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Hurricane Squadron Ace: The Story of Battle of Britain Ace, Air Commodore Peter Brothers, CBE, DSO, DFC and Bar
by Nick Thomas“The story of one of the most heroic fighter aces of the Second World War . . . has been brought to life in this gripping new book.” —Lancashire Living MagazineAir Commodore Peter Malam “Pete” Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar (1917-2008) was one of the most highly praised pilots of the Second World War. Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 “kills” over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110s; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky maneuvers and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition. This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn’t been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century.“An engaging story of one of The Few . . . This is a book that entertains, inspires, moves, amuses, surprises—what more could any reader ask for.” —FIRE Project
Hurricane Street
by Ron Kovic"Hurricane Street...[is] another raw expose on the cost of war. The book, which he calls a prequel, drills deep into the 17-day drama of a 1974 sit-in and hunger strike staged by Kovic and a band of fellow wounded veterans who took the federal building on Wilshire Boulevard by storm...The book is an unflinching anti-war declaration, written in blood and the sweat of too many haunted nights by a Vietnam Marine Corps sergeant who later opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."--Los Angeles Times"The author of Born on the Fourth of July (1976) recounts the brief 1974 movement he initiated to change how Veterans Affairs hospitals cared for wounded soldiers...The great strength of this book is that the author never minces words. With devastating candor, he memorializes a short-lived but important movement and the men who made it happen. Sobering reflections on past treatment of America's injured war veterans."--Kirkus Reviews"[A] compelling snapshot of early 1980s activism....Without social media or cell phones to boost the signal, it was Kovic's flair for the dramatic and ability to marshal reporters that turned the protest into a battle victory....Kovic's updates on the fates of his fellow veterans provide a memorable and bittersweet conclusion."--Publishers Weekly"The author of the bestseller Born on the Fourth of July writes an impassioned and timely memoir about the 1974 American Veterans Movement that will strike a chord with veterans and their families today."--Publishers Weekly, Top 10 Pick for Spring 2016"Kovic, a Vietnam veteran paralyzed from the waist down and the author of the seminal war memoir Born on the Fourth of July (1976), looks back to the spring of 1974, when he led a two-week hunger strike in the Los Angeles office of U.S. Senator Alan Cranston . . . Kovic's personal tale is also a timely topical book as veterans' mental and physical health care remain woefully insufficient."--Booklist"Kovic has also penned a new book, Hurricane Street, that will be released on July 4th. The new book recounts how in 1974, the author and other injured veterans staged a sit-in and hunger strike to demand better treatment for vets."--Rolling Stone"Renowned antiwar activist Kovic, a Vietnam veteran, delivers a powerful memoir detailing his organization of the American Veterans Movement (AVM) during the mid-1970s . . . This chronicle will resonate with those interested in the all-too-human effects of war and the challenges faced by our wounded warriors."-- Library Journal"Forty years after the release of Born on the Fourth of July, the 1976 memoir that became the 1989 Academy Award-winning film starring Tom Cruise, author Ron Kovic gives us Hurricane Street, a memoir about his 1974 movement to change the way Veterans Affairs hospitals cared for wounded soldiers."--ParadeIn the spring of 1974, as the last American troops were being pulled out of Vietnam, Ron Kovic and a small group of other severely injured veterans in a California VA hospital launched the American Veterans Movement. In a phenomenal feat of political organizing, Kovic corralled his fellow AVM members into staging a sit-in, and then a hunger strike, in the Los Angeles office of Senator Alan Cranston, demanding better treatment of injured and disabled veterans.This was a short-lived and chaotic but ultimately successful movement to improve the deplorable conditions in VA hospitals across the country. Hurricane Street is their story--one that resonates deeply today--told
Hurricanes: A Memoir
by Neil Martinez-Belkin Rick RossThe highly anticipated memoir from hip-hop icon Rick Ross chronicles his coming of age amid Miami’s crack epidemic, his star-studded controversies and his unstoppable rise to fame. <P><P>Rick Ross is an indomitable presence in the music industry, but few people know his full story. Now, for the first time, Ross offers a vivid, dramatic and unexpectedly candid account of his early childhood, his tumultuous adolescence and his dramatic ascendancy in the world of hip-hop. <P><P>Born William Leonard Roberts II, Ross grew up “across the bridge,” in a Miami at odds with the glitzy beaches, nightclubs and yachts of South Beach. In the aftermath of the 1980 race riots and the Mariel boatlift, Ross came of age at the height of the city’s crack epidemic, when home invasions and execution-style killings were commonplace. <P><P>Still, in the midst of the chaos and danger that surrounded him, Ross flourished, first as a standout high school football player and then as a dope boy in Carol City’s notorious Matchbox housing projects. All the while he honed his musical talent, overcoming setback after setback until a song called “Hustlin’” changed his life forever. <P><P>From the making of “Hustlin’” to his first major label deal with Def Jam, to the controversy surrounding his past as a correctional officer and the numerous health scares, arrests and feuds he had to transcend along the way, Hurricanes is a revealing portrait of one of the biggest stars in the rap game, and an intimate look at the birth of an artist. <P><P><b> A New York Times Bestseller </b>
Hurry Down Sunshine: A Memoir
by Michael GreenbergIn this extraordinary account of a loved one's madness and the effects it has on family, friends, caregivers and even fellow sufferers, Greenberg records his daughter Sally's journey as only a father can while still remaining completely honest with her and himself. <P><P>Even random comments by near-strangers become significant here, and as Sally struggles in an institution and again under outpatient care Greenberg makes it clear that as a family, community and society we share more madness than we dare to admit. His description of Sally's progress toward coherence through work in theater is especially moving. Annotation
The Hurt Artist: My Journey from Suicidal Junkie to Ironman
by Shane Niemeyer Gary BrozekA gritty memoir that chronicles the author's transformation from a homeless junkie who tried to hang himself in prison to a triathlete competing at the Ironman World Championship.With troubles beginning as early as childhood, the trajectory of Shane Niemeyer's life seemed to have only one direction: down. His struggles with heroin addiction led him to jail, and he eventually hit rock bottom. Soon, his two pack a day cigarette habit was the healthiest thing he did. One dark night in jail, his suicide attempt failed. What happened next transcends the term recovery.The Hurt Artist is the searing yet luminous travelogue of Shane's powerful journey from suicidal addict to Ironman. He vividly depicts the landscape of pain in which he's lived his life—emotional and physical pain inflicted upon him and that he inflicts upon himself, pain that pulls him down, and, in detailing his training, the pain he harnesses to lift himself up. Ultimately, Shane's story is one of redemption and triumph, a lesson in the value of second chances and a clear reminder that nobody, regardless of how seemingly desperate their circumstances, is beyond the reach of salvation.From inmate #71768 to Ironman Triathlon World Championship competitor #1419, Shane paints a stirring self-portrait in this hilarious, horrifying, and hopeful account that is sure to hook readers of edgy sports biographies.
Hurting Too Much: Shocking Stories from the Frontline of Child Protection
by Harry Keeble Kris HollingtonDetective Sergeant Harry Keeble's bestselling books, Baby X and Little Victim described his early years in Hackney's Child Protection Unit, as he battled to get to grips with cases of unimaginably horrific child abuse. In Broken Angels, a more experienced Harry relates a series of extraordinary cases he encountered with Ella, a young and newly qualified social worker. Together, Harry and Ella faced the violence of forced marriage, the horror of maternal incest and the cruelty of child slavery. Their investigations took them into a mosque, a drug den and a recording studio. Just as the unrelenting caseload threatened to push the inexperienced Ella over the edge, Harry uncovered one of the most shocking cases of child abuse he'd ever encountered, forcing the duo to tread new ground in the search for justice. Broken Angels reveals why working in Child Protection has never been so tough. It also shows why, despite the fact that so many courageous people are ready and willing to meet impossible challenges, we are still unable to reach all of the broken angels that so desperately need our help.
Hurtling Toward Happiness: A Mother and Teenage Son’s Road Trip from Blues to Bonding In a Really Small Car
by Claudia JohnsonThe Funny, Wise, Bighearted Story of a Bonding Road Trip—and the Healing Power of Human Connection When Claudia’s sixteen-year-old son, Ross, announces he’s quitting high school and leaving home a year early, she panics because they’re so disconnected she’s afraid she’ll lose him forever. Then a small miracle happens—they discover they have the same escape fantasy, to head west on I-10 to where she grew up, in Corpus Christi, Houston, and Kingsville, Texas. So, on a tight budget and with the expense clock ticking, they travel from Tallahassee to Texas and back, 2,400 miles in one week. But the distance they cover transcends the miles that they drive. Along the way Claudia recounts the sometimes hilarious, often harrowing, but ultimately courageous Texas family story that defined her childhood and is Ross's heritage—a story that centers on her own mother's path-breaking journey from a family history of dysfunction, alcoholism, and abuse to create a life for herself and a loving home for her children. As Claudia and Ross spend time together, sharing stories and laughter, she's able to see more clearly the young man her son has become, and he takes responsibility for his unhappiness and finds a solution. With prose that is nimble, vivid, and rich in humor, here is a spirited testament to the crucial bond between mothers and children.
The Husband Hunters: American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy
by Anne De CourcyA deliciously told group biography of the young, rich, American heiresses who married into the impoverished British aristocracy at the turn of the twentieth century – The real women who inspired Downton AbbeyTowards the end of the nineteenth century and for the first few years of the twentieth, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, fifty years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known 'Dollar Princess', married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage, bringing with them all the fabulous wealth, glamour and sophistication of the Gilded Age.Anne de Courcy sets the stories of these young women and their families in the context of their times. Based on extensive first-hand research, drawing on diaries, memoirs and letters, this richly entertaining group biography reveals what they thought of their new lives in England - and what England thought of them.
The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York
by Anne de CourcyTowards the end of the nineteenth century and for the first few years of the twentieth, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, fifty years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known 'Dollar Princess', married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage, bringing with them all the fabulous wealth, glamour and sophistication of the Gilded Age.Anne de Courcy sets the stories of these young women and their families in the context of their times. Based on extensive first-hand research, drawing on diaries, memoirs and letters, this richly entertaining group biography reveals what they thought of their new lives in England - and what England thought of them.
The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York
by Anne de CourcyTowards the end of the nineteenth century and for the first few years of the twentieth, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, fifty years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known 'Dollar Princess', married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage, bringing with them all the fabulous wealth, glamour and sophistication of the Gilded Age.Anne de Courcy sets the stories of these young women and their families in the context of their times. Based on extensive first-hand research, drawing on diaries, memoirs and letters, this richly entertaining group biography reveals what they thought of their new lives in England - and what England thought of them.
The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York
by Anne de CourcyTowards the end of the nineteenth century and for the first few years of the twentieth, a strange invasion took place in Britain. The citadel of power, privilege and breeding in which the titled, land-owning governing class had barricaded itself for so long was breached. The incomers were a group of young women who, fifty years earlier, would have been looked on as the alien denizens of another world - the New World, to be precise. From 1874 - the year that Jennie Jerome, the first known 'Dollar Princess', married Randolph Churchill - to 1905, dozens of young American heiresses married into the British peerage, bringing with them all the fabulous wealth, glamour and sophistication of the Gilded Age.Anne de Courcy sets the stories of these young women and their families in the context of their times. Based on extensive first-hand research, drawing on diaries, memoirs and letters, this richly entertaining group biography reveals what they thought of their new lives in England - and what England thought of them.Read by Clare Corbett(p) Orion Publishing Group 2017
The Husband Swap
by Louisa LeontiadesLouisa and Gilles love each other. There’s a problem in paradise, though: their marriage is going nowhere. Together, they decide to explore polyamory, the idea that it’s possible to have more than one lover--and more than one love. They fall in love with another couple and, embarking on a life-changing course, try to make it work as a quad. Their journey liberates them from the constraints of their unhappy marriage and propels them into a world where they embrace a new way of loving. But this liberation comes with a price. They are challenged in ways they didn’t expect, and the experiment takes them to a place they didn’t anticipate. They must learn to accept a new understanding of relationships, each other and themselves. With raw and intimate prose, Louisa Leontiades unflinchingly shares her story, with all its drama, passion, joy and conflict as she and her husband stumble, make mistakes, and look for a path to a sustainable polyamorous future. This is not a how-to manual or a guide to polyamory. It is the true story of four ordinary people who challenged monogamy to pursue a utopia of limitless love.
Husbandry: Sex, Love, and Dirty Laundry--Inside the Minds of Married Men
by Stephen FriedIn his wickedly observant collection of essays, Fried turns his attention to the subject of marriage--his own and others. The result is a daring, provocative, often hilarious read that throws incisive light on mysteries that have long plagued womankind: the inner workings of the male mind.
Hush of the Land: A Lifetime in the Bob Marshall Wilderness
by Arnold "Smoke" Elser Eva-Maria MaggiThis inspirational memoir chronicles the six-decade quest of packer and outfitter Arnold &“Smoke&” Elser to protect wild lands by bringing thousands of people deep into the mountains of Montana on horseback. With limited financial means and while still in college, the young man from Ohio decided against a promising career in forestry and chose instead to share his love of wilderness with city dwellers by working as a professional outfitter. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, Hush of the Land tells the captivating story of Elser&’s early days as a packer in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Bitterroot Mountains. Share the joys and thrills of summer rides, harrowing grizzly bear encounters, fishing in clear mountain streams, and many nights around a campfire within some of the West&’s last wild lands. In this lively narrative, Elser recounts how his testimony for the Wilderness Act, and the fight to preserve and expand Montana&’s wilderness lands, influenced his career as an outfitter and educator and gave him a voice at the center of Montana&’s conservation movement.
Hussars, Horses and History
by John StrawsonJohn Strawson describes joining the 4th Hussars in the Middle East in 1942 and serving with them until amalgamation with the 9th Hussars in 1958 as The Queens Royal Irish Hussars. He commanded the Regiment during the Borneo campaign and was Colonel from 1975 to 1985. His account of war in Italy and of operations in Malaya and Borneo are of special interest.This light-hearted memoir reveals devotion to his family, friends, Regiment and to horses. His adventures with horses and hounds, whipping-in to the legendary Loopy Kennard, and during his time as Master of the Staff College Draghounds are particularly diverting. Addiction to reading and writing led to authorship of twelve military history books.Military appointments included command of a brigade, two years at SHAPE and finally Chief of Staff, UK Land Forces. He then describes working as Westland Aircrafts Military Adviser, mainly in the Middle East and gives a vivid account of life in Cairo in the latter 1970s.In sum General Strawson shows how enjoyable, how varied, sometimes how demanding a soldiers life can be, above all how rewarding, made so by the priceless quality of the regimental system and the comrades with whom he served.
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
by Curtis "50 Cent" JacksonFor the first time, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson opens up about his amazing comeback—from tragic personal loss to thriving businessman and cable’s highest-paid executive—in this unique self-help guide, his first since his blockbuster New York Times bestseller The 50th Law.In his early twenties Curtis Jackson, known as 50 Cent rose to the heights of fame and power in the cutthroat music business. A decade ago the multi-platinum selling rap artist decided to pivot. His ability to adapt to change was demonstrated when he became the executive producer and star of Power, a high-octane, gripping crime drama centered around a drug kingpin’s family. The series quickly became “appointment” television, leading to Jackson inking a four-year, $150 million contract with the Starz network—the most lucrative deal in premium cable history.Now, in his most personal book, Jackson shakes up the self-help category with his unique, cutting-edge lessons and hard-earned advice on embracing change. Where The 50th Law tells readers “fear nothing and you shall succeed,” Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter builds on this message, combining it with Jackson’s street smarts and hard-learned corporate savvy to help readers successfully achieve their own comeback—and to learn to flow with the changes that disrupt their own lives.
Hustling Hinkler: The Short Tumultuous Life of a Trailblazing Australian Aviator
by D. R. DymockHustling Hinkler is mandatory reading for anyone who loves flight . . . a gripping story of an intrepid country boy who followed his dreams.' (Richard de Crespigny, author of multi-award winning QF32)Part adventure, part mystery and part tragedy, Hustling Hinkler is the unforgettable true story of aviator Bert Hinkler's astonishing life.Herbert John Louis Hinkler was a working-class lad, born in Bundaberg, Queensland, in 1892. From his earliest years, Bert was captivated by stories of flight and, inspired by the Wright brothers, build his first plane while still a teenager. Determined to make a life of adventure, he became a mechanic for a barnstorming pilot before making his way to England. At the outbreak of World War I he joined up, becoming a decorated air gunner before achieving his pilot's wings in the RAF. Ambition finally aligned with skill, and he became famous for his death-defying aviation triumphs. In 1928 he thrilled the world with his first solo flight from England to Australia, and another across the South Atlantic in 1931.Yet behind this publicly feted hero was a complex man who struggled to find his place in the world when not in the sky. He desperately clung to his dreams, despite the odds against him. Tragically, Bert's pioneering attempts came to an abrupt end on 7 January 1933, while attempting another solo flight from England to Australia.D. R. Dymock's insightful biography reveals the many intriguing facets of this outstanding aviator, the circumstances that led to that final, fatal flight, and the three women he left behind. Hustling Hinkler is the riveting true story of a trailblazing Australian.
Hustling Hitler: The Jewish Vaudevillian Who Fooled the Führer
by Walter ShapiroFrom acclaimed journalist Walter Shapiro, the true life story of how his great-uncle--a Jewish vaudeville impresario and exuberant con man--managed to cheat Hitler's agents in the run-up to WWII. All his life, journalist Walter Shapiro assumed that the outlandish stories about his great-uncle Freeman were exaggerated family lore; some cockamamie Jewish revenge fantasies dreamt up to entertain the kids and venerate their larger-than-life relative. Only when he started researching Freeman Bernstein's life did he realize that his family was actually holding back--the man had enough stories, vocations, and IOUs to fill a dozen lifetimes. Freeman was many people: a vaudeville manager, boxing promoter, stock swindler, card shark and self-proclaimed "Jade King of China." But his greatest title, perhaps the only man who can claim such infamy, was as The Man Who Hustled Hitler. A cross between The Night They Raided Minsky's and Guys and Dolls, Freeman Bernstein's life was itself an old New York sideshow extravaganza, one that Shapiro expertly stages in Hustling Hitler. From a ragtag childhood in Troy, New York, Shapiro follows his great-uncle's ever-crooked trajectory through show business, from his early schemes on the burlesque circuit to marrying his star performer, May Ward, and producing silent films--released only in Philadelphia. Of course, all of Freeman's cons and schemes were simply a prelude to February 18, 1937, the day he was arrested by the LAPD outside of Mae West's apartment in Hollywood. The charge? Grand larceny--for cheating Adolf Hitler and the Nazi government. In the capstone of his slippery career, Freeman had promised to ship thirty-five tons of embargoed Canadian nickel to the Führer; when the cargo arrived, the Germans found only huge, useless quantities of scrap metal and tin. It was a blow to their economy and war preparations--and Hitler did not take the bait-and-switch lightly. Told with cinematic verve and hilarious perspective, Hustling Hitler is Shapiro's incredible investigation into the man behind the myth. By reconstructing his great-uncle's remarkable career, Shapiro has transformed Freeman Bernstein from a barely there footnote in history to the larger-than-life, eternal hustler who forever changed it.From the Hardcover edition.
The Hustons: The Life and Times of a Hollywood Dynasty
by Lawrence GrobelIn this candid biography Lawrence Grobel chronicles the remarkable story of the Huston family, which boasts three Oscar winners, from Walter to John to Anjelica, with particular attention to the rich career and tumultuous personal life of director/actor John Huston (1906-1987). This updated edition covers Anjelica's stormy relationship with Jack Nicholson, her liberating marriage to artist Robert Graham, the exploits of her brothers Tony and Danny, the mysterious silence of Maricela, John's last love interest and more.
Huxley: A Beginner's Guide (Beginner's Guides)
by Kieron O'HaraAuthor of Brave New World and The Doors of Perception, and inventor of the term 'psychedelic', Aldous Huxley was a global trend-setter ahead of his time. In this new biography Kieron O'Hara explores the life of this great visionary, charting his transformation from society satirist to Californian guru-mystic through an insightful analysis of his life's work. Combining thoughtful biography, expansive reading notes, and an exploration of Huxley's continuing legacy, Huxley: A Beginner's Guide is the definitive introduction to one of the twentieth century's most influential thinkers. Dr Kieron O'Hara is a Senior Researcher at Southampton University, England.
The Huxleys: An Intimate History of Evolution
by Alison BashfordA New Yorker and Economist Best Book of the Year Two hundred years of modern science and culture told through one family history. This momentous biography tells the story of the Huxleys: the Victorian natural historian T. H. Huxley (“Darwin’s Bulldog”) and his grandson, the scientist, conservationist, and zoologist Julian Huxley. Between them, they communicated to the world the great modern story of the theory of evolution by natural selection. In The Huxleys, celebrated historian Alison Bashford writes seamlessly about these omnivorous intellects together, almost as if they were a single man whose long, vital life bookended the colossal shifts in world history from the age of sail to the Space Age, and from colonial wars to world wars to the cold war. The Huxleys’ specialty was evolution in all its forms—at the grandest level of species, deep time, the Earth, and at the most personal and intimate. They illuminated the problems and wonders of the modern world and they fundamentally shaped how we see ourselves, as individuals and as a species. But perhaps their greatest subject was themselves. Bashford’s engaging, brilliantly ambitious book interweaves the Huxleys’ momentous public achievements with their private triumphs and tragedies. The result is the history of a family, but also a history of humanity grappling with its place in nature. This book shows how much we owe—for better or worse—to the unceasing curiosity, self-absorption, and enthusiasm of a small, strange group of men and women.
HWPO: Hard Work Pays Off
by Mat Fraser Spenser MestelTransform your body and mind with the definitive guide to building peak strength, endurance, and speed, from the five-time CrossFit Games champion and Fittest Man on EarthNo matter your level of fitness, no matter if you&’ve never attempted CrossFit before, this book is your total training manual. Mat Fraser is undisputedly the fittest man in CrossFit history for winning the CrossFit Games an unprecedented five times. A student of engineering, Fraser optimized his body like a machine, and his absolute dedication to the training program he designed for himself is now legendary. For years, every single decision he made was weighed against the question: "Will this help me win?" If the answer was no, he didn't do it. If it would give him even the slightest edge or advantage, he would—no matter the cost. Fraser became a master of identifying his weaknesses and then seeking out training methods to improve them, and he's idolized in the fitness community for his relentless pursuit of peak performance. It's not hard to see why he achieved so much success—but how is a different question. Throughout his career, Fraser has been highly guarded about his specific training techniques (after all, sharing them would not help him win the CrossFit Games). But with his recent retirement from competition, Fraser is finally ready to open up about his path to the podium. HWPO reveals the workouts, training hacks, eating plans, and mental strategies that have helped make him a champion. It's an incredible resource of elite training strategies, illustrated workouts, and motivational stories, and it's a glimpse into the mind of one of the world's greatest athletes.
The Hyacinth Girl: T. S. Eliot's Hidden Muse
by Lyndall GordonAmong the greatest of poets, T. S. Eliot protected his privacy while publicly associated with three women: two wives and a church-going companion. This presentation concealed a life-long love for an American: Emily Hale, a drama teacher to whom he wrote (and later suppressed) over a thousand letters. Hale was the source of "memory and desire" in The Waste Land; she is the Hyacinth Girl.Drawing on the dramatic new material of the only recently unsealed 1,131 letters Eliot wrote to Hale, leading biographer Lyndall Gordon reveals a hidden Eliot. Emily Hale now becomes the first and consistently important woman of life -- and his art. Gordon also offers new insight into the other spirited women who shaped him: Vivienne, the flamboyant wife with whom he shared a private wasteland; Mary Trevelyan, his companion in prayer; and Valerie Fletcher, the young disciple to whom he proposed when his relationship with Emily foundered. Eliot kept his women apart as each ignited his transformations as poet, expatriate, convert, and, finally, in his latter years, a man `made for love.'Emily Hale was at the centre of a love drama he conceived and the inspiration for the lines he wrote to last beyond their time. To read Eliot's twice-weekly letters to Emily during the thirties and forties is to enter the heart of the poet's art.
The Hyacinth Girl: T. S. Eliot's Hidden Muse
by Lyndall Gordon“Superb… brims with insight into T.S. Eliot’s complex love of women and its impact on his poetry. Beautifully written, fiercely honest, The Hyacinth Girl permanently dissolves the myth of impersonality, fathoming the vexed, tormented emotional life behind Eliot’s work.” —Jahan Ramazani, author of Poetry in a Global Age Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, T.S. Eliot was considered the greatest English-language poet of his generation. His poems The Waste Land and Four Quartets are classics of the modernist canon, while his essays influenced a school of literary criticism. Raised in St. Louis, shaped by his youth in Boston, he reinvented himself as an Englishman after converting to the Anglican Church. Like the authoritative yet restrained voice in his prose, he was the epitome of reserve. But there was another side to Eliot, as acclaimed biographer Lyndall Gordon reveals in her new biography, The Hyacinth Girl. While married twice, Eliot had an almost lifelong love for Emily Hale, an American drama teacher to whom he wrote extensive, illuminating, deeply personal letters. She was the source of “memory and desire” in The Waste Land. She was his hidden muse. That correspondence—some 1,131 letters—released by Princeton University’s Firestone Library only in 2020—shows us in exquisite detail the hidden Eliot. Gordon plumbs the archive to recast Hale’s role as the first and foremost woman of the poet’s life, tracing the ways in which their ardor and his idealization of her figured in his art. For Eliot’s relationships, as Gordon explains, were inextricable from his poetry, and Emily Hale was not the sole woman who entered his work. Gordon sheds new light on Eliot’s first marriage to the flamboyant Vivienne; re-creates his relationship with Mary Trevelyan, a wartime woman of action; and finally, explores his marriage to the young Valerie Fletcher, whose devotion to Eliot and whose physical ease transformed him into a man “made for love.” This stunning portrait of Eliot will compel not only a reassessment of the man—judgmental, duplicitous, intensely conflicted, and indubitably brilliant—but of the role of the choice women in his life and his writings. And at the center was Emily Hale in a love drama that Eliot conceived and the inspiration for the poetry he wrote that would last beyond their time. She was his “Hyacinth Girl."
The Hyacinth Girl: T. S. Eliot's Hidden Muse
by Lyndall GordonThe revealing of T. S. Eliot's hidden muse - Emily Hale, the Hyacinth Girl of the famous The Waste Land poem'Extraordinary... A rare work of sympathy and insight' Colm Tóibín'Gordon sifts through the documents with her customary care and delicacy' Frances Wilson, Telegraph'Thanks to Gordon's meticulous research and inspired storytelling we will never read [Eliot's] poems the same way again' Heather Clark'Exquisitely nuanced' Kathryn Hughes, Sunday Times'An illuminating account' Publishers Weekly'As exciting as a detective story... Gordon establishes the profound influence [the relationship] had upon the substance and in particular upon the imagery of Eliot's work' Margaret Drabble, New StatesmanAmong the greatest of poets, T. S. Eliot protected his privacy while publicly associated with three women: two wives and a church-going companion. This presentation concealed a life-long love for an American: Emily Hale, a drama teacher to whom he wrote (and later suppressed) over a thousand letters. Hale was the source of "memory and desire" in The Waste Land; she is the Hyacinth Girl.Drawing on the dramatic new material of the only recently unsealed 1,131 letters Eliot wrote to Hale, leading biographer Lyndall Gordon reveals a hidden Eliot. Emily Hale now becomes the first and consistently important woman of life -- and his art. Gordon also offers new insight into the other spirited women who shaped him: Vivienne, the flamboyant wife with whom he shared a private wasteland; Mary Trevelyan, his companion in prayer; and Valerie Fletcher, the young disciple to whom he proposed when his relationship with Emily foundered. Eliot kept his women apart as each ignited his transformations as poet, expatriate, convert, and, finally, in his latter years, a man `made for love.'Emily Hale was at the centre of a love drama he conceived and the inspiration for the lines he wrote to last beyond their time. To read Eliot's twice-weekly letters to Emily during the thirties and forties is to enter the heart of the poet's art.