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Will
by Will SmithOne of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had. <P><P>Will Smith’s transformation from a West Philadelphia kid to one of the biggest rap stars of his era, and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, is an epic tale—but it’s only half the story. Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over. <P><P>This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one person mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. <P><P>Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself. <P><P><B>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
Will and Kate's Big Fat Gypsy Wedding: Photos from our big day, like
by Alex RoryIn Will and Kate's Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, the Royal couple take us behind-the-scenes with exclusive photos of their engagement, the hen night, the wedding day and more! Featuring comments from the future King and Queen, as well other less-interesting Royals, this unique photo album tells: . How Wills first 'grabbed' Kate at an Edinburgh fashion show: 'I had to get my hands on that see-through dress!' . Why Kate believes a Princess belongs in the caravan: 'It's not like Wills is going to be working either...' . Of Prince Harry's love of bare-knuckle boxing: 'It's just rahlly traditional, like' . And what the Queen thinks of anti-Royal/Gypsy prejudice: 'One is actually starting to get pi**ed off!'
Will and Orv (Carolrhoda on My Own Book)
by Walter A. SchulzJohnny Moore watched as the amazing airplane moved along the track. He wondered if the Flyer would make it off the ground and if the pilot would be able to stay in control. then suddenly it was up--soaring into the strong winds before plunging back to the ground. The flight of the Flyer had lasted only a few seconds, but it had flown! This historic 12-second ride will always be remembered as the first engine-powered flight. Young Johnny Moore was one of only five witnesses to Wilbur and Orville Wright's magical first. This is the story of that first flight and of the young boy who helped the Wrights make history.
Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel
by Paul LevitzA celebration of the life of the acclaimed comic book storyteller through his work as well as interviews with fellow creators.Will Eisner (1917–2005) is universally considered the master of comics storytelling, best known for The Spirit, his iconic newspaper comic strip, and A Contract With God, the first significant graphic novel. This seminal work from 1978 ushered in a new era of personal stories in comics form that touched every adult topic from mortality to religion and sexuality, forever changing the way writers and artists approached comics storytelling. Noted historian Paul Levitz celebrates Eisner by showcasing his most famous work alongside unpublished and rare materials from the family archives. Also included are original interviews with creators such as Jules Feiffer, Art Spiegelman, Scott McCloud, Jeff Smith, Denis Kitchen, and Neil Gaiman—all of whom knew Eisner and were inspired by his work to create their own graphic novels for a new generation of readers.NOTE: The cover is a high-quality photographic reproduction of Eisner's original art. The design intentionally reveals tape and other stray markings that are part of the artist's process and reflect the age of the artifact that was photographed.“Eisner was not only ahead of his times; the present times are still catching up to him,” —John Updike“What Will did was and is timeless,” —Neil Gaiman“Will Eisner is, and remains, one of my precious idols,” —Frank Miller"He was the greatest,” —Harvey Kurtzman“Will Eisner is a national treasure,” —Jules Feiffer“Will Eisner is the heart and mind of American comics,” —Scott McCloud“Eisner is the single person most responsible for giving comics its brains,” —Alan Moore“Eisner was unique in feeling from the start that comic books were not necessarily this despised, bastard, crappy, lowbrow kind of art form, and that there was a potential for real art,” —Michael Chabon
Will Greenwood On Rugby
by Will Greenwood(Quote to come) In almost twenty years in the sport, Will Greenwood has achieved just about everything a professional rugby player could ever aspire to, playing an integral role in England's victorious Rugby World Cup win in 2003, and achieving great things beyond that at the Six Nations and on tour with the Lions. Never was a man more well placed to write on the sport. Here Greenwood delves into the game; how rugby can take you to hell and back; how it can introduce you to a few choice characters; how it can bring you to places you've never been and it can teach you a few things about life. He has seen the game change beyond recognition and he has his say on the debates, the rules and the greatest tournament on earth: the Rugby World Cup. From grass roots to elite professionalism, from hilarious character sketches of players to technical discussion of scrummaging, Greenwood delivers unrivalled writing on the game of rugby. ill Greenwood represented Leicester and Harlequins, won more than 50 caps for the England rugby team, including the World-cup winning campaign of 2003, and served on two Lions tours. He now works as a pundit for Sky Sports and as a columnist in the Telegraph, where has made his name as the face of intelligent and entertaining rugby writing and punditry.
Will & I: A Memoir
by Clay Byars“Byars recounts his struggle to master a body shattered by tragedy . . . A fascinating, if chilling, meditation on the aftermath of trauma.” —Publishers WeeklyClay Byars was recovering at home from a near-fatal car crash when he suffered a massive stroke. He was just eighteen years old. He awoke, back in the hospital, and was told he would be paralyzed from the eyes down for the rest of his life.Determined to defy the odds, Clay quickly and miraculously began to recover his mobility but discovered just how different his life would be—a disparity embodied by his identical twin brother, Will. As Will went on to graduate from college, marry, and start a family, Clay carved out a unique existence, doing the seemingly impossible by living on his own on a remote farm in Alabama.With haunting clarity and heartrending honesty, Will & I tells the unlikely story of Clay’s life and his coping mechanisms, including weekly singing lessons that not only teach him to use his voice but remind him of his will to exist. In this singular and striking meditation on vulnerability and vitality, we’re invited to see how Clay sees the world—and how the world sees him—as he bravely challenges himself and his abilities at every turn.“A visceral, electric memoir.” —Dannye Romine Powell, The Charlotte Observer“[An] intensely powerful memoir . . . Compact, substantial and thoroughly compelling—reminiscent of neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi’s posthumous bestseller, When Breath Becomes Air.” —Alice Cary, BookPage“[A] memoir of recovery against considerable odds . . . A stark, honest book that reads like a writer’s apprenticeship amid harrowing circumstances.” —Kirkus Reviews
Will I Live Tomorrow?: The Making of The Black Tulip
by Sonia Nassery ColeWhen Sonia Nassery Cole set out to film The Black Tulip in her homeland of Afghanistan, she knew the odds were against her; she was told time and time again that filming inside a war zone would be impossible. What she didn't anticipate was how intent the Taliban and its sympathizers were on halting the film's production-the crew encountered extortion, government corruption, kidnapping attempts, and death threats, even with around-the-clock security. Her cinematographer fled after two days, and many others followed.After 9/11, Cole wrote The Black Tulip, based on a true story of a real Afghan family. The plot was simple: After 2001, when the Taliban was routed, an Afghan family opened The Poet's Corner-a restaurant with an open microphone for all to read poetry, perform music, and tell their stories. But the Taliban didn't approve, and the family's new-found hope proved fleeting as it struggled to maintain the restaurant and vibrant way of life. Selected as Afghanistan's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Academy Awards, The Black Tulip is a modern portrait of Afghanistan that captures the plight and resilience of its people.Without financial support from a studio or anyone else, Cole self-financed the film by mortgaging her home and selling her belongings. Then, with everything on the line, she left for Kabul to make the impossible possible and set out to gather the right people who would risk their lives and willingly be part of the production.In Will I Live Tomorrow?: The Making of The Black Tulip, Cole gives an intimate look into what went on behind the scenes of making a controversial film in the heart of a war-ravaged country-the looming terror the Taliban creates among Afghans everywhere and the challenges and fear the cast and crew faced every day.Will I Live Tomorrow? is a memoir about one woman's struggle to make a difference in a violent world.
Will I Live Tomorrow?
by Sonia Nassery ColeWhen Sonia Nassery Cole set out to film The Black Tulip in her homeland of Afghanistan, she knew the odds were against her; she was told time and time again that filming inside a war zone would be impossible. What she didn't anticipate was how intent the Taliban and its sympathizers were on halting the film's production-the crew encountered extortion, government corruption, kidnapping attempts, and death threats, even with around-the-clock security. Her cinematographer fled after two days, and many others followed.After 9/11, Cole wrote The Black Tulip, based on a true story of a real Afghan family. The plot was simple: After 2001, when the Taliban was routed, an Afghan family opened The Poet's Corner-a restaurant with an open microphone for all to read poetry, perform music, and tell their stories. But the Taliban didn't approve, and the family's new-found hope proved fleeting as it struggled to maintain the restaurant and its vibrant way of life. Selected as Afghanistan's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Academy Awards, The Black Tulip is a modern portrait of Afghanistan that captures the plight and resilience of its people.Without financial support from a studio or anyone else, Cole self-financed the film by mortgaging her home and selling her belongings. Then, with everything on the line, she left for Kabul to make the impossible possible and set out to gather the right people who would risk their lives and willingly be part of the production.In Will I Live Tomorrow?, Cole gives an intimate look into what went on behind the scenes of making a controversial film in the heart of a war-ravaged country-the looming terror the Taliban creates among Afghans everywhere and the challenges and fear the cast and crew faced every day.Will I Live Tomorrow? is a memoir about one woman's struggle to make a difference in a violent world.
Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare
by Stephen GreenblattHow does a young man from a small provincial town move to London in the late 1580s and in a remarkably short time, become the greatest playwright of all time?
Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare
by Stephen Greenblatt"Greenblatt knows more about [Shakespeare] than Ben Jonson or the Dark Lady did."--John Leonard, ?Harper's A young man from a small provincial town moves to London in the late 1580s and, in a remarkably short time, becomes the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. How is an achievement of this magnitude to be explained? How did Shakespeare become Shakespeare? Stephen Greenblatt brings us down to earth to see, hear, and feel how an acutely sensitive and talented boy, surrounded by the rich tapestry of Elizabethan life, could have become the world's greatest playwright. ?A Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award Finalist.
The Will of the People: Churchill and Parliamentary Democracy
by Martin GilbertThe Will of the People is an incisive, in-depth look at Winston Churchill's lifelong commitment to parliamentary democracy. First elected at twenty-five, Churchill was still in the House of Commons sixty-four years later. By far the largest part of his life - of his working days and nights - was spent in the cut and thrust of debate in the service of the people, whose instrument he believed Parliament to be. "I am a child of the House of Commons," he told a joint session of the US Congress in December 1941. "I was brought up in my father's house to believe in democracy. Trust the people - that was his message...."Throughout his career, Churchill did his utmost to ensure that Parliament was effective and that it was not undermined by either adversarial party politics or by elected members who sought to manipulate it. Even the defeat of the Conservative Party in the General Election of 1945, which ended his wartime premiership, in no way altered his faith in parliamentary democracy. "It is the will of the people," he told a small gathering of friends and family the day after the results were announced. And he meant it. Reflecting on the importance of the Second World War as a means of restoring democracy, Churchill told the House of Commons: "At the bottom of all the tributes paid to democracy is the little man, walking into the little booth, with a little pencil, making a little cross on a little bit of paper - no amount of rhetoric or voluminous discussion can possibly diminish the overwhelming importance of that point."Today's readers will readily compare Churchill's regard for democracy and the importance of that "little man" with the attitudes of contemporary leaders, and of those who seek leadership.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Will Rogers: A Biography of Good Will Prince of Wit and Wisdom
by P. J. O’BrienWill Rogers: Ambassador of Good Will, Prince of Wit and Wisdom, first published in 1935, is an affectionate look at the great humorist, philanthropist, cowboy, newspaper columnist, movie- and vaudeville-star. Rogers, noted for his kindness to all he met, wrote his epitaph: “'I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn't like.' I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved.” Rogers and aviator Wiley Post died in a plane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska, on August 15, 1935. Rogers was 55 at the time of his death. Included are numerous quotes of Will Rogers and 24 pages of photographs.
Will Rogers: Wise and Witty Sayings of a Great American Humorist
by Will RogersA delightful collection of Rogers' newspaper columns. He had a sharp wit, but he used it kindly. In his daily column, which appeared on the morning front page of nearly 400 newspapers, he took cracks at capital and labor, bankers and farmers, but through it all there was the thread of forgiveness and national unity. The insulting, personal humor of today was quite foreign to Will Rogers. He lived in a time that is now long past, when more people lived in the country than the city. I think his point of view is best summed up in a remark he once made to an audience in New York, "They may call me a 'rube' and a 'hick,' but I'd a lot rather be the man who bought the Brooklyn Bridge than the man who sold it." That was Will Rogers.
Will Rogers and "His" America
by Gary C. Anderson Mark C. CarnesThis lively biography explores interwar America through Will Rogers, the comedian and commentator who witnessed it all: the stock market crash, the Great Depression, the advancement of technology, and the development of mass culture. Born on a farm in rural Oklahoma, Will Rogers shared his rural, agricultural beginnings with a majority of Americans at the turn of the century. But Rogers brought his small-town talents to a national audience, becoming a mainstay of early American mass culture. Though Rogers is remembered today for his success in vaudeville and the nascent American film industry, history has largely forgotten his considerable influence as a political commentator, which Anderson explores at length. Rogers' contributions to early American mass culture, the catalog of powerful personages that he counted among his friends, and his extensive writings about the political issues of the day make Rogers an ideal figure through which to explore the American interwar period. College students will relate well to Rogers, whose political opinions evolved as he gained exposure to people, places, things and ideas beyond rural Oklahoma. Rogers' conflicted relationship with his American Indian heritage also provides window on the history of race relations in America.
Will She Do?: Act One of a Life on Stage (Eileen Atkins)
by Eileen Atkins'She is the cur's cods, the terrier's testicles, the business. I will go farther and declare that Atkins is the finest actor appearing in the world right now' - A. A. GillWill She Do? is the story of a girl from a council estate in Tottenham, born in 1934 to an electric-meter reader and a seamstress, who was determined to be an actress. Candid and witty, this memoir takes her from her awkward performances in working-men's clubs at six years of age as dancing 'Baby Eileen', through the war years in London, to her breakthrough at thirty-two on Broadway with The Killing of Sister George, for which she received the first of four Tony Award nominations. She co-created Upstairs, Downstairs and wrote the screenplay for Mrs Dalloway (for which she won an Evening Standard Award) and at aged eighty-six, this is her first autobiographical work. Characterised by an eye for the absurd, a terrific knack for storytelling and an insistence on honesty, Will She Do? is a wonderful raconteur's tale about family, about class, about youthful ambition and big dreams and what really goes on behind the scenes. Made a Dame in 1991, Eileen Atkins has been on American and British stage and screen since 1957 and has won an Emmy, a BAFTA and is a three-time Olivier Award winner; her theatre performances include The Height of the Storm, Ellen Terry, All that Fall and she has appeared in television and films ranging from Doc Martin to Cranford to The Crown.
Will She Do?: Act One of a Life on Stage (Eileen Atkins)
by Eileen Atkins'She is the cur's cods, the terrier's testicles, the business. I will go farther and declare that Atkins is the finest actor appearing in the world right now' - A. A. Gill'Yes, she will: this vivid, honest memoir by a great actress and a natural writer goes down a treat' Tom StoppardWill She Do? is the story of a girl from a council estate in Tottenham, born in 1934 to an electric-meter reader and a seamstress, who was determined to be an actress. Candid and witty, this memoir takes her from her awkward performances in working-men's clubs at six years of age as dancing 'Baby Eileen', through the war years in London, to her breakthrough at thirty-two on Broadway with The Killing of Sister George, for which she received the first of four Tony Award nominations. She co-created Upstairs, Downstairs and wrote the screenplay for Mrs Dalloway (for which she won an Evening Standard Award) and at aged eighty-six, this is her first autobiographical work. Characterised by an eye for the absurd, a terrific knack for storytelling and an insistence on honesty, Will She Do? is a wonderful raconteur's tale about family, about class, about youthful ambition and big dreams and what really goes on behind the scenes. Made a Dame in 1991, Eileen Atkins has been on American and British stage and screen since 1957 and has won an Emmy, a BAFTA and is a three-time Olivier Award winner; her theatre performances include The Height of the Storm, Ellen Terry, All that Fall and she has appeared in television and films ranging from Doc Martin to Cranford to The Crown.
Will She Do?: Act One of a Life on Stage (Eileen Atkins)
by Eileen Atkins'She is the cur's cods, the terrier's testicles, the business. I will go farther and declare that Atkins is the finest actor appearing in the world right now' A. A. GillWill She Do? is the story of a girl from a council estate in Tottenham, born in 1934 to an electric-meter reader and a seamstress, who was determined to be an actress.Candid and witty, this memoir takes her from her awkward performances in working-men's clubs at six years of age as dancing 'Baby Eileen', through the war years in London, to her breakthrough at thirty-two on Broadway with The Killing of Sister George, for which she received the first of four Tony Award nominations. She co-created Upstairs, Downstairs and wrote the screenplay for Mrs Dalloway (for which she won an Evening Standard Award) and at aged eighty-six, this is her first autobiographical work.Characterised by an eye for the absurd, a terrific knack for storytelling and an insistence on honesty, Will She Do? is a wonderful raconteur's tale about family, class, youthful ambition, big dreams and what really goes on behind the scenes.Made a Dame in 1991, Eileen Atkins has been on American and British stage and screen since 1957 and has won an Emmy, a BAFTA and is a three-time Olivier Award winner. Her theatre performances include The Height of the Storm, Ellen Terry, All that Fall and she has appeared in television and films ranging from Doc Martin to Cranford to The Crown.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: A Memoir of Learning to Believe You’re Gonna Be Okay
by Sean DietrichFrom celebrated storyteller "Sean of the South" comes an unforgettable memoir of love, loss, the friction of family memories, and the unlikely hope that you're gonna be alright.Sean Dietrich was twelve years old when he scattered his father's ashes from the mountain range. His father was a man who lived for baseball, a steel worker with a ready wink, who once scaled a fifty-foot tree just to hang a tire swing for his son. He was also the stranger who tried to kidnap and kill Sean's mother before pulling the trigger on himself. He was a childhood hero, now reduced to a man in a box.Will the Circle Be Unbroken? is the story of what happens after the unthinkable, and the journey we all must make in finding the courage to stop the cycles of the past from laying claim to our future.Sean was a seventh-grade drop-out, a dishwasher then a construction worker to help his mother and sister scrape by, and a self-described "nobody with a sad story behind him." Yet he cannot deny the glimmers of life's goodness even amid its rough edges. Such goodness becomes even harder to deny when Sean meets the love of his life at a fried chicken church potluck, and harder still when his lifelong love of storytelling leads him to stages across the southeast, where he is known and loved as "Sean of the South."A story that will stay with you long after the final page, Will the Circle Be Unbroken? testifies to the strength that lives within us all to make our peace with the past and look to the future with renewed hope and wonder.
Will This House Last Forever?: 'Heartbreaking, beautifully written' The Times
by Xanthi Barker'Completely original, raw and warm' Evening Standard Books of the Summer'Poignant... written with intelligence and tears' Ben Okri'Nuanced, absorbing and moving... extraordinary' Observer'Raw, poetic, beautifully formed' Daisy JohnsonWhen Xanthi Barker's father died when she was in her mid twenties, she could make no sense of her grief for a man who had been absent for most of her life. Her father, poet Sebastian Barker, had left Xanthi, her mother and her brother to pursue writing and a new relationship, when Xanthi was a baby. Growing up she had always struggled to reconcile his extravagant affection - a rocking horse crafted from scavenged wood, the endless stream of poems and drawings and letters, conversations that spiralled from the structure of starlight to philosophy to Bruce Springsteen - with the fact that he could not be depended upon for more everyday things. Though theirs was a relationship defined by departures, he always returned, so why should this farewell be any different, or more final?WILL THIS HOUSE LAST FOREVER? is a heartfelt and wholly original memoir about the pain of having to come to terms with a parent's mortality, the way grief so utterly defies logic, and about learning to see the flaws in those that we love, and let them go.
Will This House Last Forever?: 'Heartbreaking, beautifully written' The Times
by Xanthi Barker'It felt such a privilege to read this book. Raw, devastating, beautifully formed. Let's keep our eye on Barker.' Daisy JohnsonWhen Xanthi Barker's father died when she was in her mid twenties, she could make no sense of her grief for a man who had been absent for most of her life. Her father, poet Sebastian Barker, had left Xanthi, her mother and her brother to pursue writing and a new relationship, when Xanthi was a baby. Growing up she had always struggled to reconcile his extravagant affection - a rocking horse crafted from scavenged wood, the endless stream of poems and drawings and letters, conversations that spiralled from the structure of starlight to philosophy to Bruce Springsteen - with the fact that he could not be depended upon for more everyday things. Though theirs was a relationship defined by departures, he always returned, so why should this farewell be any different, or more final?WILL THIS HOUSE LAST FOREVER? is a heartfelt and wholly original memoir about the pain of having to come to terms with a parent's mortality, the way grief so utterly defies logic, and about learning to see the flaws in those that we love, and let them go.(P)2021 Headline Publishing Group Limited
A Will to Be Free
by Linda BrentCollected here in this omnibus edition are three influential autobiographies of prominent women whose rose up from slavery to greatness. Essential reading for anyone interested in African American Heritage. Included are Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, Narrative of Sojourner Truth by Sojourner Truth, and The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave by Mary Prince. Slavery is a terrible thing, but it is far more terrible and harrowing for women than for men. Harriet Jacobs was owned by a brutal master who beat his slaves regularly and subjected them to indignations that were far worse. Jacobs eventually escaped her master and moved to a northern state. Though she was unable to take her children with her at the time they were later reunited. Read her powerful and compelling story. Sojourner Truth transformed herself from a runaway slave into a well-known campaigner for abolition and women's rights. Her dedication to her principles and her fiery speaking style electrified the abolition movement and brought her fame. This is an extraordinary story about the triumph of an extraordinary women. Mary Prince was the first woman slave to write of her experience. Her recollections are vivid, powerful, and lyrical. Upon its publication the book had a galvanizing effect on the abolitionist movement in England.
A Will to Be Free
by Booker T. WashingtonCollected here in this omnibus edition are three influential autobiographies of prominent men who rose up from slavery to greatness. Essential reading for anyone interested in African American Heritage. Included are Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington, Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass. Up from Slavery is one of the most influential biographies ever written. On one level it is the life story of Booker T. Washington and his rise from slavery to accomplished educator and activist. On another level it the story of how an entire race strove to better itself. Washington was constantly, and often bitterly, criticized by his contemporaries for being too conciliatory to whites and not concerned enough about civil rights. It would not be until after his death that the world would find out that he had indeed worked a great deal for civil rights anonymously behind the scenes. Twelve Years a Slave is the harrowing true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York. He was kidnaped by unscrupulous slave hunters and sold into slavery where he endured unimaginable degradation and abuse until his rescue twelve years later. A powerful and riveting condemnation of American slavery. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is one of the most influential autobiographies ever written. This classic did as much as or more than any other book to motivate the abolitionist to continue to fight for freedom in American. Frederick Douglass was born a slave, he escaped a brutal system, and through sheer force of will educated himself and became an abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman, and reformer. This is one of the most unlikely and powerful success stories ever written.
The Will to Live: A Japanese POWs Memoir of Captivity and the Railway
by L.L. BaynesThe Author kept a diary recording his 1,000 days of captivity at the hands of the Japanese army. The difficulties and risks involved in this task were immense, yet he persevered although it meant deliberately defacing and cutting up the small pieces of paper. As a result, his memoir is both contemporaneous and entirely reliable.Reading this account of life and death during the fruitless fighting and his subsequent captivity in numerous camps in Singapore and on the Death Railway in Thailand is a humbling and moving experience. He describes not just the appalling hardship and brutality but, tellingly, his relationships with fellow POWs, his captors and the local population. As an NCO, Len found himself fronting up for his men and, being a self-sufficient man with strong beliefs, this led to some difficult situations, at times, with both the Japanese and his British superiors. While critical about a number of the latter, he has nothing but respect for others such as the legendary Colonel Toosey of Tamarkan Camp.Thanks to his honest and direct style, The Will To Live is a fine and inspiring firsthand example of the ever popular Japanese POW/Railway of Death genre. It reveals much about the nightmare experiences suffered by the Author and his colleagues and the way they coped under the most adverse conditions. His drawings complement the text and the Foreword by Ronald Searle, also a POW, speaks for itself.
Will to Live: Dispatches from the Edge of Survival
by Les StroudIn a survival situation, a wrong decision could spell the difference between life and death. No one knows this better than Les Stroud, who has survived everywhere from the sun-scorched sands of the Kalahari to the snake-infested jungles of the Amazon. In Will to Live, Les examines many incredible true life survival stories—explaining what happened and why, and offering valuable perspectives on what went right, what went wrong, and what could have been done differently. The tales in Will to Live include:Chris McCandless—the subject of the book and movie Into the Wild.Yossi Ghinsberg—who survived alone in the Amazon for twenty-one days.Douglas Mawson—the Antarctic "superman" who survived three hellish months at the bottom of the planet.Nando Parrado—who was trapped for two months high in the Andes after a plane crash killed his friends and family.Plus . . . stories from Les's own experiences, along with practical sidebars with tips on how to escape quicksand, butcher a moose, cross a snow-covered crevasse, and more.Provocative and entertaining, Will to Live is a compilation of history's most intriguing survival stories from one of the world's foremost experts.
The Will To Live On: This is Our Heritage
by Herman WoukHerman Wouk has ranged in his novels from the mighty narrative of The Caine Mutiny and the warm, intimate humor of Marjorie Morningstar to the global panorama of The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. All these powers merge in this major new work of nonfiction, The Will to Live On, an illuminating account of the worldwide revolution that has been sweeping over Jewry, set against a swiftly reviewed background of history, tradition, and sacred literature.Forty years ago, in his modern classic This Is My God, Herman Wouk stated the case for his religious beliefs and conduct. His aim in that work and in The Will to Live On has been to break through the crust of prejudice, to reawaken clearheaded thought about the magnificent Jewish patrimony, and to convey a message of hope for Jewish survival.Although the Torah and the Talmud are timeless, the twentieth century has brought earthquake shocks to the Jews: the apocalyptic experience of the Holocaust, the reborn Jewish state, the precarious American diaspora, and deepening religious schisms. After a lifetime of study, Herman Wouk examines the changes affecting the Jewish world, especially the troubled wonder of Israel, and the remarkable, though dwindling, American Jewry. The book is peppered with wonderful stories of the author's encounters with such luminaries as Ben Gurion, Isidor Rabi, Yitzhak Rabin, Saul Bellow, and Richard Feynan.Learned in general culture, warmly tolerant of other beliefs, this noted author expresses his own other beliefs, this noted author expresses his own faith with a passion that gives the book its fire and does so in the clear, engaging style that--as in all Wouk's fiction--makes the reader want to know what the next page will bring.