rowland &‘Rowly&’ Sinclair . . . The witty and insightful glimpses of the Australian bourgeoisie of this period keep this mystery afloat.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Decline of Imperial Russia, 1855-1914
by Prof. Hugh Seton-WatsonThe last sixty years of Imperial Russia are not only of great historical interest, but are significant for other countries and other periods. The social, economic, and political conditions which gave Lenin his opportunity were similar to those now giving birth to various types of revolutionary movements in many parts of the world.Dr. Seton-Watson’s penetrating analysis of the mainstreams of the declining decades of pre-Revolutionary Russia establishes clearly that the nation as a whole was trying to catch up with the advances made by Western Europe. But these attempts at social and economic change were nullified by one immutable and decisive factor—the dogma of autocracy. The tragedy of Russia was caused by the Czars’ insistence on absolute powers which they were incompetent to wield.The history of these years throws light on some of the problems that most urgently beset the statesmen of our own day and provides an impressive array of mistakes which they would do well to avoid in order to safeguard the survival of the free world.Illustrated with 8 maps.“First-rate history...clear and readable...an admirable survey of Russian development from the reign of Alexander II to the outbreak of the First World War.”—The New Leader.
The Decline of Political Leadership in Australia? Changing Recruitment and Careers of Federal Politicians
by Jan Pakulski Bruce TranterThis book analyses the changing political recruitment of the Australian federal parliamentary elite. It argues that the elite's quality has been reduced to a worrisome degree, especially since the 1990s. It suggests that the declining quality of the Australian 'political class' is a major factor behind the declining public trust in politicians.
Decoded
by Jay-ZDecoded is a book like no other: a collection of lyrics and their meanings that together tell the story of a culture, an art form, a moment in history, and one of the most provocative and successful artists of our time.
Decoding Cultural Heritage: A Critical Dissection and Taxonomy of Human Creativity through Digital Tools
by Fernando Moral-Andrés Elena Merino-Gómez Pedro ReviriegoThis book provides readers with an overview of the use of digital techniques for cultural heritage preservation. Those include image processing, advanced sensing, geomatics or virtual and augmented reality. The use of newer tools such as generative artificial intelligence for images and 3D or advanced natural language processing systems is also considered. The ultimate goal is to provide readers with a global perspective of the state of the art on the use of digital tools for cultural heritage applications, both for researchers and professionals involved in cultural heritage and for computer scientists and engineers that design and develop technologies that can be used for cultural heritage preservation.
Deconstructing Gurdjieff: Biography of a Spiritual Magician
by Tobias ChurtonBeyond Meetings with Remarkable Men into the truth behind the self-crafted mythology of Gurdjieff’s life • Reveals evidence that Gurdjieff was a secret Freemason, relying on hypnotism, psychic research and spiritualism• Explores the profound influence of the Yezidis, esoteric Christianity, and the “gnostics” of Islam, the Sufis, on Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way teachings and the “Work”• Uncovers the truth behind Gurdjieff’s relations with Aleister Crowley• Accurately dates Gurdjieff’s real activities, particularly his enigmatic early lifeIn November 1949, architect Frank Lloyd Wright announced the death of “the greatest man in the world,” yet few knew who he was talking about. Enigmatic, misunderstood, declared a charlatan, and recently dubbed “the Rasputin who inspired Mary Poppins,” Gurdjieff’s life has become a legend. But who really was George Ivanovich Gurdjieff?Employing the latest research and discoveries, including previously unpublished reminiscences of the real man, Tobias Churton investigates the truth beneath the self-crafted mythology of Gurdjieff’s life recounted in Meetings with Remarkable Men. He examines his controversial birthdate, his father’s background, and his relationship with his private tutor Dean Borshch, revealing a perilous childhood in a Pontic Greek family, persecuted by Turks, forced to migrate to Georgia and Armenia, only to grow up amid more war, persecution, genocide, and revolt. Placing Gurdjieff in the true context of his times, Churton explores Gurdjieff’s roles in esoteric movements taking root in the Russian Empire and in epic imperial construction projects in the Kars Oblast, Transcaucasia, and central Asia. He reveals Gurdjieff’s sources for his transformative philosophy, his early interest in hypnosis, magic, Theosophy, and spiritualism, and the profound influence of the Yezidis and the Sufis, the “gnostics” of Islam, on Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way teachings and the “Work.” Churton also explores Gurdjieff’s ties to Freemasonry and his relationships with other spiritual teachers and philosophers of the age, such as Madame Blavatsky, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Aleister Crowley, dispelling the myth that Gurdjieff forcibly expelled the “Great Beast” from his Institute.Showing how Gurdjieff deliberately re-shaped elements of his life as parables of his system, Churton explains how he didn’t want people to follow his footsteps but to find their own, to wake up from the hypnosis that drives us blindly through life. Offering a vital understanding of the man who asked “How many of you are really alive?” the author reveals the continuing importance of Gurdjieff’s philosophy for the awakening of man.
Deconstructing Sammy: Music, Money, and Madness
by Matt BirkbeckSammy Davis Jr. lived a storied life. Adored by millions over a six-decade-long career, he was considered an entertainment icon and a national treasure. But despite lifetime earnings that topped $50 million, Sammy died in 1990 near bankruptcy. His estate was declared insolvent, and there was no possibility of itever using Sammy's name or likeness again. It was as if Sammy had never existed. Years later his wife, Altovise, a once-vivacious woman and heir to one of the greatest entertainment legacies of the twentieth century, was living in poverty, and with nowhere else to go, she turned to a former federal prosecutor, Albert "Sonny" Murray, to make one last attempt to resolve Sammy's debts, restore his estate, and revive his legacy. For seven years Sonny probed Sammy's life to understand how someone of great notoriety and wealth could have lost everything, and in the process he came to understand Sammy as a man whose complexity makes for a riveting work of celebrity biography as cultural history.Matt Birkbeck's serious work of investigative journalism unveils the extraordinary story of an international celebrity at the center of a confluence of entertainment, politics, and organized crime, and shows how even Sammy's outsized talent couldn't save him from himself.