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Unusual Undertakings: Military Memoirs
by James WilsonTo find an example of a full and successful, yet unconventional, military career, one need look no further than General 'Jim' Wilson. Always an outstanding sportsman, Jim found himself in the Rifle Brigade after Oxford just before the Second World War. His memoir concentrates on six of his major military endeavors; North Africa as a platoon commander followed by the long struggle up through Italy, both with the Rifle Brigade. After the war he was sent to India and became caught up in the momentous events of Partition, and in a position to comment on all the key political and military personalities. His career prospered and he was one of the first commanders of a major peacekeeping operation in Cyprus, again closely involved with leaders such as Archbishop Makarios.
Unusual Ways to Die: History's Weirdest Deaths
by James ProudOver the ages, death has come in some very unpredictable forms. This irreverent little book gathers together some of the most peculiar and outrageous ways that people across the globe have met their untimely ends. Whether shocking or silly, these true stories are proof at least that the grim reaper has a strange sense of humour.
Unvanquished Puritan: A Portrait of Lyman Beecher
by Stuart C. HenryLyman Beecher's thought and influence on his family.
Unvarnished: A Gimlet-eyed Look at Life Behind the Bar
by Eric Alperin Deborah StollA Kitchen Confidential for the cocktail profession, Unvarnished is a fly-on-the-wall narrative peek at the joys, pains, and peculiarities of life “behind the stick.”When it opened a decade ago, the acclaimed Los Angeles speakeasy The Varnish—owned, designed, and managed by award-winning cocktail aficionado Eric Alperin—quickly became the stylish standard bearer for modern bars. Unvarnished is a candid, voice-driven, no-holds-barred look at the workings of a bar, and the foundation of The Varnish’s success: attention to hospitality and an abiding belief in the nobility of service. Alperin and veteran bartender and writer Deborah Stoll push back against the prevailing conceit that working in the service industry is something people do because they failed at another career. They offer fascinating meditations on ice as the bartender’s flame; the good, the bad, and the sad parts of vice; one’s duty to their community as a local; the obsessive, compulsive deliberations of building a bar (size matters); lessons from Sasha Petraske—Eric’s late partner, mentor, and the forefather of the modern day classic cocktail renaissance—and the top ten reasons not to date a bartender. At the book’s center are the 100 recipes a young Jedi bartender must know before their first shift at The Varnish, along with examples of building drinks by the round, how to Mr. Potato Head cocktails, and what questions to ask when crafting a Bartender’s Choice. A sexy, gritty, honest look at the glamour-less work of a glamorous job, written with the intimate honesty of The Tender Bar, the debauched inside view of Kitchen Confidential, and the social commentary of Waiter Rant, Unvarnished will take its place among these classics of the service set.
Unvarnished: Autobiographical Sketches by Emily Carr
by Emily CarrCulled from the handwritten pages in old-fashioned scribblers and almost-forgotten typescripts amid drafts for her published stories, Unvarnished features among the last unpublished and highly personal writings of the iconic Canadian author and artist Emily Carr.This highly readable manuscript—edited by Royal BC Museum curator emerita Kathryn Bridge and illustrated with sketches and photographs from the BC Archives—spans nearly four decades, from 1899 to 1944. In an almost stream-of-consciousness outpouring of stories, Carr chronicles her early years as an art student in England, her life-altering sojourn in France and subsequent travels to Indigenous villages along the coast, her encounters with the Group of Seven, conversations with artist Lawren Harris, and her sketching trips in the “Elephant” caravan in the company of a quirky menagerie. Also included are stories written in hospital recovering from a stroke, a particularly vulnerable time in her life.Emily Carr's books have remained in nearly continuous print since the 1940s. Unvarnished is a fresh addition to her enduring oeuvre, to be enjoyed as a complement to her other writings or as a jewel in its own righ
Unveiled
by Deborah KanafaniIn the early 1980s, Deborah Jacobs was an ordinary Lebanese American college student from Long Island, New York. By the end of the decade, she would bear witness to the making of international history. Her story begins in graduate school: through a series of chance encounters, young Deborah was introduced to Marwan Kanafani, a dashing former soccer star turned high-ranking Palestinian diplomat who was working at the United Nations. A political dynamo with movie-star charm, Marwan swept Deborah off her feet and into a marriage that kept her in the company of diplomats, dignitaries, world leaders, international glamour and intrigue. Although exciting, this lifestyle also isolated Deborah increasingly from her independent, American way of living, creating a rift that would end their marriage. Marwan's profile was on the rise, and with it came a number of crucial connections for Deborah: while his involvement with the PLO intensified, eventually resulting in his appointment as senior advisor and spokesperson for Yasir Arafat, she formed friendships with such women as Suha Arafat, Queen Dina of Jordan, and other women married to Arab leaders. After her divorce, when these women agreed to tell their stories of struggle and survival for a book, Deborah traveled to the Middle East to record them, planning to join her children, who were on the West Bank visiting their father. To her shock and horror, he refused to return the children to her. Deborah stayed in the Middle East for several years to be near her children, finding strength in the women whose lives she documented and whose incredible stories are told in this book. She was eventually able to arrange the return of her children when they were evacuated to another country during a Palestinian uprising. The story of her journey, intertwined with those of the wives of the Arab leaders, takes the reader into an otherwise inaccessible and cloistered world populated by larger-than-life characters living out all-too-human dramas. Culture, politics, and family collide in this gripping front-row perspective of the Middle East conflict and of the courageous women working behind the scenes for peace and challenging the patriarchal traditions of their homeland.
Unveiling Grace: The Story of How We Found Our Way out of the Mormon Church
by Lynn K. WilderFrom a rare insider’s point of view, Unveiling Grace looks at how Latter-day Saints are “wooing our country” with their religion, lifestyle, and culture. It is also a gripping story of how an entire family, deeply enmeshed in Mormonism, found their way out and what they can tell others about their lives as faithful Mormons.
Unwanted Spy: The Persecution of an American Whistleblower
by Jeffrey SterlingThe powerful story of a CIA whistleblower and political prisoner who refused to give up on his American dreamIn 2015, Jeffrey Sterling was sentenced to prison, convicted of violating the Espionage Act. Sterling, it is now clear, was another victim of our government's draconian crackdown on alleged leakers and whistleblowers.Sterling grew up in a small, segregated town in Missouri and jumped at the chance to broaden his world and serve his country, first in law school and later in the CIA. After an impressive career, Sterling's progress came to a sudden halt: he was denied opportunities because of his race and was pushed out of the Agency. Later, Sterling courageously blew the whistle on the CIA's botched covert operation in Iran to Senate investigators. After a few quiet years in Missouri with his wife, he was arrested suddenly and charged with espionage. Unwanted Spy is an inspiring account of one man's uncompromising commitment to the truth and a reminder of the principles of justice and integrity that should define America.
Unwasted: My Lush Sobriety
by Sacha Z ScoblicThe single glass of wine with dinner...the cold beer on a hot day...the champagne flute raised in a toast... what I'd drink if Hunter S. Thompson wanted to get wasted with me...these are my fantasies lately. Too bad I've gone sober.When Sacha Z. Scoblic was drinking, she was a rock star; the days were rough and the nights filled with laughter and blackouts. Then she gave it up. She had to. Here are her adventures in an utterly and maddeningly sober world...and how she discovered that nothing is as odd and fantastic as life without a drink in hand..."Wildly entertaining...An unabashed account of getting clean and getting a life." --Steve GengSacha Z. Scoblic is a writer living in Washington, D.C. A former editor at The New Republic and Reader's Digest, she has written about everything from space camp to pulp fiction and was a contributor to The New York Times's online series "Proof: Alcohol and American Life." She currently blogs about addiction at TheFasterTimes.com. Her sobriety date is June 15, 2005.
Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind
by Taylor Baldwin Kiland Judy Silverstein GrayThe true story of the women who waged an epic home front battle to ensure our nation leaves no man behind.When some of America&’s military men are captured or go missing during the Vietnam War, a small group of military wives become their champions. Never had families taken on diplomatic roles during wartime, nor had the fate of our POWs and missing men been a nationwide concern. In cinematic detail, authors Taylor Baldwin Kiland and Judy Silverstein Gray plunge you directly into the political maneuvering the women navigated, onto the international stage they shared with world leaders, and through the landmark legacy they created.
Unwifeable: A Memoir
by Mandy StadtmillerFrom the popular, “candid and bold, tender and tough” (Cheryl Strayed) dating columnist for New York magazine and the New York Post comes a whirlwind and “gutsy” (Courtney Love) memoir recounting countless failed romances and blackout nights, told with Mandy Stadtmiller’s unflinching candor and brilliant wit.My story is not unique. Single girl comes to New York; New York eats her alive. But what does stand out is my discovery that you can essentially live a life that appears to be a textbook manual for everything one can do wrong to find love—and still find Mr. Right. Mandy Stadtmiller came to Manhattan in 2005, newly divorced, thirty years old, with a job at the New York Post, ready to conquer the city and the industry in one fell swoop. Like a “real-life Carrie Bradshaw” (so called by Jenny McCarthy), she proceeded to chronicle her fearless attempts for nearly a decade in the Post, New York magazine, and xoJane. But underneath the glitz and glamour of her new life, there is a darker side threatening to surface. She goes through countless failed high-profile hookups in the New York comedy and writing scene. There are soon too many nights she can't remember, and the blind spots start to add up. She begins to realize that falling in love won't fix her—she needs to fix herself first. Unwifeable is a New York fairytale brought to life—Sex and the City on acid. With hysterical insight, unabashed sexuality, and unprecedented levels of raw, honest pain, Unwifeable is a “blisteringly candid” (Sarah Hepola, New York Times bestselling author of Blackout) book that you can’t help but respond and relate to—perfect for fans of Amy Schumer and Chelsea Handler.
Unyielding: Marathons Against Illegal Mandates
by Thomas L. RempferUnyielding tackles a recurring topic of national importance as a history lesson for future generations. Controversial illegal medical mandates impacted military populations for many decades, but it was not until the COVID-era that the American people witnessed similar overreach. Colonel Tom &“Buzz&” Rempfer&’s memoir retraces the anthrax vaccine history since it marked the first time the military was served with court rulings condemning premeditated illegal experimentation on our nation&’s troops. The advent of COVID mandates, imposed on the population in 2021, gave the American people a taste of the mistreatment previously reserved for our nation&’s warriors. Legal protections enacted by the Congress to guard against medical experimentation, meant to ensure safe, effective, and FDA-approved products, were instead adulterated to foist mandates on American society. According to the FBI, the motive for the anthrax letter lab leaks in 2001 was to &“rejuvenate&” the &“failing&” anthrax vaccine. Similarly, the suspected Wuhan lab leak two decades later resulted in a push for COVID injections. The pattern of fear-based bioincidents resulting from reckless biodefense enterprises, and lessons not learned with illegal mandates, paralyzed government and military leaders while wreaking havoc on the trust and health of our troops and the American people. Buzz&’s decades-long analysis of the breakdowns stands as a unique treatise on the failures of leaders to learn lessons from these enduring clashes and to correct the damage. Future generations will sort out the aftermath, but in the meantime, Colonel Rempfer&’s Unyielding effort attempts to ensure that the lessons are not lost.
Unzipped: The original memoir by glam rock sensation Suzi Quatro, subject of feature documentary 'Suzi Q'
by Suzi QuatroWith an international tour celebrating the 70s that kicks off at the end of 2017, Unzipped is the story of how Little Susie from Detroit grew up to become the international superstar musician, actress and glam rock sensation Suzi Quatro.The glam rock icon behind such hits as 'Can the Can', 'Devil Gate Drive' and 'Your Mamma Won't Like Me' has sold over 50 million records worldwide and has worked, partied and rocked out with legendary figures such as Noddy Holder, Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop. Suzi Quatro's transformation from girl to glam rocker was fuelled by huge talent, determination, hard work and a fabulous sense of humour, but it wasn't easy.In Unzipped, Quatro tells her story of life behind the scenes and in the thick of it as one of the first major break-out female rock bassists. Later, she went on to Hollywood to join the cast of Happy Days, juggling her acting and music career with a turbulent personal life and constant touring around the world. Through it all, she never lost her passion to perform or her sense of adventure.Suzi Quatro remembers it all in this brilliantly personal and funny book, a thrilling account of a life lived going hell for leather.
Unzipped: The original memoir by glam rock sensation Suzi Quatro, subject of feature documentary 'Suzi Q'
by Suzi QuatroYou've seen Suzi Q, the feature documentary about legendary 70s rocker Suzi Quatro. Now read Unzipped, the story of how Little Susie from Detroit grew up to become an international superstar musician - as told by the glam rock sensation herself.The glam rock icon behind such hits as 'Can the Can', 'Devil Gate Drive' and 'Your Mamma Won't Like Me' has sold over 50 million records worldwide and has worked, partied and rocked out with legendary figures such as Noddy Holder, Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop. Suzi Quatro's transformation from girl to glam rocker was fuelled by huge talent, determination, hard work and a fabulous sense of humour, but it wasn't easy.In Unzipped, Quatro tells her story of life behind the scenes and in the thick of it as one of the first major break-out female rock bassists. Later, she went on to Hollywood to join the cast of Happy Days, juggling her acting and music career with a turbulent personal life and constant touring around the world. Through it all, she never lost her passion to perform or her sense of adventure. Suzi Quatro remembers it all in this brilliantly personal and funny book, a thrilling account of a life lived going hell for leather.
Up & Down: The Adventures of John Jeffries, First American to Fly
by Don BrownThe incomparable Don Brown chronicles the ballooning misadventures of John Jeffries, scientist and aviation pioneer.Swept up by the European ballooning craze of the 1780s, Dr. John Jeffries longed to become the first person to fly across the English Channel. But first he had to outwit a rascally copilot, keep the balloon from bursting, and avoid crashing into the sea. The good doctor's quick-thinking solutions will surprise young readers--and keep them giggling. Orbis Pictus and Sibert Honor winner Don Brown tells this quirky true story with his usual accuracy and heart.
Up Against the Wall Motherf**er: A Memoir of the '60s, with Notes for Next Time
by Osha NeumannThey called themselves the Motherfuckers; others called them a "street gang with an analysis." Osha Neumann's thoughtful, funny, and honest account of his part in '60s counterculture is also an unflinching look at what all that rebellion of the past means today. The fast moving story follows the establishment of the Motherfuckers, who influenced the Yippies and members of SDS; makes vivid the art, music, and politics of the era; and reveals the colorful, often deeply strange, personalities that gave the movement its momentum. Abbie Hoffman said the Motherfuckers were "the middle-class nightmare . . . an antimedia media phenomenon simply because their name could not be printed." In the few years of its existence the group forced its way into the Pentagon during a war protest, helped occupy one of the buildings in the Columbia University takeover, and cut the fences at Woodstock to allow thousands in for free, among many other feats of radical derring-do.Progressing from a fractured family of intellectuals to rebellion in the streets of New York and on to communes in California, Newmann shows us a view of a life led in rebellion, anger, and eventually a tentative peace.
Up All Night: My Life and Times in Rock Radio
by Carol MillerCarol Miller is indisputably America’s premiere female rock ’n’ roll disc jockey, as her well-deserved induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame proves.In her illuminating, fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking memoir, Up All Night, the legendary “Nightbird” tells the story of her colorful career—her rise to success in a male-dominated music industry; her close and personal dealings with rock royalty like Bruce Springsteen (whose music she first introduced to New York radio), Sir Paul McCartney, and Steven Tyler (whom she dated)—and details openly and honestly her battle against breast cancer for the very first time.
Up And At ‘Em
by Theodore Roosevelt Lieut.-Col. Harold Evans HartneyOriginally published in 1940, this is a memoir of Lieutenant-Colonel Harold E. Evans, a renowned Canadian-born commander who flew with Britain's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the United States Army Air Service (USAS) during World War I. Providing the reader with a fascinating firsthand account of the men and machines that established military aviation as the greatest weapon of all time, this is a must-read for all WWI enthusiasts.
Up Beat and Down Dale: Life And Crimes In The Yorkshire Countryside
by Mike PannettMike Pannett, once of the Metropolitan Police, is back in Yorkshire, policing one of the largest rural beats in England. Mike is called to investigate a series of burglaries, which are sending shock waves through the area. Remote farmhouses appear to be the targets, which stretches Mike's small team to the limits. Then, as winter sets in, two dogs are found running loose - Mike fears the owner has gone missing in the dreadful weather and is forced to call on a full-scale search. Throw in a night-time operation in an empty museum, and the harrowing business of taking three children into care against their mother's wishes, and it's quite a case-load for the author of Now Then, Lad, You're Coming With Me, Lad, Not On My Patch, Lad and Just the Job, Lad.For fans of Gervase Phinn and James Herriot.
Up Close and Personal
by Cris Shore Susanna TrnkaCombining rich personal accounts from twelve veteran anthropologists with reflexive analyses of the state of anthropology today, this book is a treatise on theory and method offering fresh insights into the production of anthropological knowledge, from the creation of key concepts to major paradigm shifts. Particular focus is given to how 'peripheral perspectives' can help re-shape the discipline and the ways that anthropologists think about contemporary culture and society. From urban Maori communities in Aotearoa/New Zealand to the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, from Arnhem Land in Australia to the villages of Yorkshire, these accounts take us to the heart of the anthropological endeavour, decentring mainstream perspectives, and revealing the intimate relationships and processes that create anthropological knowledge.
Up Close: Elvis Presley
by Wilborn HamptonFor fans of the king, the newest installment to the Up Close biography series! Elvis Presley made a sound so different it ushered in a new kind of music: rock and roll. He was able to combine gospel, honky-tonk, country and rhythm and blues to create a unique sound that crossed racial and cultural divides. Though he was incredibly popular, at heart, Elvis was a shy and polite man, and the demands of fame began to take a toll. While his dependence on prescription drugs cut short his life, Elvis's influence on music and popular culture endures to this day.
Up Close: Frank Lloyd Wright
by Jan AdkinsA genius with a troubled personal history, Frank Lloyd Wright was a true American celebrity. His love for the limelight was only surpassed by his love for architecture. Often riddled with debt, he led a lavish lifestyle that was beyond his means. A divorced man, he carried on relationships with women that often became fodder for tabloid covers. But despite it all, Frank Lloyd Wright had an undeniable talent that has created many of the great buildings in this country and throughout the world. Discover the man behind the genius in this well-researched biography about the man who created a unique American style of architecture.
Up Close: Oprah Winfrey
by Ilene CooperOprah Winfrey has been called the Queen of All Media for good reason?during her more than thirty-year career, she has left an indelible mark on radio, television, film, theater, magazines, and books. One of the most influential people today, Oprah is also a committed humanitarian.
Up Close: Rachel Carson
by Ellen LevineRachel Carson combined her love of science and writing in her award-winning and controversial book Silent Spring. Revealing the dangers of pesticide use, it brought readers a new awareness of humankind's contamination of the environment and ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Up For Renewal
by Cathy AlterBy age thirty-seven, Cathy Alter had made a mess of her life. With a failed marriage already under her belt, she was continuing down the path of poor decisions, one paved with a steady stream of junk food, unpaid bills, questionable friends, and highly inappropriate men. So she sat down and asked herself what she truly wanted. A decent guy. A nicer home. More protein. When she took a closer look at her wants, she noticed something that seemed very familiar -- with the addition of exclamation points, her list could easily be transformed into the cover lines on every women's magazine: Find the love you deserve! Paint to the rescue! Eggs-actly perfect meals! So Cathy gave over her life to the glossies for the next twelve months, resolving to follow their advice without question. By the end of her subscriptions, she would get rid of upper-arm jiggle, crawl out of debt, host the perfect dinner party, run a mile without puking, engage in better bathtub booty, ask for a raise, and rehaul her apartment. Well, at least that was the premise of her social experiment. What actually happened was much less about cosmetic change and much more about internal transformation. Singular in its voice and yet completely universal, Up for Renewal will appeal to all who have ever wondered if they could actually make their life over.