- Table View
- List View
A Private History of Awe
by Scott Russell SandersAn original and searching memoir. When Scott Russell Sanders was four, his father held him in his arms during a thunderstorm, and he felt awe -- "the tingle of a power that surges through bone and rain and everything". "A Private History of Awe" is an account of his search, told as a series of dramatic, spiritually charged episodes. His early memory of watching a fire with his father; his attraction to the solemn cadences of the Bible despite his frustration with Sunday-school religion; his discovery of books and the body; his mounting opposition to the Vietnam War and all forms of violence; his decision, after the heady experience of education at Brown and Cambridge, to return to the Midwest and raise a family in the place of his roots. In many ways, this is the story of a generation's passage through the 1960s -- from innocence to experience, from euphoria to disillusionment. But Sanders has found a language that captures the transcendence in ordinary lives while never resorting to formula. And by framing his recollections with present-day accounts of tending to his ailing mother and his newborn granddaughter, he weaves his story into the larger history of his family, illuminating the cycles of life that bind together generations. In his hands, the pattern of American coming of age made classic by writers from Mark Twain to Tobias Wolff is given a powerful new charge.
A Private History of Awe
by Scott Russell SandersAn original and searching memoir from "one of America's finest essayists" (Phillip Lopate)When Scott Russell Sanders was four, his father held him in his arms during a thunderstorm, and he felt awe—"the tingle of a power that surges through bone and rain and everything." He says, "The search for communion with this power has run like a bright thread through all my days." A Private History of Awe is an account of this search, told as a series of awe-inspiring episodes: his early memory of watching a fire with his father; his attraction to the solemn cadences of the Bible despite his frustration with Sunday-school religion; his discovery of books and the body; his mounting opposition to the Vietnam War and all forms of violence; his decision to leave behind the university life of Oxford and Harvard and return to Indiana, where three generations of his family have put down roots. In many ways, this is the story of a generation's passage through the 1960s—from innocence to experience, from euphoria to disillusionment. But Sanders has found a language that captures the transcendence of ordinary lives while never reducing them to formula. In his hands, the pattern of American boyhood that was made classic by writers from Mark Twain to Tobias Wolff is given a powerful new charge.
A Private In The Guards [Illustrated Edition]
by Stephen GrahamIncludes the First World War Illustrations Pack - 73 battle plans and diagrams and 198 photosStephen Graham was a noted writer and journalist who took the fateful step of enlisting in the Scots Guards at the less than tender age of 33. However as he did so in 1917 the manpower shortage of the First World War ensured his quick acceptance into the "Little Sparta" depot for recruits. Being a liberal, well-travelled gentleman with views as to his dignity, the author suffered greatly under the strict discipline and harsh training of which he complained bitterly in this book. He shipped out to France for the last bloody year of the war, and found that he had bonded with his comrades to an extent he could not have imagined. Even as part of an elite unit he experienced the casual brutality and suffering of the fighting troops which he noted with his eye for detail and recorded herein.A First World War One memoir controversial at the time of publication and still every inch a classic.
A Private Life of Henry James:Two Women and His Art
by Lyndall GordonAnalysis of the Work of Henry James.
A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré
by John Le CarréAn archive of letters written by the late John le Carré, giving readers access to the intimate thoughts of one of the greatest writers of our time. <p><p>The never-before-seen correspondence of John le Carré, one of the most important novelists of our generation, are collected in this beautiful volume. During his lifetime, le Carré wrote numerous letters to writers, spies, politicians, artists, actors and public figures. This collection is a treasure trove, revealing the late author's humor, generosity, and wit—a side of him many readers have not previously seen.
A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré
by John le CarréAn archive of letters written by the late John le Carré, giving readers access to the intimate thoughts of one of the greatest writers of our time.The never-before-seen correspondence of John le Carré, one of the most important novelists of our generation, are collected in this beautiful volume. During his lifetime, le Carré wrote numerous letters to writers, spies, politicians, artists, actors, and public figures. This collection is a treasure trove, revealing the late author's humour, generosity, and wit—a side of him many readers have not previously seen.
A Private War
by Marie BrennerSoon to be a major motion picture - starring Rosamund Pike, Stanley Tucci and Jamie Dornan.The book that inspired the film A Private War, based on acclaimed journalist Marie Brenner’s centrepiece profile of Sunday Times Foreign Affairs correspondent Marie Colvin from this extraordinary collection. In February 2012, Marie Colvin illegally crossed into Syria on the back of a motorcycle. A veteran war correspondent known for her fearlessness, outspokenness and signature eye patch, she was defying a government decree preventing journalists from entering the country. Accompanied by French photographer Remi Ochlik, she was determined to report on the Syrian Civil War, adding to a long list of conflicts she had covered including Egypt, Chechnya, Kosovo and Libya. She had witnessed grenade attacks, saved more than one thousand women and children in an East Timor war zone when she refused to stop reporting until they were evacuated, and even interviewed Muammar Gaddafi. But she had no idea that the story she was looking for in Syria would be her last, culminating in the explosion of an improvised device that sent shockwaves across the world. In A Private War, veteran journalist Marie Brenner brilliantly re-creates the last days and hours of Colvin’s life, moment-by-moment, to share the story of a remarkable life lived on the front lines. This collection also includes Brenner's classic accounts of encounters with Donald Trump, Roy Cohn, Malala Yousafzai and Richard Jewell.
A Private War: Marie Colvin and Other Tales of Heroes, Scoundrels, and Renegades
by Marie BrennerNow a major motion picture starring Rosamund Pike, Stanley Tucci, and Jamie Dornan, A Private War is the story of legendary war correspondent Marie Colvin, who died in 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war.In February 2012, Marie Colvin crossed into Syria on the back of a motorcycle. A veteran war correspondent known for her fearlessness, outspokenness, and signature eye patch, she was defying a government decree preventing journalists from entering the country. Accompanied by photographer Paul Conroy, she was determined to report on the Syrian civil war, adding to a long list of conflicts she had covered, including those in Egypt, Chechnya, Kosovo, and Libya. She had witnessed grenade attacks, saved more than one thousand women and children in an East Timor war zone when she refused to stop reporting until they were evacuated, and even interviewed Muammar Qaddafi. But she had no idea that the story she was looking for in Syria would be her last, culminating in the explosion of an improvised device that sent shock waves across the world. In A Private War, Marie Brenner brilliantly chronicles the last days and hours of Colvin’s life, moment by moment, to share the story of a remarkable life lived on the front lines. This collection also includes Brenner’s classic encounters with Donald Trump, Roy Cohn, Malala Yousafzai, Richard Jewell, and others.
A Private Wilderness: The Journals of Sigurd F. Olson
by Sigurd F. OlsonThe personal diaries of one of America&’s best-loved naturalists, revealing his difficult and inspiring path to finding his voice and becoming a writer Few writers are as renowned for their eloquence about the natural world, its power and fragility, as Sigurd F. Olson (1899–1982). Before he could give expression to The Singing Wilderness, however, he had to find his own voice. It is this struggle, the painstaking and often simply painful process of becoming the writer and conservationist now familiar to us, that Olson documented in the journal entries gathered here. Written mostly during the years from 1930 to 1941, Olson&’s journals describe the dreams and frustrations of an aspiring writer honing his skills, pursuing recognition, and facing doubt while following the academic career that allowed him to live and work even as it consumed so much of his time. But even as he speaks with immediacy and intensity about the conditions of his apprenticeship, Olson can be seen developing the singular way of observing and depicting the natural world that would bring him fame—and also, more significantly, alert others to the urgent need to understand and protect that world. Author of Olson&’s definitive biography, editor David Backes brings a deep knowledge of the writer to these journals, providing critical context, commentary, and insights along the way.When Olson wrote, in the spring of 1941, &“What I am afraid of now is that the world will blow up just as I am getting it organized to suit me,&” he could hardly have known how right he would prove to be. It is propitious that at our present moment, when the world seems once more balanced on the precipice, we have the words of Sigurd F. Olson to remind us of what matters—and of the hard work and the wonder that such a reckoning requires.
A Product of Genetics (and Day Drinking): A Never-Coming-of-Age Story
by Jess H. Gutierrez&“Jess Gutierrez has a one-of-a-kind talent for showing how hilarious and absurd life can be—and, lucky reader, she is ready to share her escapades with the rest of us. I couldn&’t put this book down.&” —W. Kamau Bell, comedian and author of The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell &“Like Gutierrez, I&’m a millennial making things up as I go along, and as this book hilariously shows, our way is much more fun.&” —Sona Movsesian, New York Times bestselling author of The World&’s Worst AssistantA frank, raucous, and bawdy collection of essays about coming of age through the oddest jobs, misadventures in queer love, and endearing parenting fails This is a perfect book for a very imperfect generation. Millennials were the kids who wore slap bracelets and jeans so low rise they could see one another's colons, and they are now adults wondering, Is everyone else as messed up as I am? In her book, Jess shares relatable tales of a woman who feels like a dumpster fire even with a seemingly ideal set up with a fire-captain wife, three kids, and a mortgage. Highlights include roller-derby catastrophes, a disastrous first night on the job at a lesbian bar, narrow escapes from wild animals, and fond memories of sending printed thirst-trap photos via mail to the lover in Australia she met on the early Internet. Readers will soon cheerfully discover that Jess&’s voice is infectious, her stories are off-the-wall, and her references are deeply and delightfully millennial.
A Professional Foreigner: Life in Diplomacy
by Edward MarksYoung American Foreign Service officers are accustomed to being teased by friends and relatives as to what they do in the &“Foreign Legion&” or the &“Forest Service.&” In the United States, unlike in many countries, the role of a professional diplomat is little known or understood. In A Professional Foreigner Edward Marks describes his life as an American diplomat who served during the last four decades of the twentieth century, from 1959 to 2001. Serving primarily in Africa and Asia, Marks was present during the era of decolonization in Africa (but always seemed to be at the opposite end of the continent from the hottest developments), was intimately involved in the early days of the U.S. government&’s antiterrorism programs, observed the unfolding of a nasty and tragic ethnic conflict in one of the most charming countries in the world, and saw the end of the Cold War at UN headquarters in New York. Along the way Marks served as the U.S. ambassador to two African nations. In this memoir Marks depicts a Foreign Service officer&’s daily life, providing insight into the profession itself and what it was like to play a role in the steady stream of history, in a world of quotidian events often out of the view of the media and the attention of the world. Marks&’s stories—such as rescuing an American citizen from a house of ill repute in Mexico and the attempt to recruit mongooses for drug intervention in Sri Lanka—are both entertaining and instructive on the work of diplomats and their contributions to the American story.
A Professor at the End of Time: The Work and Future of the Professoriate
by John BestA Professor at the End of Time tells one professor’s story in the context of the rapid reconfiguration of higher education going on now, and analyzes what the job included before the supernova of technological innovation, the general influx of less-well-prepared students, and the diminution of state and federal support wrought wholesale changes on the profession.
A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce
by Mark Tabb Alec BaldwinAlec Baldwin, one of the best-known actors and Kim Basinger, the Academy Award-winning actress, have a daughter named Ireland. Theirs seemed to be the model of a successful Hollywood marriage until their divorce in 2002. Their split---specifically the custody battle surrounding Ireland---would be the subject of media attention for years to come. This is an important, informative, and deeply felt book on a contentious subject that offers hope of finding a better way.
A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce
by Mark Tabb Alec Baldwin"I have been through some of the worst of contentious divorce litigation," AlecBaldwin declares in A Promise to Ourselves. Using a very personal approach, he offers practical guidance to help others avoid the anguish he has endured.An Academy and Tony Award nominee and a 2007 recipient of Golden Globe, SAG, and Television Critics Association Awards for best actor in a comedy, Alec Baldwin is one of the best-known, most successful actors in the world. His relationship with Kim Basinger, the Academy Award–winning actress, lasted nearly a decade. They have a daughter named Ireland, and for a time, theirs seemed to be the model of a successful Hollywood marriage. But in 2000 they separated and in 2002 divorced. Their split---specifically the custody battle surrounding Ireland---would be the subject of media attention for years to come.In his own life and others', Baldwin has seen the heavy toll that divorce can take---psychologically, emotionally, and financially. He has been extensively involved in divorce litigation, and he has witnessed the way that noncustodial parents, especially fathers, are often forced to abandon hopes of equitable rights when it comes to their children. He makes a powerful case for reexamining and changing the way divorce and child custody is decided in this country and levels a scathing attack at what he calls the "family law industry."When it comes to his experiences with judges, court-appointed therapists, and lawyers, Baldwin pulls no punches. He casts a light on his own divorce and the way the current family law system affected him, his ex-wife, and his daughter, as well as many other families. This is an important, informative, and deeply felt book on a contentious subject that offers hope of finding a better way.
A Promised Land
by Barack ObamaA riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy <p><p> In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. <p> Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office. <p> Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden. <p> A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,” and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible. <p> This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.
A Prophet in Politics: A Biography of J.S. Woodsworth
by Allen Mills Kenneth McnaughtIn this elegant and rigorously researched work, Kenneth McNaught details the life, work, and principles of J.S Woodsworth and shows the powerful moral and political force that the pacifist, Methodist thinker exerted on Canadian politics.Woodsworth first went to the House of Commons in 1922, and became leader of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation at its formation in 1933. A socialist to the end, he exhibited his anti-war convictions to Parliament, when, in 1939, he alone spoke out against joining the war in Europe. Woodsworth's ideas and strong social conscience helped to shape the development of the welfare state in Canada, and have left an intellectual legacy in both socialist and liberal circles.A Prophet in Politics marks the progress of socialism in Canada, as well as the economic and political conditions in the first half of the twentieth century. McNaught, who died in 1997, is himself an important figure in Canadian history, having fought as a professor of history for academic freedom and having brought the scholarly discussion of national politics into the public sphere. At the time of its original publication, Globe and Mail reviewers called it 'a definitive biography that in drama and organization ranks with the best books about the makers of Canada.' This edition, presented in the 'Reprints in Canadian History' series, includes a new introduction by Allen Mills.
A Proposal for the Expanded Fruition of Cultural Heritage Sites: CAME, a Methodology for Their Digitization
by Carla FerreyraThis book presents a comprehensive methodology, integrating analysis, digitization, and the preservation of cultural heritage. It investigates three potential UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in Italy, Germany and South Africa, and employs a blend of documentary research and advanced digital surveying and data processing techniques. The volume shows how these efforts yielded actionable strategies to meet society's evolving demands for surveying, recovery, and conservation. The book documents the work behind the overarching objective which was to digitize, analyze, categorize, and store all collected data within a BIM framework, with the aim of streamlining collaboration, enhancing management efficiency, and optimizing processes. It demonstrates the utilization of digital tools in not only amplifying traditional scientific-technological approaches to heritage protection, but also its role in reshaping the perception, comprehension, and communication of heritage. This fosters the development of more sustainable conservation strategies.
A Pros and Cons List for Strong Feelings
by Will Betke-BrunswickA Modern Mrs. Darcy's Best Book of Fall A Shondaland Best Book of November “Filled with moments of tenderness and humor.” —Library Journal, Starred Review An unexpected and poignant debut graphic memoir about a close-knit family approaching loss, and the wonder and joy they create along the way. During Will Betke-Brunswick’s sophomore year of college, their beloved mother, Elizabeth, is diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. They only have ten more months together, which Will documents in evocative two-color illustrations. But as we follow Will and their mom through chemo and hospital visits, their time together is buoyed by laughter, jigsaw puzzles, modern art, and vegan BLTs. In a delightful twist, Will portrays their family as penguins, and their friends are cast as a menagerie of birds. In between therapy and bedside chats, they navigate uniquely human challenges, as Will prepares for math exams, comes out as genderqueer, and negotiates familial tension. A Pros and Cons List for Strong Feelings is an act of loving others and loving oneself, offering a story of coming-of-age, illness, death, and life that announces the arrival of a talented storyteller in Will Betke-Brunswick. At its heart, Will’s story is a celebration of a mother-child relationship filled with unconditional devotion, humor, care, and openness.
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver (Yearling Book)
by E.L. KonigsburgEleanor of Acquitaine has been waiting in Heaven for a long time to be reunited with her second husband, Henry II of England. Finally, the day has come when Henry will be judged for admission--and while Eleanor waits, three people close to her during various times of her life join her, helping to distract her and providing a rich portrait of a remarkable woman in history.
A Puerto Rican in New York and Other Sketches
by Jesús Colón Juan FloresWarm, often humorous, thoughtful true-to-life socio-political vignettes by the late journalist and barrio-laureate.
A Punkhouse in the Deep South: The Oral History of 309
by Aaron Cometbus Scott SatterwhiteRadical subcultures in an unlikely place Told in personal interviews, this is the collective story of a punk community in an unlikely town and region, a hub of radical counterculture that drew artists and musicians from throughout the conservative South and earned national renown. The house at 309 6th Avenue has long been a crossroads for punk rock, activism, veganism, and queer culture in Pensacola, a quiet Gulf Coast city at the border of Florida and Alabama. In this book, residents of 309 narrate the colorful and often comical details of communal life in the crowded and dilapidated house over its 30-year existence. Terry Johnson, Ryan “Rymodee” Modee, Gloria Diaz, Skott Cowgill, and others tell of playing in bands including This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb, operating local businesses such as End of the Line Cafe, forming feminist support groups, and creating zines and art. Each voice adds to the picture of a lively community that worked together to provide for their own needs while making a positive, lasting impact on their surrounding area. Together, these participants show that punk is more than music and teenage rebellion. It is about alternatives to standard narratives of living, acceptance for the marginalized in a rapidly changing world, and building a sense of family from the ground up. Including photos by Cynthia Connolly and Mike Brodie, A Punkhouse in the Deep South illuminates many individual lives and creative endeavors that found a home and thrived in one of the oldest continuously inhabited punkhouses in the United States.
A Puppy for Helen Keller: Ready-to-read Level 2 (Tails From History)
by May NakamuraHelen Keller inspired people all around the world, but what inspired her? She was enchanted by the loyal Akita dogs from Japan. The Japanese people wanted to give Helen an Akita, but trouble was brewing between Japan and the United States. Would the puppy arrive safely? Pictures are described. Reading age, 6-8
A Pure Solar World: Sun Ra and the Birth of Afrofuturism (Discovering America)
by Paul Youngquist&“Youngquist brings considerable skills to the life and work of the legendary but underappreciated and often misunderstood composer, keyboardist, and poet.&” —PopMatters Sun Ra said he came from Saturn. Known on earth for his inventive music and extravagant stage shows, he pioneered free-form improvisation in an ensemble setting with the devoted band he called the &“Arkestra.&” Sun Ra took jazz from the inner city to outer space, infusing traditional swing with far-out harmonies, rhythms, and sounds. Described as the father of Afrofuturism, Sun Ra created &“space music&” as a means of building a better future for American blacks here on earth. In A Pure Solar World: Sun Ra and the Birth of Afrofuturism, Paul Youngquist explores and assesses Sun Ra&’s wide-ranging creative output—music, public preaching, graphic design, film and stage performance, and poetry—and connects his diverse undertakings to the culture and politics of his times, including the space race, the rise of technocracy, the civil rights movement, and even space-age bachelor-pad music. By thoroughly examining the astro-black mythology that Sun Ra espoused, Youngquist masterfully demonstrates that he offered both a holistic response to a planet desperately in need of new visions and vibrations and a new kind of political activism that used popular culture to advance social change. In a nation obsessed with space and confused about race, Sun Ra aimed not just at assimilation for the socially disfranchised but even more at a wholesale transformation of American society and a more creative, egalitarian world. &“A welcome invitation to the spaceways.&” —Jazzwise
A Purposeful Life: What I’ve Learned About Breaking Barriers and Inspiring Change
by Dawn Butler'Dawn Butler is a history-making, game-changing, ceiling-smashing politician.This powerful book offers a fascinating insight into both the personal and political sides of her journey.'Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London'When I was younger my parents taught me to be resilient and my brothers told me to be resistant, and now I think it's time for a revolution. Let's complete the power of three.'The third Black woman ever to be elected as an MP, Dawn Butler is a pioneer who speaks truth to power. Famously ejected from the House of Commons for calling Boris Johnson a liar, Dawn’s sense of purpose has carried her over countless hurdles to help her stand up for what is right and influence transformation, from the Met Police to the NHS.Now, for the first time she recalls the pivotal moments in her life, to give others the courage and conviction to dream big and improve the world around them. Revealing how traditional routes to success and power are outdated, Dawn’s story shows that by celebrating the strength of diverse communities, looking at an issue from all angles and embracing intersectionality, it’s easier than we think to disrupt a broken system.This uplifting and hopeful read shows how anybody can make positive change, even when the world around us feels fractured beyond repair.
A Quaker Officer in the Civil War: Henry Gawthrop of the 4th Delaware (Civil War Ser.)
by Justin CarisioHis opposition to slavery outweighed his religion&’s views of war: &“One of the most unique and extensive views of a Delaware war veteran&’s experience&” (Main Line Times). When the call went out in 1862 for volunteers for Delaware&’s 4th Infantry Regiment, a number of men from prominent Quaker families came forward to fight for the Union. Deeply patriotic and strongly opposed to slavery, they served with distinction in some of the later campaigns of the Civil War, from Cold Harbor through Appomattox. Among them was Henry Gawthrop. Commissioned a first lieutenant in Company F, he saw action during the Siege of Petersburg and at the Battle of Five Forks. Fifty years after the war, he drew on his diary and letters from the war years to create a unique memoir that is among the most comprehensive and detailed of any Delaware Civil War veteran. This is his story. Includes photos! &“Excellent.&” —Delmarva Now