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Marshall Field's: The Store that Helped Build Chicago (Landmarks)
by Gayle SoucekA history of the iconic department store and a city&’s life over a century and a half.Anyone who has waited in a Christmas line for the Walnut Room&’s Great Tree can attest that Chicago&’s loyalty to Marshall Field&’s is fierce. Dayton-Hudson even had to take out advertising around town to apologize for changing the Field's hallowed green bags. And with good reason—the store and those who ran it shaped the city's streets, subsidized its culture, and heralded its progress. The resulting commercial empire dictated wholesale trade terms in Calcutta and sponsored towns in North Carolina, but its essence was always Chicago. So when the Marshall Field name was retired in 2006 after the stores were purchased by Macy&’s, protest slogans like &“Field&’s is Chicago&” and &“Field&’s: as Chicago as it gets&” weren't just emotional hype. Many still hope that name will be resurrected like the city it helped support during the Great Fire and the Great Depression. Until then, fans of Marshall Field&’s can celebrate its history with this warm look back at the beloved institution.</
Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities, and Other Inscrutable Geographies
by Alastair BonnettThis &“guide to weird, ruined, and wonderful spots&” across the globe explores disappearing islands, forbidden deserts, and much more—a &“terrific book&” (Los Angeles Times). At a time when Google Maps Street View can take you on a virtual tour of Yosemite&’s remotest trails, it&’s hard to imagine there&’s any uncharted ground left on the planet. But in Unruly Places, Alastair Bonnett rekindles our geographical imaginations with excursions into some of the world&’s most peculiar places—such as moving villages, secret cities, no man&’s lands, and floating islands. Bonnett investigates Sandy Island, a place that appeared on maps until just two years ago despite the fact that it never existed; Sealand, an abandoned gun platform off the English coast that a British citizen claimed as his own sovereign nation, issuing passports and crowning his wife as a princess; Baarle, a patchwork of Dutch and Flemish enclaves where walking from the grocery store&’s produce section to the meat counter can involve crossing national borders; and many other curious locales. In this &“delightfully quirky&” guide down the road much less traveled, Bonnett reveals that the most extraordinary places on earth might be hidden in plain sight (Ron Charles, Washington Post).
Travesty of Justice: The Shocking Prosecution of Lt. Clint Lorance
by Don BrownThe true story of the most despicable political prosecution in American military history—in the book that won a presidential pardon. On the morning of July 2, 2012, in the most dangerous warzone in the world, Lieutenant Clint Lorance took command of his small band of American paratroopers at the spearhead of the American War in Afghanistan. Intelligence reports that morning warned of a Taliban ambush against Lorance&’s platoon. Fifteen minutes into their patrol, three military-age Afghan males crowded on a motorcycle and sped aggressively down a Taliban-controlled dirt road toward Lorance&’s men… Three weeks earlier, outside the massive American Kandahar Airfield, Taliban terrorists struck by motorcycle, riding into a crowded area, detonating body-bombs and killing twenty-two people. Sixty-three days before that, three Ohio National Guard soldiers were murdered in another motorcycle-suicide bombing. Suicide-by-motorcycle had become a common Taliban murder-tactic against Americans… It was a split-second decision: Either open fire and protect his men or ignore the speeding motorcycle and pray his men weren&’t about to get blown up. Lorance ordered his men to fire. When no weapons were found on the Afghan bodies, the Army betrayed one of its finest young officers and prosecuted Lorance for murder. Hiding crucial evidence from the military jury and ordering Lorance&’s own men to testify against him or face murder charges themselves, the Army railroaded Lorance into a 20-year prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth. Updated with breaking news, plus a copy of the pardon! &“Gripping…. A true-life thriller... [a] page-turner.&”—The Baltimore Sun &“This one will keep you planted in your reading chair from start to finish.&”—Sun-Sentinel
The Gangster's Cousin: Growing Up in the Luciano Family
by Salvatore "Sal" LucaniaThe autobiography of a member of Charles &“Lucky&” Luciano&’s Mafia family. &“The reader gets a real sense of code, of honor, courage and commitment&” (London TV).&“I was born an outlaw in outlaw culture. I refused to be forced into the powerless class of the ordinary, law-abiding citizen. I always saw things from outside the box because I was born outside the box, so I was free to think for myself.&”Born in 1942, Salvatore &“Sal&” Lucania was not only raised but educated by the streets of East Harlem. Dropping out of his Catholic high school at fifteen after punching out a priest, a formal education was not Sal&’s future. As such, it would have been easy to fall into the trappings of &“made man&” status in the mafia, like his cousin Charles &“Lucky&” Luciano. But Sal had a different vision of the future, if he could just escape the confines of his neighborhood and defy the ways of the people in power: the bullies, the &“ruling class,&” local government corruption and his own mafia family culture—in order to create a different life than the one fate might have otherwise intended. The Gangster&’s Cousin is a wonderfully different take on the usual Mafia story. Sal&’s memoir takes the reader on a sometimes exciting, sometimes poignant, and often humorous adventure as he finds himself in unbelievable situations and meeting an array of unique and funny characters along the way. Follow Sal&’s one-of-a-kind perspective and find out why he strives so hard to stay ahead of a different type of criminal class—the people who make the rules.
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come (The\best Sellers Of 1903 Ser.)
by John Jr. FoxThe bestselling turn-of-the-century classic. A novel that &“makes one realize as never before the agonizing effects of the Civil War in a border state&” (The New York Times). First serialized in Scribner&’s Magazine in 1903, The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come is the rags-to-respectability saga of Chad Buford, an orphan of questionable parentage from the Cumberland Mountains. He is befriended first by the kind and generous Turner family in the valley of Kingdom Come Creek in Southeastern Kentucky and then by the aristocratic Major Calvin Buford in the &“settlemints&” of the Bluegrass. Convinced that Chad is a kinsman, the major discovers the poor boy&’s blueblood pedigree and persuades him to pursue a proper education in Lexington. Before, however, he can settle down with an appropriate wife and begin to live the life of &“Chadwick Buford, Gentleman,&” the Civil War intervenes to separate him from his newfound status, family, and friends. In The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, &“the war and its conflicts set an epic stage for the novel&’s main business, the testing and maturation of a hero&” (Kentucky Living).
Ghetto Cops: On the Streets of the Most Dangerous City in America
by Bruce HendersonThe #1 New York Times bestselling author recounts riding along with street cops in California&’s most dangerous city: Compton (Los Angeles Times).In 1974, Compton, California, had the highest per capita crime rate in the nation. And Bruce Henderson, then a young, idealistic newspaper reporter, was determined to spend the summer riding with the Compton police. His journalistic accounts of the day-to-day activities he witnessed is a vivid narrative dramatic, violent, and at times humorous incidents.Featuring illuminating pictures from award-winning photographer Phil Nelson, Ghetto Cops unmasks the city and its cops to reveal a side of street crime most of us never see.&“They bust a lot of ass in Compton. It&’s a tough city that is a virtual powder keg…For the police, the streets are a battlefield and working on any shift is like going to war.&” —Los Angeles Free Press&“You don&’t put down Ghetto Copsonce you pick it up.&” —Livermore (CA) Independent
Something's Rising: Appalachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal
by Silas House Jason HowardTwo Appalachian authors record personal stories of local resistance against the coal industry in this &“revelatory work . . . oral history at its best&” (Studs Terkel). Developed as an alternative to strip mining, mountaintop removal mining consists of blasting away the tops of mountains, dumping waste into the valleys, and retrieving the exposed coal. This process buries streams, pollutes wells and waterways, and alters fragile ecologies—all of which has a devastating impact on local communities. Something's Rising gives a stirring voice to the lives, culture, and determination of the people fighting this destructive practice in the coalfields of central Appalachia. The people who live, work, and raise families here face not only the destruction of their land but also the loss of their culture and health. Each person's story, unique and unfiltered, is prefaced with a biographical essay that vividly establishes the interview settings and the subjects' connections to their region. Included here are oral histories from Jean Ritchie, "the mother of folk," who doesn't let her eighty-six years slow down her fighting spirit; Judy Bonds, a tough-talking coal-miner's daughter; Kathy Mattea, the beloved country singer who believes cooperation is the key to winning the battle; Jack Spadaro, the heroic whistle-blower who has risked everything to share his insider knowledge of federal mining agencies; Larry Bush, who doesn't back down even when speeding coal trucks are used to intimidate him; Denise Giardina, a celebrated writer who ran for governor to bring attention to the issue; and many more.
Wildcat Memories: Inside Stories from Kentucky Basketball Greats
by Doug Brunk&“There is nothing like Kentucky Basketball. Wildcat Memories allowed me to feel what Kentucky Basketball is really all about&” (Jay Bilas, ESPN). Since the tenure of Coach Adolph Rupp, the University of Kentucky Wildcats men&’s basketball team has been a virtual powerhouse, repeatedly dominating the Southeastern Conference and garnering eight national titles. UK basketball is a homegrown tradition for sports enthusiasts, fostering a community that thrives on the camaraderie of fandom and devotedly cheers for its players in both victory and defeat. The individuals who have coached, played for, and inspired the Wildcats are important figures in Kentucky history and continue to motivate future athletes and passionate fans. Wildcat Memories illuminates the intimate connection between the UK basketball program and the commonwealth. Author Doug Brunk brings together some of the program&’s greatest coaches, players, and personalities to reflect on Kentuckians who provided inspiration, guidance, and moral support during their tenure as Wildcats. Featuring personal essays and behind-the-scenes stories from Kentucky legends Wallace &“Wah Wah&” Jones, Dan Issel, Joe B. Hall, Kyle Macy, and Tubby Smith, as well as more recent players like Patrick Patterson, Darius Miller, and John Wall, this heartfelt collection is an inside look at the people—on and off the court—who&’ve made UK basketball so extraordinary.Includes photos
Daily Life in the Maya Civilization
by Nick HunterThis book explores what life was really like for everyday people in the Maya Civilization. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-travelling journey when reading this book.
Floods
by Renée Gray-WilburnIt’s raining heavily. Water rushes along the streets and collects in pools on the lawns. Rivers rise. Is it a flood? How do you know? And how can you prepare for what’s to come? Floods: Be Aware and Prepare has the answers.
What Can Live in the Snow?
by John-Paul WilkinsWith fantastic images and simple text, books in this series serve as a perfect introduction to different habitats and show how a wide variety of animals and plants are beautifully adapted to live there. In What Can Live in the Snow?, readers learn about the conditions in cold, snowy habitats. They will also learn about microhabitats and the ingenious ways plants and animals are designed to live and survive in these places.
Let’s Think About the Power of Advertising
by Elizabeth RaumThis book helps children to develop critical thinking and debating skills. It examines the topic of advertising in a lively and accessible way. Information is presented to help readers deliberate, debate, and decide for themselves. The book looks at the power of advertising: how it works, the pros and cons, the impact of consumerism and how advertising affects our daily lives.
Robots on the Job
by Kathryn ClayRobots build cars in factories, perform surgeries in hospitals, and take pictures while flying overhead. Find out just what these awesome machines can do.
Garden Secrets of Bunny Mellon
by Linda Jane Holden Thomas Lloyd Bryan HuffmanGarden Secrets of Bunny Mellon is for anyone who has enjoyed time spent in a garden, from aspiring garden makers to those who manage large estates. This collection is comprised of extracts from Bunny’s own writings and garden notes, as well as photographs and drawings from her archive. Chapters are organized by Atmosphere (sky, horizon, shadows), Climate, Light, Space, Shape, Maintenance, and more―readers will feel as if Bunny Mellon has come alongside as a gardening guide and friend. Bunny Mellon was of the affluent class and mingled along with her husband, Paul Mellon, in the circles of the East Coast gentry of the Kennedy and Reagan eras. But Mrs. Mellon, as she was respectfully called by those professional gardeners who worked with her most, wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty in the rich soil of her family’s Virginia farm. Beyond this, Bunny Mellon was known nationally and internationally as a style icon of her time, enjoying friendships with Givenchy, the Kennedys, and the like. Her personal passion was for design, and that was exhibited in her fashion and her garden. A trusted author, Linda Holden learned that Bunny wanted to write a gardening book but never found the time. Searching the family’s archive after Mrs. Mellon’s death, the editors―whom all shared personal relationships with Bunny―discovered a trove of photographs, illustrations, and writings and have now turned it into the how-to gardening book Bunny had hoped to write.
Ghosts of the USS Yorktown: The Phantoms of Patriots Point (Haunted America)
by Bruce OrrA South Carolina historian and paranormal investigator explores ghost sighting aboard the historic aircraft carrier—includes photographs. Commissioned by the United States Navy in 1943, the fourth USS Yorktown was active in the Pacific theater of World War II and later saw action in Vietnam. The legendary aircraft carrier was decommissioned in 1970 and now serves as the home of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in South Carolina. But, according to many, the echoes of battle are still heard and felt on her decks. Staff members and visitors claim to have experienced disembodied voices, uniformed apparitions, shadowy masses and other unexplainable occurrences since the "Fighting Lady" first docked at Patriots Point. Join local historian and paranormal investigator Bruce Orr as he examines the history, hauntings, and heritage of this National Historic Landmark.
Wall Streeters: The Creators and Corruptors of American Finance (Columbia Business School Publishing Ser.)
by Edward Morris&“[A] retelling of the careers and the personalities . . . who formed today&’s world of high finance.&” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch The 2008 financial collapse, the expansion of corporate and private wealth, the influence of money in politics—many of Wall Street&’s contemporary trends can be traced back to the work of fourteen critical figures who wrote, and occasionally broke, the rules of American finance. Edward Morris plots in absorbing detail Wall Street&’s transformation from a clubby enclave of financiers to a symbol of vast economic power. His book begins with J. Pierpont Morgan, who ruled the American banking system at the turn of the twentieth century, and ends with Sandy Weill, whose collapsing Citigroup required the largest taxpayer bailout in history. In between, Wall Streeters relates the triumphs and missteps of twelve other financial visionaries. From Charles Merrill, who founded Merrill Lynch and introduced the small investor to the American stock market; to Michael Milken, the so-called junk bond king; to Jack Bogle, whose index funds redefined the mutual fund business; to Myron Scholes, who laid the groundwork for derivative securities; and to Benjamin Graham, who wrote the book on securities analysis. Anyone interested in the modern institution of American finance will devour this history of some of its most important players.
Books & Mortar: A Celebration of the Local Bookstore
by Gibbs M. SmithThe local bookstore, a place of wonder, refuge, and rejuvenation for book lovers the world over. Books & Mortar is a celebration of these literary strongholds. Sixty-eight oil paintings capture these storefronts at a moment in time, and pair the artwork with anecdotes about the shops and reflections on bookselling by many of the owners themselves. A delightful gift for an avid reader, an inspiration for any bookstore owner, Books & Mortar is the perfect keepsake for anyone’s personal library.
New Hampshire Book of the Dead: Graveyard Legends and Lore
by Roxie J. ZwickerA historical journey through the headstones and hauntings of the Granite State—includes photos. New Hampshire&’s historic graveyards, from Portsmouth to North Conway, have bizarre and eerie stories to offer their visitors. Graveyards often invoke fear and superstition among the living, but the dead who rest within them may have more to communicate to the world they left behind. The sands of Pine Grove Cemetery in Hampton once concealed the tombstone of Susanna Smith, but now its message—which reads simply &“Slaine with thunder&”—and her story have risen from beneath the soil. The Point of Graves Cemetery in Portsmouth is home to the spirit of Elizabeth Pierce, who beckons departing guests back to her grave. Along the state&’s southern border in Jaffrey, tombstones at Philips-Heil Cemetery caution the living to cherish life. Here, Roxie Zwicker tours the Granite State&’s oldest burial grounds, exploring the stones, stories, and folklore of these hallowed places.
The Cloven Viscount: "cloven Viscount", "baron In The Trees" And "non-existent Knight" (Picador Bks.)
by Italo CalvinoWhen a nobleman is split in two, his separate halves pursue different adventures in a fantastically macabre tale by the author of Invisible Cities. It is the seventeenth century, and the Viscount Medardo of Terralba must go into battle against the Turks. But the inexperienced warrior is soon bisected lengthwise by a cannonball. Through a miracle of stitching, one half of him survives, returning to his feudal estate to lead a lavishly evil life. But soon his other, virtuous half appears—also very much alive. When the two halves become rivals for the love of the same woman, there&’s no telling the lengths each will go to in order to win. Now available in an independent volume for the first time, this deliciously bizarre novella of is Calvino at his most devious and winning.
Berkshire Beyond Buffett: The Enduring Value of Values (Columbia Business School Publishing Ser.)
by Lawrence A. CunninghamA profile of Berkshire Hathaway, the keys to its success, and how it can survive beyond its iconic chairman and CEO, Warren Buffett. In a comprehensive portrait of the corporate culture that unites Berkshire&’s subsidiaries, Lawrence Cunningham unearths the traits that assure the conglomerate's perpetual prosperity. Riveting stories of each subsidiary&’s origins, triumphs, and journey to Berkshire reveal how managers generate economic value from intangibles like thrift, integrity, entrepreneurship, autonomy, and a sense of permanence.Berkshire Beyond Buffett explores not only what will happen to Berkshire after Buffett, but presents all of Berkshire behind Buffett, the inspiring managerial luminaries, innovative entrepreneurs, and devotees of deep values that define this esteemed organization. Whether or not you are convinced that Berkshire can endure without Buffett, the book is full of management lessons for small and large businesses, entrepreneurs, family firms, and Fortune 500 CEOs. Enjoy entertaining tales from Berkshire&’s 50 main subsidiaries, including Dairy Queen, GEICO, Benjamin Moore, Fruit of the Loom, BNSF, Justin, Pampered Chef, Marmon, Clayton Homes, FlightSafety, and more.&“An invaluable read for entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, managers and anyone wanting to learn more about corporate stewardship.&”—The Economist&“How did Warren Buffett build such a great firm as Berkshire Hathaway? To unravel this mystery, Lawrence Cunningham takes a deep dive inside the cultures of Berkshire's subsidiaries, highlighting the value of integrity, kinship, and autonomy—and revealing how building moats around the castles may help the firm outlast its visionary founder.&”—Adam Grant, Wharton professor and author of Give and Take
The Generation Game: The Legend Press Collection
by Sophie Duffy&“An extraordinary story... she writes with warmth, lovely earthy detail and a pathos which keeps a lump lodged in the throat.&”—The Daily Mail Philippa Smith is in her forties and has a beautiful newborn baby girl. She also has no husband, and nowhere to turn. So she turns to the only place she knows: the beginning. Retracing her life, she confronts the daily obstacles, historic events, and even TV shows that shaped her very existence. From the tragedy of her childhood abandonment, to the astonishing accomplishments of those close to her, Philippa learns of the sacrifices others chose to make, and the outcome of buried secrets. What Philippa eventually discovers is a celebration of life, love, and the golden era of television—a reflection of everyday people, in not so everyday situations. &“A powerful first novel.&”—Katie Fforde, author of A Rose Petal Summer &“Bold, warm, rich, amusing…sits well alongside more established authors like Kate Atkinson&’s Behind the Scenes at the Museum.&”—Hello Magazine &“A warm, moving, wonderful read.&”—Wendy Holden, author of The Royal Governess
What Really Happened in the Garden of Eden?
by Ziony ZevitA provocative new interpretation of the Adam and Eve story from an expert in Biblical literature.The Garden of Eden story, one of the most famous narratives in Western history, is typically read as an ancient account of original sin and humanity&’s fall from divine grace. In this highly innovative study, Ziony Zevit argues that this is not how ancient Israelites understood the early biblical text. Drawing on such diverse disciplines as biblical studies, geography, archaeology, mythology, anthropology, biology, poetics, law, linguistics, and literary theory, he clarifies the worldview of the ancient Israelite readers during the First Temple period and elucidates what the story likely meant in its original context.Most provocatively, he contends that our ideas about original sin are based upon misconceptions originating in the Second Temple period under the influence of Hellenism. He shows how, for ancient Israelites, the story was really about how humans achieved ethical discernment. He argues further that Adam was not made from dust and that Eve was not made from Adam&’s rib. His study unsettles much of what has been taken for granted about the story for more than two millennia—and has far-reaching implications for both literary and theological interpreters.&“Classical Hebrew in the hands of Ziony Zevit is like a cello in the hands of a master cellist. He knows all the hidden subtleties of the instrument, and he makes you hear them in this rendition of the profoundly simple story of Adam, Eve, the Serpent, and their Creator in the Garden of Eden. Zevit brings a great deal of other biblical learning to bear in a surprisingly light-hearted book.&”―Jack Miles, author of God: A Biography
Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece
by Danielle Smith-LleraDeeply religious, the ancient Greeks honored many gods and goddesses. The ancient Greeks believed these gods and goddesses had great power over the weather and the Earth. But they weren’t all-powerful, and they had flaws. From Zeus to Athena, read about the family of gods and goddesses that the ancient Greeks believed watched over them.
Smart Spending
by Kara McGuireFinancial tips for teens on smart spending. Seems as if everywhere you look, there are places to spend your money. How do you make sure that your money stretches to cover all of your needs and at least some of your wants? Smart shopping, setting up a budget, and building and managing your credit rating are all key skills to learn.
All About the Green
by Kara McGuireFinancial tips for teens on earning money. Let’s face it—we all need money in order to live. How we earn it is up to us. Whether you want to work for someone else or start your own business, this book will help you learn how to land that first job, figure out your paycheck, and negotiate a raise.