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JFK's Secret Doctor: The Remarkable Life of Medical Pioneer and Legendary Rock Climber Hans Kraus
by Yvon Chouinard Susan E.B. SchwartzJFK's Secret Doctor tells a thrilling story of adventure and a historic medical career. Set against the grand panorama of twentieth century world events, it captures the remarkable life and spirit of climber and medical visionary Hans Kraus (1905-1996). Kraus was taught English by writer James Joyce, escaped Nazi-dominated Europe, and was JFK's secret back specialist. A legendary rock climber, known for hair-raising ascents on two continents, Kraus lived a life full of triumph, tragedy, intensity, verve, and a whole lot of guts, glory, and wit. Few realized that the same man, considered one of the great unsung medical pioneers of the twentieth century, was also making headline news throughout the second half of the 1950s, was a guest of honor at Eisenhower's White House, and the cover story of major magazines throughout America, including Sports Illustrated. His pioneering work in muscles and fitness uncovered shocking truths about the health of American children, and his work curing back pain brought him into the Kennedy White House and inner circle of Camelot.Here is the life of Hans Kraus, including the previously untold story of Kennedy's debilitating back problems, including Kennedy's White House medical records and first-time interviews with two Kennedy White House doctors.
JFK, Conservative
by Ira StollIn an era of partisanship and shifting political labels, a fascinating look at just how &“liberal&” President John F. Kennedy actually was—or wasn&’t. &“America, meet the real John F. Kennedy.&” —Washington Times John F. Kennedy is lionized by liberals. He inspired Lyndon Johnson to push Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act. His New Frontier promised increased spending on education and medical care for the elderly. He inspired Bill Clinton to go into politics. His champions insist he would have done great liberal things had he not been killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. But what if we've been looking at him all wrong? Indeed, JFK had more in common with Ronald Reagan than with LBJ. After all, JFK's two great causes were anticommunism and tax cuts. His tax cuts, domestic spending restraint, military buildup, pro-growth economic policy, emphasis on free trade and a strong dollar, and foreign policy driven by the idea that America had a God-given mission to defend freedom—all make him, by the standards of both his time and our own, a conservative. This widely debated book is must reading for conservatives and liberals alike. &“Provocative and compelling . . . Ira Stoll has succeeded in changing our very perception of Kennedy as one of liberalism's heroes."—Weekly Standard &“An informative analysis of the ways in which JFK did indeed evince his conservative side—he was very religious, open to a free market unencumbered by governmental interference, and staunchly anti-Communist.&” —Publishers Weekly
JFK, Nixon, Oliver Stone and Me: An Idealist's Journey From Capitol Hill To Hollywood Hell
by Eric HamburgJFK, Nixon, Oliver Stone and Me is the funny, thoughtful memoir of an accomplished former Congressional staffer who left D. C. for Hollywood and a job with Oliver Stone, hoping to help make politically
JFK: Caso abierto
by Philip ShenonLa explosiva crónica del asesinato de John F. Kennedy que obligará a reescribir la historia del magnicidio más famoso del siglo veinte. Una tarde de la primavera de 2008, sonó el teléfono de Philip Shenon en la delegación de The New York Times en Washington. Quien llamaba era un importante abogado que había empezado su carrera hacía casi medio siglo como miembro de la Comisión Warren que investigó el asesinato de Kennedy. "Cuenta nuestra historia", dijo. "No somos jóvenes, pero muchos de los miembros de la comisión seguimos vivos, y esta puede ser nuestra última oportunidad para contar lo que realmente ocurrió". Así empezó un trabajo de cinco años para reconstruir la historia oculta de la investigación más importante y más controvertida del siglo veinte. El libro pronto se convirtió en algo mucho mayor: Shenon descubrió que gran parte de la verdad sobre el asesinato del presidente todavía no había sido contada, y que muchas pruebas habían sido escondidas o destruidas por la CIA, el FBI y otras personas que ocupaban lugares de poder en Washington. En el tenso y absorbente libro de Shenon aparecen las figuras legendarias que protagonizaron esa época: Robert Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson y J. Edgar Hoover. A partir de cientos de entrevistas y un acceso sin precedentes a los miembros supervivientes de la Comisión Warren y a otros protagonistas, el sólido y definitivo libro de Philip Shenon cambiará la idea que tenemos del asesinato de John F. Kennedy y de la fallida investigación que le siguió.From the Trade Paperback edition.
JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956 (G - Reference, Information And Interdisciplinary Subjects Ser.)
by Fredrik LogevallA Pulitzer Prize–winning historian takes us as close as we have ever been to the real John F. Kennedy in this revelatory biography of the iconic, yet still elusive, thirty-fifth president. &“An utterly incandescent study of one of the most consequential figures of the twentieth century.&”—Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United StatesBy the time of his assassination in 1963, John F. Kennedy stood at the helm of the greatest power the world had ever seen, a booming American nation that he had steered through some of the most perilous diplomatic standoffs of the Cold War. Born in 1917 to a striving Irish American family that had become among Boston&’s wealthiest, Kennedy knew political ambition from an early age, and his meteoric rise to become the youngest elected president cemented his status as one of the most mythologized figures in American history. And while hagiographic portrayals of his dazzling charisma, reports of his extramarital affairs, and disagreements over his political legacy have come and gone in the decades since his untimely death, these accounts all fail to capture the full person.Beckoned by this gap in our historical knowledge, Fredrik Logevall has spent much of the last decade searching for the &“real&” JFK. The result of this prodigious effort is a sweeping two-volume biography that properly contextualizes Kennedy amidst the roiling American Century. This volume spans the first thirty-nine years of JFK&’s life—from birth through his decision to run for president—to reveal his early relationships, his formative experiences during World War II, his ideas, his writings, his political aspirations. In examining these pre–White House years, Logevall shows us a more serious, independently minded Kennedy than we&’ve previously known, whose distinct international sensibility would prepare him to enter national politics at a critical moment in modern U.S. history. Along the way, Logevall tells the parallel story of America&’s midcentury rise. As Kennedy comes of age, we see the charged debate between isolationists and interventionists in the years before Pearl Harbor; the tumult of the Second World War, through which the United States emerged as a global colossus; the outbreak and spread of the Cold War; the domestic politics of anti-Communism and the attendant scourge of McCarthyism; the growth of television&’s influence on politics; and more. JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917–1956 is a sweeping history of the United States in the middle decades of the twentieth century, as well as the clearest portrait we have of this enigmatic American icon.
JFKs Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and Sino-Indian War
by Bruce RiedelBruce Riedel provides new perspective and insights into Kennedy's forgotten crisis in the most dangerous days of the cold war. The Cuban Missile Crisis defined the presidency of John F. Kennedy. But during the same week that the world stood transfixed by the possibility of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, Kennedy was also consumed by a war that has escaped history's attention, yet still significantly reverberates today: the Sino-Indian conflict. As well-armed troops from the People's Republic of China surged into Indian-held territory in October 1962, Kennedy ordered an emergency airlift of supplies to the Indian army. He engaged in diplomatic talks that kept the neighboring Pakistanis out of the fighting. The conflict came to an end with a unilateral Chinese cease-fire, relieving Kennedy of a decision to intervene militarily in support of India. Bruce Riedel, a CIA and National Security Council veteran, provides the first full narrative of this crisis, which played out during the tense negotiations with Moscow over Cuba. He also describes another, nearly forgotten episode of U. S. espionage during the war between India and China: secret U. S. support of Tibetan opposition to Chinese occupation of Tibet. He details how the United States, beginning in 1957, trained andparachuted Tibetan guerrillas into Tibet to fight Chinese military forces. The United States did not abandon this covert support until relations were normalized with China in the 1970s. Riedel tells this story of war, diplomacy, and covert action with authority and perspective. He draws on newly declassified letters between Kennedy and Indian leader Jawaharlal Nehru, along with the diaries and memoirs of key players and other sources, to make this the definitive account of JFK's forgotten crisis. This is, Riedel writes, Kennedy's finesthour as you have never read it before.
JGV: A Life In 12 Recipes
by Jean-Georges VongerichtenOne of the most influential chef-restaurateurs of all time reflects on a career defined by surprising, delicious food. From his first apprenticeship in France to his Michelin-starred restaurant empire, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s cuisine is inspired by the freshest ingredients, the simplest techniques, and the drive to make the ordinary perfect. It all started at home. Jean-Georges was born in Alsace in eastern France to a family in the coal business. He spent his childhood watching, mesmerized, as his mother produced elaborate lunches each day at 12:30 p.m. sharp and exquisite dinners at exactly 7:30 p.m. Served rich goose stew and tender roasted local vegetables, Vongerichten’s palate was forever transformed, and such were the origins of his culinary genius. JGV is an invitation into the kitchen with a master chef. With humor and heart, Jean-Georges looks back on success and failure, sharing stories of cooking with legendary chefs Paul Bocuse and Louis Outhier, traveling in search of new and revelatory flavors, and building menus of his own in New York City, London, Singapore, Sao Paolo, and back in France. Every story is full of wisdom, conveyed with the magnanimity and precision that has made this chef a household name. Anchoring this remarkable memoir are twelve recipes that have defined Jean-Georges's career: an egg caviar still on his menu forty years after his mentor taught him the simple preparation; shrimp satay with a wine-oyster reduction from his landmark Lafayette restaurant; a pea guacamole that had President Obama tweeting; and more. Enlivened with his hand-drawn sketches and intimate photographs, JGV is a book for young chefs, as well as anyone who has ever stood at a stove and wondered what might be.
JIM!: Six True Stories about One Great Artist: James Marshall
by Jerrold ConnorsA picture book biography of the late, great James Marshall—illustrator of Miss Nelson is Missing and the George and Martha series—and as clever, delightful, and daring as Jim himselfAuthor and illustrator James Marshall let kids in on the joke. He knew little kids were smart, and he didn't talk down to them in his stories. He was right—kids loved his picture books. Decades after his death, the characters he illustrated—Miss Nelson, Viola Swamp, George and Martha, Goldilocks, Fox and His Friends—are still beloved. James Marshall should be at least as famous as his characters, and now he is, in his own picture book biography. Created in an irreverent style inspired by James Marshall's own art and storytelling, this delightful biography, featuring James as a fox, celebrates in both form and content what made James—&“Jim&” to his friends—so talented, funny, and special, and what has made his tales last. This time, Jim is the main character.&“Funny and filled with [insights.]&” —Booklist, starred review &“A better bio of Jim could hardly exist.&” —Kirkus, starred review &“Poignantly, comically human.&” —Publishers Weekly
JJ's Journey: A Story of Heroes and Heart
by Tracy CalhounTracy Calhoun, a longtime nurse, shares the heart-melting story of working alongside JJ, the Therapy Dog, the brightest and most intuitive dog Tracy has ever trained in this memoir loaded with over 60 color photos of our canine hero and pals. When not mooching dog treats, JJ is dedicated to helping humans cope with tragedy and loss through love and hugs. Tracy Calhoun, a nurse on staff at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in Oregon, paused at the bedside of an elderly patient in a coma. The woman had no family or friends, but the hospice team had learned she liked dogs, so Tracy put her Golden Retriever, JJ, a staff “therapist,” on the woman’s bed. JJ snuggled up, nuzzled a motionless hand, and then settled in, letting her body warmth cuddle and comfort the patient in her final hours. The woman, who had been unresponsive for days, then performed her final, intentional act. She stroked JJ’s head. Tracy recorded the intimate moment on her phone, then uploaded it to Facebook where she was keeping a modest account for friends, family, and community members who knew her and JJ. In August 2015, that video went viral, and was rapidly seen by tens of millions of viewers worldwide. To Tracy, it was a turning point in her mission to explain to a wider audience the joy that therapy dogs provide, and to do it with humor and canine chaos, as only a dog obsessed with bacon, puppies, and swimming can. Along the way, Tracy’s own story has grown and changed through her love of animals, and she’s found, in difficult times, she has needed the same comfort her pups offer to patients—for herself. “These stories of an unforgettable and deeply intuitive Golden Retriever named JJ, as told by her fabulous handler Tracy, are shared with humor and heart. Many wonderful moments happen when working with therapy dogs and reading about JJ’s magic is an extraordinarily moving experience.” — Donna Frindt, Executive Director, Project Canine “An emotionally satisfying and entertaining collection of tales not only between a dog and her human, but between this remarkable soul in a Golden Retriever suit and dozens of people in crisis—from hospice care to school shootings.” —Janet Velanovsky , Owner, Kaizen Pet Training & Behavior “An inspiring memoir, JJ’s Journey illustrates the medical and spiritual benefits of the human-animal bond through JJ’s unwavering patience, love, and support for the hospice patients and their grieving families. JJ’s Journey brings to light that in our greatest time of need, every person can feel they are loved, honored, and mean something in this world thanks to the unconditional love that comes so naturally from a therapy dog’s heart.” —Colby Webb, Founder, Sav-a-Bull Rescue and author of Forty One Pit Bulls
JLS: Forever and a Day
by JLSSince forming in 2007, JLS have achieved everything they'd hoped for and more. From four smash-hit albums and five number one singles, to BRIT and MOBO awards and sell-out tours, Oritsé, Marvin, JB, and Aston have proved themselves as one of Britain's biggest boybands ever. But all good things come to an end and in this, their last ever official book together, the boys share their favourite memories with the people they love most: their fans.Inside, they reflect on everything they've experienced in the last six years, as a band and in their own personal lives, while sharing exclusive photos and the secrets they've kept. Find out how they feel about juggling family and finding love with life on the road and recording in the studio; how special it feels to step out on stage in front of thousands of fans and why choosing to part from the best friends they could have ever found was the hardest decision of all.The highs, the lows; the good times and bad, this is JLS like you've never seen them before. Older, wiser and hotter than ever, this is their final farewell and a treasured keepsake for years to come.
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER: A Portrait in Oils
by John K. WinklerWhat was the world's first billionaire really like? This highly entertaining work, by an acclaimed business biographer, seeks to explode the "shadowy myth" of John D. Rockefeller and reveal the "rare and astonishing personality" behind it. From his humble roots in Ohio, where he learned thrift and industry as the bookkeeper of a dockside warehouse, to the death threats this "modern Machiavelli" received during the early years of Standard Oil, to his ascendancy to the rank of "the most detested man in the country"-when churches refused his donations as tainted money-and his subsequent formation of the philanthropic Rockefeller Foundation, this is a knowingly ironic and subtly witty work of biography.
Jacinda Ardern: Leading with Empathy
by Supriya Vani Carl A. HarteJacinda Ardern was swept to office in 2017 on a wave of popular enthusiasm dubbed &‘Jacindamania&’. In less than three months, she rose from deputy leader of the opposition to New Zealand&’s highest office. Her victory seemed heroic. Few in politics would have believed it possible; fewer still would have guessed at her resolve and compassionate leadership, which, in the wake of the horrific Christchurch mosque shootings of March 2019, brought her international acclaim. Since then, her decisive handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen her worldwide standing rise to the point where she is now celebrated as a model leader. In 2020 she won an historic, landslide victory and yet, characteristically, chose to govern in coalition with the Green Party. Jacinda Ardern: Leading with Empathy carefully explores the influences – personal, social, political and emotional – that have shaped Ardern. Peace activist and journalist Supriya Vani and writer Carl A. Harte build their narrative through Vani&’s exclusive interviews with Ardern, as well as the prime minister&’s public statements and speeches and the words of those who know her. We visit the places, meet the people and understand the events that propelled the daughter of a small-town Mormon policeman to become a committed social democrat, a passionate Labour Party politician and a modern leader admired for her empathy and courage.
Jack
by Jack WelchJack Welch was perhaps the greatest corporate leader of the 20th century. When he first became CEO of General Electric in 1981 the company was worth $12 billion. Twenty years later it is worth a total of $280 billion. But Welch was more than just the leader of the most successful business in the world. He revolutionised GE's entire corporate culture with his distinctive, highly personal management style: the individual appreciation of each of his 500 managers, the commitment to an informal but driven work style and the encouragement of candour were all part of the Welch approach. Following John Harvey Jones's Making it Happen and Troubleshooter, Jack has already become the businessman's bible for the 21st century - an inspiration for a new generation of corporate players.
Jack & Jack: You Don't Know Jacks
by Jack Gilinsky Jack JohnsonVine ingenues, YouTube megastars, hip-pop sensations, and best friends Jack & Jack bring their own brand of irreverent comedy, on-point style, and heartfelt life advice to You Don’t Know Jacks. Nebraska natives Jack Gilinsky and Jack Johnson shot to instant fame after their first Vine, “Nerd Vandals,” was dubbed “a perfect Vine” by the Huffington Post. It’s been looped more than ten million times since—and that Vine was just the beginning.Now, after a number one hit on iTunes, nearly two million singles sold, live performances where they have shared the stage with Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes, and Fifth Harmony, and over 26 million followers across all their social media channels, Jack & Jack are on a wild ride—and they’re not planning to slow down anytime soon. Fans will love reading about their journey from being two regular kids growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, to global superstardom. Complete with never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes stories, and hilarious personal anecdotes, You Don’t Know Jacks is an insider look at the lives of Jack & Jack, as told by the guys themselves.
Jack Be Nimble: The Accidental Education of an Unintentional Director
by Jack O'BrienA warm, witty tell-all and history of American regional theater, from one of our best-loved directorsFor Jack O'Brien, there's nothing like a first encounter with a great performer, nothing like the sound of an audience bursting into applause. In short, there's nothing like the theater. Following a fairly normal Midwestern childhood, O'Brien hoped to make his mark by writing lyrics for Broadway but was instead pulled into the growing American regional theater movement by the likes of John Houseman, Helen Hayes, Ellis Rabb, and Eva Le Gallienne. He didn't intend to become a director, or to direct some of the most brilliant—and sometimes maddening—personalities of the age, but in a charming, hilarious, and unexpected way, that's what happened. O'Brien has had a long, successful career on Broadway and as artistic director of San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, but the history of the movement that shaped him has been overlooked. In the middle of the last century, some extraordinary people forged a link in the chain connecting European influences such as the Moscow Art Theatre and Great Britain's National Theatre with the flourishing American theater of today. O'Brien was there to see and record it all, in beautifully vivid detail. Funny, exuberant, unfailingly honest, Jack Be Nimble is the tale of those missing heroes, performances, and cultural battles. It is also the irresistible story of one of our best-loved theater directors, growing into his passion and discovering what he is capable of.
Jack Benny
by Mary Livingstone Benny Hilliard Marks Marcia BorieA biography of the famous comedian by his wife.
Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy
by Kathryn H. Fuller-SeeleyThe king of radio comedy from the Great Depression through the early 1950s, Jack Benny was one of the most influential entertainers in twentieth-century America. A master of comic timing and an innovative producer, Benny, with his radio writers, developed a weekly situation comedy to meet radio’s endless need for new material, at the same time integrating advertising into the show’s humor. Through the character of the vain, cheap everyman, Benny created a fall guy, whose frustrated struggles with his employees addressed midcentury America’s concerns with race, gender, commercialism, and sexual identity. Kathryn H. Fuller-Seeley contextualizes her analysis of Jack Benny and his entourage with thoughtful insight into the intersections of competing entertainment industries and provides plenty of evidence that transmedia stardom, branded entertainment, and virality are not new phenomena but current iterations of key aspects in American commercial cultural history.
Jack Benny: An Intimate Biography
by Irving A. FeinFein joined Benny in 1947 as publicity and advertising director of his company, which was sold to CBS. Fein then became executive producer of Benny's programs, winning an Emmy in 1961.
Jack Benny: The Radio and Television Work
by The Editors at the Museum of Television and RadioDetailed descriptions of over 150 radio and TV programs, a section on his historic 'radio feud' with Fred Allen, reprints of scripts, and critical analyses of his work by the curators of the museum.
Jack Cristil: The Voice of the MSU Bulldogs
by Sid SalterThis is the biography of Jack Cristil. Sid Salter takes us through the life of Jack Cristil, the radio sportscaster for Mississippi State University football and basketball for 58 years. It is an interesting look at the broadcasting microphone throughout those years.
Jack Cristil: Voice of the MSU Bulldogs, Revised Edition
by Sid SalterJack Cristil (1925-2014) was a Southeastern Conference icon and the Voice of Bulldog athletics for more than five decades. In this biography, Cristil's remarkable life and career is shared with all Bulldog fans. Authored by Mississippi journalist Sid Salter with a foreword by distinguished Mississippi State University alum John Grisham, the book originally sold over 10,000 copies and raised over $170,000 for the Jacob S. "Jack" Cristil Scholarship in Journalism at MSU.With a fifty-eight-year association with MSU, Cristil was the second-longest tenured college radio play-by-play announcer in the nation at the time of his 2011 retirement. During his legendary career as the Voice of the Bulldogs, Cristil called 636 football games since 1953. That's roughly 60 percent of all the football games played in school history. He was in his 54th season as the men's basketball play-by-play voice, having described the action of almost 55 percent of all the men's basketball games. In all, Cristil shared with Bulldog fans across the Magnolia State and around the world more than 1,500 collegiate contests. Central to Cristil's inspiring story was his upbringing in Memphis as the son of first-generation Russian-Jewish immigrants. This paperback edition is updated with new material covering Cristil's death and memorial service, with additional post-retirement and memorial photos.
Jack Daniel's Legacy
by Ben A. GreenLynchburg is famous for whiskey... Jack Daniel Whiskey. But who was this little man? And how did he come to make the finest whiskey in the world? Here's his story: In the rolling hills of Moore County, Tennessee, you will find The Jack Daniel's Distillery. It has been in existence for over 125 years. The area was originally part of Lincoln County where Jasper Newton Daniel (later called "Jack") was born on September 5, 1846, the youngest of 10 children. Jack's mother died when he was just a baby. Several years later his father remarried. Jack never got along with his stepmother and left home at the age of 6 to live with a nearby uncle. As a young boy he was befriended by Dan Call a local minister and storekeeper. He took Jack under his wing and trained him to work in the store. But Jack was not happy working there. He had a keen interest in the "still house" which was located on the property. Making whiskey at that time in that area was an acceptable practice though it was never consumed on Sundays. Dan promised Jack he could come to the still house whenever he wanted and he would teach him the art of making the world's best whiskey... made the Lincoln County way. In 1861, the war came to Lincoln County. Jack was too young to serve so remained as an apprentice to Dan Call, learning the sour mash method and perfecting the unique method known as the "Lincoln County Process." In 1863 after hearing a fiery sermon on the evils of alcohol, Dan Call's wife, along with their entire congregation, called on Dan to make "a serious decision regarding being a minister and operating a distillery." Rev. Call decided to sell his business to his young apprentice, Jack Daniel. Upon hearing of the availability of a particular piece of land near Lynchburg, Jack moved his operation there. This area contained the perfect situation for brewing excellent quality whiskey: the pure spring water from the limestone cave and the sugar maple trees that grew in abundance nearby. The War Between the States was over and Jack realized the Federal government would soon be taxing his products. Thinking ahead, Jack at the age of 16, took the step of being the first distillery to register with the United States government. You will see to this day the words "Oldest registered distillery in the US" on every Jack Daniel's label. The secret of the Lincoln County Process is based on the tedious filtering of the whiskey through charcoal produced by the sugar maple tree and, of course, the wonderful pure spring water. No chemicals are used in this natural fermentation process. In 1904 Jack secretly entered his brew in the St. Louis World's Fair. He completed with older, more established products from Europe. Amazingly, he won the Gold Medal for the Best Whiskey in the World! In 1905 he won another prestigious award in Belgium. He now had customers around the world and Jack Daniel Whiskey was famous! He continued running the successful business until a freak accident ended it all. One day, in frustration, he kicked a safe in his office, which wouldn't open and crushed his toe. It later became gangrenous and his health declined during the next 6 years leading to his death in 1911. Jack Daniel never married and had no children. He left the distillery to his nephew, Lem Motlow. Lem expanded the business and it was then handed on to his sons. Though the company was sold in 1956, the Motlow Family is still majority owner and continues to operate and manage the company. All these years the distillery has never suspended operations and to this day it is located in a "dry" county. You can't buy whiskey for consumption in Lincoln County. However, Miss Mary BoBo's Boarding House always serves a dish containing the local hometown "product" at every meal.
Jack Duckworth and Me
by Bill TarmeyActor Bill Tarmey first appeared as Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street in November 1979, when his formidable on-screen wife Vera dragged him to Brian and Gail Tilsley's wedding, only to have him sneak off for a pint at the first opportunity. After playing what is arguably the nation's best-loved soap character for 31 years, Bill leaves the series in December 2010. To coincide with this momentous event in soap history, Bill now tells the full story of what it has been like to play this loveable rogue for almost half his life. He reveals the hilarious on-set japes behind the scenes - such as getting fits of the giggles with Curly Watts and Alec Gilroy, what it was like playing the Romeo to Bet Lynch and Dulcie Froggat, plus the more emotional times such as when Bernard Youens, who played Stan Ogden, died. There is also the fascinating story of Bill's early years growing up in the streets of post-war Manchester, with bombsites for playgrounds and an ex-Navy grandpa who taught him how to box. Destined to become a master asphalter like his Dad, Bill never gave up his love of singing, and by the late 1960s he had made a name for himself in the unforgiving environment of the Working Men's Club circuit. Taking work as a TV extra, Bill soon found himself treading the famous cobbled streets, and was a natural in his newly created role of Jack, which has been uncanny in mirroring Bill's own life for its lurches of fortune. Packed with anecdotes to delight both Corrie fans and lovers of British TV everywhere, this warm-hearted and substantial autobiography is THE soap star memoir the country has been waiting for. They will not be disappointed.
Jack Kemp
by Morton Kondracke Fred BarnesThe definitive biography of Jack Kemp, and why his legacy matters to today's GOP.As today's Republicans struggle to broaden their base and promote reform, some are reviving the legacy of Jack Kemp, one of the most important Republicans of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.Kemp approached politics the same way he played quarterback for the Bills: with a refusal to accept defeat. Yet he was also willing to compromise to get things done, and his commitment to the working class and minorities attracted voters who usually rejected the GOP. He was instrumental in helping Ronald Reagan create an era of sustained and widespread prosperity.Drawing on never-published papers and the Kemp oral history project, noted journalists Morton Kondracke and Fred Barnes trace Kemp's whole life, from his childhood through his pro football career to his unusually influential years as congressman and cabinet secretary. Despite many ups and downs, including failed presidential and vice presidential bids, Kemp proved that a "bleeding-heart conservative" could redefine what was possible in American politics.From the Hardcover edition.
Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero
by Chris Matthews"What was he like?"Jack Kennedy said the reason people read biography is to answer that basic question. With the verve of a novelist, Chris Matthews gives us just that. We see this most beloved president in the company of friends. We see and feel him close-up, having fun and giving off that restlessness of his. We watch him navigate his life from privileged, rebellious youth to gutsy American president. We witness his bravery in war and selfless rescue of his PT boat crew. We watch JFK as a young politician learning to play hardball and watch him grow into the leader who averts a nuclear war.What was he like, this person whose own wife called him "that elusive, unforgettable man"? The Jack Kennedy you discover here wanted never to be alone, never to be bored. He loved courage, hated war, lived each day as if it were his last.Chris Matthews's extraordinary biography is based on personal interviews with those closest to JFK, oral histories by top political aide Kenneth O'Donnell and others, documents from his years as a student at Choate, and notes from Jacqueline Kennedy's first interview after Dallas. You'll learn the origins of his inaugural call to "Ask what you can do for your country." You'll discover his role in the genesis of the Peace Corps, his stand on civil rights, his push to put a man on the moon, his ban on nuclear arms testing. You'll get, more than ever before, to the root of the man, including the unsettling aspects of his personal life. As Matthews writes, "I found a fighting prince never free of pain, never far from trouble, never accepting the world he found, never wanting to be his father's son. He was a far greater hero than he ever wished us to know."