- Table View
- List View
Fanny Kemble
by Deirdre DavidA ForeWord magazine Book of the Year for 2007Charismatic, highly intelligent, and splendidly talented, Fanny Kemble (1809-93) was a Victorian celebrity, known on both sides of the Atlantic as an actress and member of the famous Kemble theatrical dynasty, as a fierce opponent of slavery despite her marriage to a wealthy slave owner, as a brilliantly successful solo performer of Shakespeare, and as the author of journals about her career and life on her husband's Georgia plantations. She was, in her own words, irresistible as a "woman who has sat at dinner alongside Byron . . . and who calls Tennyson, Alfred."Touring in America with her father in the early 1830s, Kemble impulsively wed the wealthy and charming Philadelphia bachelor Pierce Butler, beginning a tumultuous marriage that ended in a sensational divorce and custody battle fourteen years later. At the time of their marriage, Kemble had not yet visited the vast Georgia rice and cotton plantations to which Butler was heir. In the winter of 1838, they visited Butler's southern holdings, and a horrified Kemble wrote what would later be published on both sides of the Atlantic as Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation. An important text for abolitionists, it revealed the inner workings of a plantation and the appalling conditions in which slaves lived. Returning to England after her divorce, she fashioned a new career as a solo performer of Shakespeare's plays and as the author of memoirs, several travel narratives and collections of poems, a short novel, and miscellaneous essays on the theater. For the rest of her life, she would divide her time between the two countries.In the various roles she performed in her life, on stage and off--abolitionist, author, estranged wife--Kemble remained highly theatrical, appropriating and subverting nineteenth-century prescriptions for women's lives, ever rewriting the roles to which she was assigned by society and inheritance. Hers was truly a performed life, and in the first Kemble biography in twenty-five years to examine that life in its entirety, Deirdre David presents it in all its richness and complexity.
Fanny Says
by Nickole BrownAn “unleashed love song” to her late grandmother, Nickole Brown’s collection brings her brassy, bawdy, tough-as-new-rope grandmother to life. With hair teased to Jesus, mile-long false eyelashes, and a white Cadillac Eldorado with atomic-red leather seats, Fanny is not your typical granny rocking in a chair. Instead, think of a character that looks a lot like Eva Gabor in Green Acres, but darkened with a shadow of Flannery O’Connor. A cross-genre collection that reads like a novel, this book is both a collection of oral history and a lyrical and moving biography that wrestles with the complexities of the South, including poverty, racism, and domestic violence."Nickole Brown’s unleashed love song to her grandmother is raucous and heart-rending, reflective and slap-yo-damn-knee hilarious, a heady meld of lyrical line and life lesson. Brown is blessed to be blood-linked to such a shrewd and singular soul, and the poet's mix of monologue, myth, and unbridled mayhem paints a picture of a proper Southern lady who is just—well, unforgettable." —Patricia Smith"In Fanny Says, Nickole Brown distills the whole of America into one woman: bawdy, loving, racist, battered, healed, and gorgeous with determination. Our country has no history that does not touch the South. Our divisions are our unions. Here, Brown unleashes a voice returned to teach us a lesson. Reader, fair warning: you can’t hide from Fanny. You will be changed by this book." —Rebecca Gayle Howell
Fanny von Arnstein: Daughter of the Enlightenment
by Hilde Spiel Michael Z. Wise Christine ShuttleworthBerlin-born Fanny von Arnstein married a financier to the Austro-Hungarian imperial court, and in 1798 her husband became the first unconverted Jew in Austria to be granted the title of baron. Soon Fanny hosted an ever more splendid salon which attracted the leading figures of her day, including Madame de Staël and Arthur Schopenhauer. Hilde Spiel's biography provides a vivid portrait of a brave and passionate woman, illuminating a central era in European cultural and social history."Von Arnstein represents one of the most fascinating and paradoxical eras in modern Jewish history ... For an American Jewish reader, Fanny von Arnstein is fascinating above all as a cautionary tale - and a reminder of our luck at having avoided the excruciating choices that Fanny, and so many Jews like her, had to face."- Adam Kirsch, Tablet Magazine"This book is indispensable for those interested in the history of culture, the role of women, and the transition of the Jewish community out of the ghetto toward the center of European life."- Leon Botstein, President of Bard College, author of Judentum und Modernität and co-editor of Vienna: Jews and the City of Music"In capturing the fascination of Fanny von Arnstein and her times, Hilde Spiel provides both a finely drawn portrait of a defining figure of her era, but also of the times themselves."- John Kornblum, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany
Fannye Cook: Mississippi's Pioneering Conservationist
by Dorothy ShawhanMississippi Chapter of The Wildlife Society Outstanding BookConservationist Fannye Cook (1889-1964) was the most widely known scientist in Mississippi and was nationally known as the go-to person for biological information or wildlife specimens from the state. This biography celebrates the environmentalist instrumental in the creation of the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission (now called the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks) and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.To accomplish this feat, Cook led an extensive grassroots effort to implement game laws and protect the state's environment. In 1926 she began traveling the state at her own expense, speaking at county fairs, schools, and clubs, and to county boards of supervisors on the status of wildlife populations and the need for management. Eventually she collected a diverse group of supporters from across the state. Due to these efforts, the legislature created the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission in 1932. Thanks to the formation of the Works Progress Administration in 1935, Cook received a WPA grant to conduct a comprehensive plant and animal survey of Mississippi. Under this program, eighteen museums were established within the state, and another one in Jackson, which served as the hub for public education and scientific research.Fannye Cook served as director of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science until her retirement in 1958. During her tenure, she published many bulletins, pamphlets, scientific papers, and the extensive book Freshwater Fishes of Mississippi.
Fantasmas de luz: Crónicas malditas de márgenes y fronteras
by Enrique SymnsLa noche y el lado oscuro de la vida narrados por su cronista más melancólico: Symns conoce los senderos que conducen al abismo. "Escribir es más importante que vivir, somos más lo que escribimos que lo que somos", me dijo una vez Enrique Symns. Y este libro lo demuestra. Aquí se reproducen crónicas inolvidables sobre territorios calientes: el Once mundano, el Soldati heavy, la noche después de Cromañón, los panaderos, los libreros y los buscadores de oro. Enrique mete el cuerpo y el alma en cada historia. Escucha y vive lo que le cuentan esos personajes extraviados de su universo: locos soñadores, sabios pistoleros, jóvenes con los ojos envenenados y miradas de araña, parias sin refugio, poetas malditos incurables. En tiempos en que las redacciones se volvieron grises oficinas y los periodistas cada vez salen menos a la calle a buscar historias, o pasan el día en las redes sociales, Symns nos invita a seguir soñando con el periodismo.Rodolfo Palacios «Nadie sale vivo de aquí, pero Symns tiene más vidas que un gato, y en este libro nos cuenta algunos instantes testigos de una poderosa mente, una poderosa alma.»Andrés Calamaro «Enrique fue el escritor más inmerso en un submundo pocas veces tan bien retratado como en sus relatos. Un ambiente de hampones baratos, de agonías subterráneas, de alucinaciones paranoicas y miedos totalitarios.»Indio Solari «Si Borges afirmó que todo periodista escribe para el olvido, desde ese ángulo sólo Symns sería la excepción. Porque fue y sigue yendo más allá de todo límite previsible, lo que me permite ubicarlo entre los grandes chamanes de esa nada absoluta de la que logramos huir gracias a seres como él.»Fernando Noy «En una casa tomada de Londres, en una villa en Río. Asesinos y poetas. Es lo mismo. Todos intentando decir algo y presos de la implacable cárcel del lenguaje. A por ellos y a no dejarse engañar. Nadie sabe nada. Salud, Enrique, a tu juego te han llamado. Y la próxima vuelta va por mi cuenta.»Fito Páez «Symns es un escritor; en este tiempo en que cualquier imbécil se autodenomina "artista" y los ejecutivos imprimen "creativo" en su tarjeta de negocios, Symns es un escritor. Y Symns, como todo escritor, se odia a sí mismo.»Jorge Lanata
Fantasmas en el parque
by María Elena WalshEn Fantasmas en el parque, mezcla originalísima de novela y autobiografía, María Elena Walsh evoca lugares que ha visitado, personas que ha conocido, libros leídos; convoca amores, amigos y maestros; conjura terrores y pesadillas; confiesa sueños y secretos, celebra la belleza. Y lo hace con su espíritu inconfundible y entrañable: lúcido, contestatario, irónico, pleno de una recóndita ternura y una honestidad brutal. María frecuenta el Parque Las Heras, ese inmenso solario abierto sobre las ruinas de la antigua Penitenciaría Nacional. Allí lee, escribe, convoca a sus "fantasmas". Y como "las anomalías suelen atraerse", poco a poco va entrelazando su vida con las de otros visitantes habituales o pasajeros, "personas desplazadas", seres a la vez laterales y arquetípicos de un país en crisis y de "un siglo atroz que todavía no terminó" Fresco desprejuiciado de estos últimos años, Fantasmas en el parque es también una fascinante, conmovedora exploración de nuestro pasado, desde el punto de vista de una de sus artistas más cabales y populares.
Fantasmas literarios
by Hernán ValdésEl mundo literario chileno de los años 50 a los 70 tras bambalinas a través de la mirada de un testigo privilegiado Hernán Valdés, el autor de Tejas Verdes, convoca a varias generaciones de literatos y sus mundos literarios -los fantasmas-, y nos conduce por una aventura novelesca en la que sus vidas, su cultura, ideas, pasiones y andanzas, aparecen ante nosotros en su inmediato acontecer, en su presente, en las décadas del 50, 60 y 70: pobreza, sueños y amoríos; grandezas y flaquezas en las vidas de Jorge Teillier, Teófilo Cid, Stella Díaz Varín, Enrique Lihn, Pablo Neruda, Esther Matte, Nicanor Parra y los demás. Algunos podrán leer este libro como un documento novelado, otros, como una novela documental. En cualquier caso, la experiencia será la de una inmersión en una forma de vida, en un mundo de valores estéticos y morales que hoy en día parecen idos y cuya nostalgia se acrecienta. Con el lenguaje poético, la lucidez y la ironía que han caracterizado sus anteriores escritos, Valdés ofrece un emotivo y revelador ejercicio de la memoria.
Fantastic Failures: True Stories of People Who Changed the World by Falling Down First
by Luke ReynoldsEven the most well-known people have struggled to succeed! Find out what they learned and how they turned their failures into triumphs with this engaging and youthful guide on how to succeed long term. <P><P>There is a lot of pressure in today’s society to succeed, but failing is a part of learning how to be a successful person. In his teaching career, Luke Reynolds saw the stress and anxiety his students suffered over grades, fitting in, and getting things right the first time. <P><P>Fantastic Failures helps students learn that their mistakes and failures do not define their whole lives, but help them grow into their potential. Kids will love learning about some of the well-known people who failed before succeeding and will come to understand that failure is a large component of success. <P><P>With stories from people like J. K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Sonia Sotomayor, Vincent Van Gogh, Julia Child, Steven Spielberg, and Betsy Johnson, each profile proves that the greatest mistakes and flops can turn into something amazing. Intermixed throughout the fun profiles, Reynolds spotlights great inventors and scientists who discovered and created some of the most important medicines, devices, and concepts of all time, including lifesaving vaccines and medicines that were stumbled upon by mistake.
Fantastic Fugitives: Criminals, Cutthroats, and Rebels Who Changed History While on the Run! (The Changed History Series)
by Brianna DumontThroughout history--and even today--the head honchos usually like things the way they are. Rocking the boat does not make them happy--not one bit. They may even want your head for going against the grain. But that threat didn’t stop the characters spotlighted in Fantastic Fugitives from changing history. They founded countries, won wars, and even ended empires--all while on the run! History’s Most Wanted covered in this book include: Spartacus Martin Luther Harriet Tubman John Dillinger Emmeline Pankhurst Nelson Mandela And six more! The exciting second book in the Changed History series, Fantastic Fugitives lets you follow these historical figures’ fast-paced stories to learn how anyone can change the world. Even you! Just make sure you have your running shoes on. This book is ideal for kids ages 8 and up, and is especially good for reluctant readers and those kids who think history reading is simply dry and boring. There are many color illustrations, photographs, and maps included through the book and sidebars with fascinating facts break up larger chunks of text in each chapter. Teachers, librarians, and parents will like that this can be used as a good go-to book to inspire kids to become interested in history.
Fantastic Mr Dahl
by Michael RosenLife story of Roald Dahl, World's No.1 storyteller, creator of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach and many more, brought to life by Michael Rosen - author, poet and former Children's Laureate. Written especially for children, with fun pages and illustrations by Quentin Blake.So, how did Roald Dahl get into writing? Where did he get his ideas from? What ingredients in his life turned him into the kind of writer he was? Michael Rosen comes up the answers to these key questions in his lively biography of the world's No.1 storyteller, written specially for children. Full of stories and funny anecdotes from Roald Dahl's school days and family life, Michael Rosen's fascinating observations creates a vivid picture of one of the most famous writers of all time.
Fantastic: The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger
by Laurence LeamerThe life of Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most remarkable success stories in the U.S. Here is a young man from an Austrian village who became the greatest bodybuilder in history, a behemoth who even today in retirement is the dominating figure in the sport. Here is an immigrant with a heavy accent and a four syllable last name, who marries a Kennedy princess and becomes the number one movie star in the world, an icon known and celebrated everywhere. Here is a political novice with no administrative experience who becomes governor of California in one of the most unusual and controversial elections in American history, and confounds his critics by proving an effective, popular leader. In Fantastic, Leamer shows how and why this man of willful ambition and limitless drive achieved his unprecedented accomplishments. As the author of a celebrated trilogy on the Kennedy family, Leamer has access to a unique array of sources. Leamer traveled with candidate Schwarzenegger during the gubernatorial campaign. He has interviewed Governor Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver, and their closest friends and associates, most of whom had never talked to an author before. The result is a startlingly intimate book, the pages studded with news making revelations. This book of passionate intensity captures a Schwarzenegger unlike any other public figure of our time, a unique political/cultural figure, his time in Sacramento only a way station on a journey where no one has traveled before. The book captures the personal Schwarzenegger, too, and the story of his single days, marriage, and family life. No one who reads this book will ever see Schwarzenegger in the same way again.
Fantasy Life: The Outrageous, Uplifting, and Heartbreaking World of Fantasy Sports from the Guy Who's Lived It
by Matthew BerryAn inside look at the world of fantasy sports from America's most trusted name in the industry. Berry explores the increasingly ubiquitious world of fantasy sports. Every year, millions of people spend their time assembling, managing and obsessing over fantasy teams.
Fante: A Family's Legacy of Writing, Drinking and Surviving
by Dan FanteAs father and son John and Dan Fante shared a relationship characterized by competition, resentment, rage and silence. As men, both were driven to succeed by damaged by uncontrollable drinking. As writers, both were gifted with inextinguishable passion. In Fante, Dan Fante traces his family's history from Los Angeles, where John struggles to gain literary recognition and turns instead to the steady paycheck of Hollywood screenwriting, to New York, where Dan finds an escape from his troubled childhood in a life of words and vices. John was a writer whose literary contributions were not recognized until the end of his life. Dan was an alcoholic saved by writing, who at the age of 45 picked up his father's old typewriter in order to ease the madness in his mind. Fante is the story of the evolution of a relationship between father and son who eventually find their way back to loving each other. In straightforward unapologetic prose, Dan Fante lays bare his family's story from his point of view, with the rage and passion of a writer, which he feels was his true inheritance and his father's greatest gift.
Far Appalachia: following the New River north
by Noah AdamsThe host of NPR's All Things Considered and bestselling author of Piano Lessons takes us on a river journey through the heart of Appalachia-a journey shared by pioneers and preachers, white-water daredevils, bluegrass musicians, and an unforgettable cast of vivid historical characters. Following the New River North, Noah Adams has Appalachia in his blood. A native of eastern Kentucky, he comes to the headwaters of the New River not just in search of adventure but to better understand his own unique heritage. Following the New River from its mile- high source on North Carolina's Snake Mountain to its West Virginia mouth, Adams travels by canoe and by bicycle, by foot and, most thrillingly, by white-water raft to explore the history, natural beauty, and fascinating characters waiting around every bend and turn.
Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith
by Sydney McLaughlinWhat fears are standing in your way or holding you back? How do you want to become stronger? Olympic and World champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin wants to help you answer these questions as she shares her personal story of struggles and victories, of faith and transformation.Sydney McLaughlin knows about facing down obstacles. She has mastered not only racing over hurdles on the track but also tackling challenges in her personal life—from lifelong battles with perfectionism and anxiety to persistent questions about her identity and whether she was "enough."Her pursuit of perfection and people-pleasing continued for years until God broke into her story with his overwhelming grace, transforming love, and empowering truth.In Far Beyond Gold, Sydney will share aspects of her life story and personhood she has never shared publicly before, offering a more complex picture of who she is. She will inspire you to:Conquer your fears in Christ's strengthStand strong in your identity in himPush past your perceived limitsOvercome the challenges you're facing Experience the story of a woman who shifted from anxiety to boldness, from limits to freedom, and from perfectionism to purpose—and now shows the world that often what we think is impossible is possible with God.
Far North Adventure: An Alaska Narative
by Alf WalleUnfortunately, most visitors to Alaska have but a few days to explore. As a result, much goes unseen and unknown. Gain the visions you missed by hitchhiking along with my recollections of a ten year foray into the Last Frontier. Drive the Alaska Highway, taking side trips to Dawson City and Valdez. Stalk moose and catch salmon with Athabascan Indians who still follow a subsistence way of life. Observe an Inupiaq whale hunt on the Arctic Ocean. Visit the rural neighborhood where dog sledding heroes, such as Lance Mackey and Ken Anderson, live and practice their sport. Fly by bush plane into remote camps and live with exploration teams. See how frontier boom towns, like Fairbanks and Nome, as well as Native villages, are evolving. These and many more exciting adventures await. You can't see Alaska in a few days. But you can experience it through my eyes and Far North Adventure.
Far Out Man: Tales of Life in the Counterculture
by Eric UtneThe founder of Utne Reader chronicles his adventures on the frontlines of American culture—from the Vietnam era to the age of Trump—as a spiritual seeker, antiwar activist, and minor media celebrity. &“Fascinating . . . a remarkable piece of social history.&”—Bill McKibben, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?Far Out Man is the story of a life-long seeker who was occasionally a finder as well. In 1984, Eric Utne founded Utne Reader, a digest of new ideas and fresh perspectives percolating in the arts, culture, politics, business, and spirituality. With the tag line &“The Best of the Alternative Press,&” the magazine was twice a finalist for a National Magazine Award and grew to more than 300,000 paid circulation. In the nineties, the magazine promoted the Neighborhood Salon Association to revive the endangered art of conversation and start a revolution in people&’s living rooms. More than 18,000 people joined, comprising nearly 500 salons across North America. Utne devoted the magazine to bringing people together to help make the world a &“little greener and a little kinder.&” Far Out Man serves as a chronicle of both an individual life and a generation, covering the conflicts of the Vietnam era, the hopes and excesses of the sexual revolution and the Me Decade, the idealism and depredations of the entrepreneurial eighties and nineties, and the promise and perils of the digital age. Ultimately, Far Out Man is the story of Eric Utne&’s lifelong search for hope, how he lost it, and what he found on the other side that sustains him in his darkest moments. It is a book dedicated to helping all seekers become finders.
Far Side of the Moon: Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman and the Woman Who Gave Him Wings
by Liisa JorgensenThe decades-long love story of a NASA commander and the leader of the Astronaut Wives ClubFar Side of the Moon is the untold, fully authorized story of the lives of Frank and Susan Borman. One was a famous astronaut—an instrumental part of the Apollo space program—but the other was just as much a warrior. This real-life love story is far from a fairy tale. Life as a military wife was beyond demanding, but Susan always rose to the occasion. When Frank joined NASA and was selected to command the first mission to orbit the moon, that meant putting on a brave face for the world as her husband risked his life for the space race. The pressure and anxiety were overwhelming, and eventually Susan's well-hidden depression and alcoholism finally came to light. Frank had to come to terms with how his "mission above all else" mentality contributed to his wife's suffering. As Susan healed, she was able to begin helping others who suffered in silence from mental illness and addiction.Discover how Frank and Susan's love and commitment to each other is still overcoming life's challenges, even beyond their years as an Apollo commander and the founder of the Astronaut Wives Club.
Far Side of the Moon: The Story Of Apollo 11's Third Man
by Alex Irvine Ben Bishop*Junior Library Guild Selection 2017* A unanimous selection to the 2018 Maverick Graphic Novel List! This graphic retelling of the Apollo 11 moon-landing mission follows astronaut Michael Collins, commander of the lunar orbiter, to the far side of the moon. When the Earth disappears behind the moon, Collins loses contact with his fellow astronauts on the moon’s surface, with mission control at NASA, and with the entire human race, becoming more alone than any human being has ever been before. In total isolation for 21 hours, Collins awaits word that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have managed to launch their moon lander successfully to return to the orbiter—a feat never accomplished before and rendered more problematic by the fuel burn of their difficult landing. In this singularly lonely and dramatic setting, Collins reviews the politics, science, and engineering that propelled the Apollo 11 mission across 239,000 miles of space to the moon. Fountas & Pinnell Level U <P><P> <i>Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.</i>
Far from Home: An Alaskan Senator Faces the Extreme Climate of Washington, D.C.
by Lisa MurkowskiA voice of reason in a polarized U.S. Senate, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska tells the story of how she learned to adapt to the harsh climate of Washington, D.C., and issues a fervent appeal for a politics grounded in compromise and compassion.&“Two paths diverged—Lisa Murkowski took the one less traveled. In Far from Home, we see how the solitary course she chose has made all the difference.&”—Senator Mitt RomneyLisa Murkowski has repeatedly stood at the center of our nation&’s most challenging issues, serving as a swing vote and a voice willing to challenge the president, regardless of who holds the office. In this candid memoir that offers hope for a functional Washington, she guides readers through the defining events of her more than twenty-year career: her beginnings in Alaska and appointment to the U.S. Senate, the rise of the Tea Party and her historic 2010 write-in reelection campaign, and the pivotal events of the Trump era, including her vote against Brett Kavanaugh&’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court, the 2020 election, January 6, the impeachment trials, the overturning of Roe, and Trump&’s second election.Written at a time when Americans&’ trust in their institutions is in crisis, Far from Home is a candid account of how things get done in Washington. It is an uplifting narrative for anyone seeking reassurance that our political system can still work.
Far from Russia: A Memoir
by Olga Andreyev Carlisle" … Carlisle’s life emerges as stimulating, self-aware, and culturally rich. Many readers will hope for a sequel." - Kirkus ReviewsOlga Andreyev Carlisle has never lived in Russia, and yet throughout her life Russia has never been far. Far From Russia captures the enduring grip of Russia, and how the idea of that homeland shaped her world. We see her first as an aspiring painter in post-World War II Paris, savoring her independent life. There she falls in love with an American G.I., Henry Carlisle. With Henry, she comes to the United States, to Nantucket, where she is introduced to his family's more reserved ways. In New York City, Olga begins to piece together a community in a strange land of artists and writers including, Robert Lowell and Robert Motherwell. Carlisle makes vivid the influential and heady times of both postwar Paris and New York.
Far from the East End: The moving story of an evacuee's survival and search for home
by Iris Jones Simantel** Saga Magazine 'Life Story' competition winner**From the streets of London to the Welsh countryside, evacuee Iris Simantel tells of her desperate search for somewhere to belong in Far From the East End.Born in 1938 under threat of looming war, Iris spent her early years playing in the rubble of bombed buildings in Dagenham by day and cowering in a dusty shelter at night. But the hardships of poverty and the dreaded Blitz could not match the pain she felt at her parents' indifference. She prayed that just once her mother would hold her when the bombs rained down. But loneliness only intensified when she was evacuated.Finding the nurturing home she had always dreamt of in her adopted Welsh parents, she wonders what, when she returns to London after the war, will be waiting for her. Will she ever be able to love her philandering father, depressive mother and an angry, bullying brother? Will her family even survive? Or will she have to look farther afield for the affection she so longs for? Prepare to be taken on a beautiful and emotional journey with Iris Simantel's nostalgic memoir, Far from the East End.Iris Simantel is the acclaimed winner of the Saga Magazine 'Life Story' competition, telling of her evacuation from Dagenham to Wales, and her family's post-War move to South Oxney. She now lives in Devon.
Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics
by Basil Mahon Nancy ForbesThe story of two brilliant nineteenth-century scientists who discovered the electromagnetic field, laying the groundwork for the amazing technological and theoretical breakthroughs of the twentieth centuryTwo of the boldest and most creative scientists of all time were Michael Faraday (1791-1867) and James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879). This is the story of how these two men - separated in age by forty years - discovered the existence of the electromagnetic field and devised a radically new theory which overturned the strictly mechanical view of the world that had prevailed since Newton's time.The authors, veteran science writers with special expertise in physics and engineering, have created a lively narrative that interweaves rich biographical detail from each man's life with clear explanations of their scientific accomplishments. Faraday was an autodidact, who overcame class prejudice and a lack of mathematical training to become renowned for his acute powers of experimental observation, technological skills, and prodigious scientific imagination. James Clerk Maxwell was highly regarded as one of the most brilliant mathematical physicists of the age. He made an enormous number of advances in his own right. But when he translated Faraday's ideas into mathematical language, thus creating field theory, this unified framework of electricity, magnetism and light became the basis for much of later, 20th-century physics.Faraday's and Maxwell's collaborative efforts gave rise to many of the technological innovations we take for granted today - from electric power generation to television, and much more. Told with panache, warmth, and clarity, this captivating story of their greatest work - in which each played an equal part - and their inspiring lives will bring new appreciation to these giants of science.
Farangi Girl: Growing up in Iran: a daughter's story
by Ashley DartnellAshley Dartnell's mother was a glamorous American, her father a dashing Englishman, each trying to slough off their past and upgrade to a more romantic and exotic present in Iran. As the story starts, Ashley is eight years old and living in Tehran in the 1960s: the Shah was in power, life for Westerners was rich and privileged. But somehow it didn't all add up to a fairytale. There were bankruptcies and prisons, betrayals and lovers, lies and evasions. And throughout it all, Ashley's passionate and strong-willed mother, Genie. Stories of mothers and daughters are some of the most compelling in contemporary memoir, from The Liar's Club and The Glass Castle to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight and Bad Blood. Farangi Girl deserves to be in their company. It's an honest and endlessly recognisable portrait of a mother by a daughter who loved her (and was loved in return). Against this extraordinary background, Ashley's journey into adulthood was more helter-skelter than most and this portrait of a bewitching and endlessly inventive mother is surprising and deeply moving.