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Hoax: Hitler's Diaries, Lincoln's Assassins, and Other Famous Frauds
by Edward Steers Jr.A &“lively yet thoroughly researched&” look at persistent myths and stubborn scams, and how historians try to combat them (The Courier-Journal).Did a collector with a knack for making sensational discoveries really find the first document ever printed in America? Did Hitler actually pen a revealing set of diaries? Has Jesus&’ burial cloth survived the ages? Can the shocking true account of Abraham Lincoln&’s assassination be found in lost pages from his murderer&’s diary?Napoleon famously observed that &“history is a set of lies agreed upon,&” and Edward Steers Jr. investigates six of the most amazing frauds ever to gain wide acceptance in this engrossing book. Hoax examines the legitimacy of the Shroud of Turin, perhaps the most hotly debated relic in all of Christianity, and the fossils purported to confirm humanity&’s &“missing link,&” the Piltdown Man. Steers also discusses two remarkable forgeries, the Hitler diaries and the &“Oath of a Freeman,&” and famous conspiracy theories alleging that Franklin D. Roosevelt had prior knowledge of the planned attack on Pearl Harbor and that the details of Lincoln&’s assassination are recorded in missing pages from John Wilkes Booth&’s journal.The controversies that Steers presents show that there are two major factors involved in the success of a hoax or forgery—greed and the desire to believe. Though all of the counterfeits and conspiracies featured in Hoax have been scientifically debunked, some remain fixed in many people&’s minds as truth. As Steers points out, the success of these frauds highlights a disturbing fact: If true history fails to entertain the public, it is likely to be ignored or forgotten.
Chronicles of My Life: An American in the Heart of Japan
by Donald Keene&“Few memoirs have the concision, modesty, and charm that mark this late-life work by . . . America&’s most renowned scholar and interpreter of Japan.&”—Foreword Reviews In this eloquent and wholly absorbing memoir, the renowned scholar Donald Keene shares more than half a century of his extraordinary adventures as a student of Japan. Keene begins with an account of his bittersweet childhood in New York; then he describes his initial encounters with Asia and Europe and the way in which World War II complicated that experience. He captures the sights, scents, and sounds of Japan as they first enveloped him, and talks of the unique travels and well-known intellectuals who later shaped the contours of his academic career. Keene traces the movement of his passions with delicacy and subtlety, deftly weaving his love for Japan into a larger narrative about identity and home and the circumstances that led a Westerner to find solace in a country on the opposite side of the world. Chronicles of My Life is not only a fascinating tale of two cultures colliding, but also a thrilling account of the emotions and experiences that connect us all, regardless of our individual origins. &“Lovingly illustrated by the artist Akira Yamaguchi, the book limns a life inseparably linked to its dominant passion . . . The history is fascinating, and the literary life Keene has doggedly carved out of it, remarkable.&”—Time, Asia Edition &“Keene&’s book soars, largely because of his intriguing, highly personal account of the literary milieu of Japan, particularly its drama, whether on stage or screen . . . [An] engaging and eloquent memoir.&”—Times Literary Supplement
Want Not
by Jonathan MilesA &“shrewd, funny, and sometimes devastating&” novel about the things we desire and the things we throw away (Entertainment Weekly). A New York Times Notable Book A highly inventive, corrosively funny story of our times, Want Not exposes three different worlds in various states of disrepair—a young freegan couple living off the grid in New York City; a once-prominent linguist, sacked at midlife by the dissolution of his marriage and his father&’s losing battle with Alzheimer&’s; and a self-made debt-collecting magnate, whose brute talent for squeezing money out of unlikely places has yielded him a royal existence, trophy wife included. Want and desire propel these characters forward toward something, anything, more, until their worlds collide, briefly, randomly, yet irrevocably, in a shattering ending that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned. &“Its pleasures are endless."—Joshua Ferris, author of Then We Came to the End &“Terrific…The novel may begin with prickly satire, it may dig deep into America&’s disposable lifestyle, but it ultimately pivots to scenes of surprising tenderness…a novel to hoard.&”—The Washington Post &“Leaps nimbly from topic to topic…from freeganism to conspicuous consumption; from Manhattan's Alphabet City to residential New Jersey to the backwoods of Tennessee; and from neighbors with nothing but geographical location in common to sisters who share nothing but blood….Sitting down with Want Not is like finding yourself opposite the most interesting person at a dinner party. It pulls you in immediately; makes you shake your head in wonder and delight at your new companion's wit, originality, and compelling turns of phrase; and, best of all, surprises you into laughter.&”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette &“For readers who relish extravagant language, scathing wit and philosophical heft, Want Not wastes nothing.&”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Too Pretty to Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee
by Dennis BrooksMurder begins with the click of a button in this true crime story of Facebook, catfishing and deadly jealousy—as seen on Investigation Discovery. Chris was a CIA agent worried for the safety of Jenelle Potter. Contacting her parents and boyfriend, Chris warned them that Billy Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth were bullying Jenelle online and posed an imminent, physical threat. Something needed to be done, Chris said. And he&’d have their backs if they took action to protect Jenelle. And so they did. Jenelle&’s father and boyfriend murdered Payne and Hayworth in their own home—mercifully leaving the couple&’s infant unharmed. But when they told their story to the police, they discovered a devastating truth: there was no Chris. It had been Jenelle the entire time, catfishing them to exact revenge over a Facebook feud. Using forensic linguistics and diving through the brambles that Jenelle laid to cover her tracks, police were able to put together a chilling portrait of a sociopath who set a double murder in motion from the shadows of the internet. Dennis Brooks, the lead prosecutor in this strange and tragic case, examines the crime and trial from all angles in Too Pretty to Live. What the police investigation turned up, though, made this crime all the more terrifying. Jenelle had been Chris the entire time, catfishing her family and her boyfriend to act in vengeance on her behalf. Using forensic linguistics and diving through the brambles that Jenelle laid to cover her tracks, police were able to put together a chilling portrait of a sociopath, made all the more ruthless by the anonymity of her online life. Bizarre and unforgettable, Dennis Brooks examines the crime and trial from all angles, bringing his expertise as the lead prosecutor in the strange and disturbing case.
Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents
by Doug KeisterDiscover history and beauty in the graveyards of Gotham: &“Keister has done for cemetery exploration what Audubon did for birding.&”—Sunset Magazine With Stories in Stone: New York, the author presents cemetery buffs with stunning photographs, fascinating text, and easy GPS directions for locating gracious architecture, fabulous artwork, and memorable gravesites of famous and not-so-famous area &“residents&” residing peacefully in its beautiful cemeteries. This fact-filled guide covers Green-Wood (part of &“The Big Four&”), churchyards & resting places in both Manhattan and the outer boroughs, and even the pet cemetery in Hartsdale. This unique take on New York&’s landmarks is a collection of fascinating stories and images, including information on cemetery symbols, funerary architecture, secret societies and clubs, people, and even their dogs.
Love's Blood: The Shocking True Story of a Teenager Who Would Do Anything for the Older Man She Loved—Even Kill Her Whole Family
by Clark Howard&“[This] deeply engaging tale of a teenager who may—or may not—have helped kill her parents [is] a model of evenhanded true-crime writing.&” —Kirkus Reviews Sixteen-year-old Patricia Columbo began working for pharmacist Frank DeLuca, a married father of five, in the 1970s, and the two soon entered into a sexual relationship. Against her father&’s wishes, Patricia and Frank moved in together. Then, in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, Patricia&’s father was brutally murdered, along with her mother and thirteen-year-old brother. Police were suspicious of Patricia&’s strange behavior after the bodies were discovered, and following their investigation, they arrested both Patricia and Frank. The details revealed during their trial would horrify the residents of Chicago&’s middle-class suburbs. This book—informed by extensive interviews with Patricia Columbo in prison—tells the haunting story. &“A vivid, captivating, exhaustively researched case history.&” —Publishers Weekly &“An unsettling trip into a world of kinky sex, devotion and love gone wrong . . . stays with you long after the final page.&” —Ridley Pearson, New York Times–bestselling author
Ice and Bone: Tracking an Alaskan Serial Killer
by Monte Francis&“A chilling chronicle of victims brutally murdered by a cold, merciless killer, against a backdrop equally as unforgiving—the Last Frontier&” (Henry Lee, author of Presumed Dead). On a clear, brisk night in September of 2000, thirty-three-year-old Della Brown was found sexually assaulted and beaten to death inside a filthy, abandoned shed in seedy part of Anchorage, Alaska. She was one of six women, mostly Native Alaskan, slain that year, stoking fears a serial killer was on the loose. A tanned and thuggish twenty-year-old would eventually implicate himself in three of the women&’s deaths and confess, in detail, to Della&’s murder. Yet, after a three-month trial, Joshua Wade would walk free. In 2007, when Wade kidnapped a well-loved nurse psychologist from her home and then executed her in the remote wilderness of Wasilla, two astute female detectives joined forces to finally bring him to justice. Ice and Bone is the chilling true account of how a demented murderer initially evaded police and avoided conviction only to slip back into the shadows and kill again. Journalist and writer Monte Francis tells the harrowing story of what eventually led to Wade&’s capture, and reveals why the true scope of his murderous rampage is only now, more than a decade later, coming into view. &“A tremendous amount of exceptional journalistic work went into this, and the book that emerges is richly detailed and deeply sensitive toward the victims and those who loved them. And while in no way forgiving to Wade, Francis seeks to locate the human deep inside him that went terribly wrong, apparently from a very young age.&” —Alaska Dispatch
Sweet Pea at War: A History of USS Portland
by William Thomas Generous Jr.This WWII naval history chronicles the prolific combat career of one of the most important US ships to fight in the Pacific War. Few ships in American history have had as illustrious a history as the heavy cruiser USS Portland (CA-33), affectionately known by her crew as 'Sweet Pea.' With the destruction of most of the US battleship fleet at Pearl Harbor, cruisers such as Sweet Pea carried the biggest guns the Navy possessed for nearly a year after the start of World War II. Sweet Pea at War describes in harrowing detail how Portland and her sisters protected the precious carriers and held the line against overwhelming Japanese naval strength. Portland was instrumental in the American victories at the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, and the naval battle of Guadalcanal—conflicts that historians regard as turning points in the Pacific war. She rescued nearly three thousand sailors from sunken ships, some of them while she herself was badly damaged. Only a colossal hurricane ended her career, but she sailed home from that, too. Based on extensive research and interviews with members of the ship's crew, Sweet Pea at War recounts from launching to scrapping the history of USS Portland, demonstrating that she deserves to be remembered as one of the most important ships in US naval history.
The World Jones Made
by Philip K. DickA psychic man has the power to change a post-apocalyptic world in this science fiction novel from the author of Solar Lottery. Precognition; a world ruled by Relativism; giant alien jellyfish. The World Jones Made is a classic Philip K. Dick mash-up, taking deep philosophical musings and infusing them with wild action Floyd Jones has always been able to see exactly one year into his future, a gift and curse that began one year before he was even born. As a fortune-teller at a post-apocalyptic carnival, Jones is a powerful force, and may just be able to force society away from its paralyzing Relativism. If, that is, he can avoid the radioactively unstable government hitman on his tail.
More Than the Sum of His Parts: Collected Stories
by Joe HaldemanThe ultimate collection of classic science fiction stories and poems from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of the Forever War Series. An omnibus edition of his collections None So Blind and Dealing in Futures, this volume features the best of Joe Haldeman&’s short speculative fiction, including such gems as the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning &“The Hemingway Hoax,&” in which a forged Hemingway manuscript takes the reader on a journey through time and multiple universes; the Hugo and Locus Award–winning &“None So Blind;&” the World Fantasy and Nebula Award–winning &“Graves;&” and the Rhysling Award–winning poem &“Saul&’s Death.&” From stories steeped in the horrors of the Vietnam War to tales of cyborg transformations and space explorations, Haldeman flexes his narrative powers to deliver works that will live on for generations to come. &“If there was a Fort Knox for science fiction writers who really matter, we&’d have to lock Haldeman up there.&” —Stephen King &“One of the most prophetic writers of our times.&” —David Brin
Losing Vietnam: How America Abandoned Southeast Asia (Battles and Campaigns)
by Major General Ira A. Hunt Jr.An intelligence officer stationed in Southeast Asia offers a &“detailed, insightful, documented, and authentic account&” of US policy failure in the region (Lewis Sorley, author of Westmoreland). In the early 1970s, the United States began to withdraw combat forces from Southeast Asia. Though the American government promised to support the South Vietnamese and Cambodian forces in their continued fight against the Viet Cong, the funding was drastically reduced over time. The strain on America&’s allies in the region was immense, as Major General Ira Hunt demonstrates in Losing Vietnam. As deputy commander of the United States Support Activities Group Headquarters (USAAG) in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, Hunt received all Southeast Asia operational reports, reconnaissance information, and electronic intercepts, placing him at the forefront of military intelligence and analysis in the area. He also met frequently with senior military leaders of Cambodia and South Vietnam, contacts who shared their insights and gave him personal accounts of the ground wars raging in the region. In Losing Vietnam, Major Hunt details the catastrophic effects of reduced funding and of conducting "wars by budget." This detailed and fascinating work highlights how analytical studies provided to commanders and staff agencies improved decision making in military operations. By assessing allied capabilities and the strength of enemy operations, Hunt effectively demonstrates that America's lack of financial support and resolve doomed Cambodia and South Vietnam to defeat.
Hitchcock and the Censors (Screen Classics)
by John BillheimerEdgar Award Winner: This lively account of the director&’s battles with the Code Office is &“an essential addition to any Hitchcock shelf&” (Mystery Scene Magazine). From 1934 to 1968, the Motion Picture Production Code Office controlled the content and final cut on all films made and distributed in the United States. Code officials protected sensitive ears from standard four-letter words, as well as a few five-letter words like tramp and six-letter words like cripes. They also scrubbed &“excessively lustful&” kissing from the screen and ensured that no criminal went unpunished. Thus, throughout his career, Alfred Hitchcock had to deal with a wide variety of censors attuned to the slightest suggestion of sexual innuendo, undue violence, toilet humor, religious disrespect, and all forms of indecency, real or imagined. During their review of Hitchcock&’s films, the censors demanded an average of 22.5 changes, ranging from the mundane to the mind-boggling, on each of his American films. Code reviewers dictated the ending of Rebecca, absolved Cary Grant of guilt in Suspicion, edited Cole Porter&’s lyrics in Stage Fright, decided which shades should be drawn in Rear Window, and shortened the shower scene in Psycho. In Hitchcock and the Censors, John Billheimer traces the forces that led to the Production Code and describes Hitchcock&’s interactions with code officials on a film-by-film basis as he fought to protect his creations, bargaining with code reviewers and sidestepping censorship to produce a lifetime of memorable films. Despite the often-arbitrary decisions of the code board, Hitchcock still managed to push the boundaries of sex and violence permitted in films by charming—and occasionally tricking—the censors and by swapping off bits of dialogue, plot points, and individual shots (some of which had been deliberately inserted as trading chips) to protect cherished scenes and images. By examining Hitchcock&’s priorities in dealing with the censors, this work highlights the director&’s theories of suspense as well as his magician-like touch when negotiating with code officials.
12 Words: Think It, Feel It, Do It
by Shirley PalmerToday is the day to take your life into your own hands—and it all starts with a dozen simple words. It&’s time to make empowering decisions and to effect your own happiness. With 12 Words, life coach and mentor Shirley Palmer shows you how to make happy, confident, and successful life choices that are easily within your reach. Based on twelve simple yet enlightening words, Shirley&’s motivational work creates an atmosphere of belief and self-confidence that will propel you to personal and professional success. Using fun yet challenging exercises, Shirley teaches you how to maximize your potential and grow into the person you are meant to become. It takes courage to undergo significant personal change. In 12 Words, Shirley Palmer provides the keys to bring out that winner inside of you. Think it. Feel it. Do it!
Domina: The Women Who Made Imperial Rome
by Guy de la Bédoyère&“An illuminating and highly readable narrative about the role of women at the center of imperial Rome—fascinating and important.&” —Lesley Adkins, author of Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero—these are the names history associates with the early Roman Empire. Yet, not a single one of these emperors was the blood son of his predecessor. In this captivating history, a prominent scholar of the era documents the Julio-Claudian women whose bloodline, ambition, and ruthlessness made it possible for the emperors&’ line to continue. Eminent scholar Guy de la Bédoyère, author of Praetorian, asserts that the women behind the scenes—including Livia, Octavia, and the elder and younger Agrippina—were the true backbone of the dynasty. De la Bédoyère draws on the accounts of ancient Roman historians to revisit a familiar time from a completely fresh vantage point. Anyone who enjoys I, Claudius will be fascinated by this study of dynastic power and gender interplay in ancient Rome. &“In contrast to most histories of Rome which focus almost entirely on the exploits of its male emperors, Domina examines the women who partnered them in power, from the perfect Roman wives Livia and Octavia to Cleopatra, Agrippina the Younger and the trio of Severan Julias who all stepped far beyond tradition to dominate the Roman world.&”—Joann Fletcher, author of The Story of Egypt &“Enjoyable, fluently written and well-balanced in approach. De la Bédoyère leaves no stone unturned by way of evidence, which he carefully evaluates with regard to its context and reliability.&”—Pat Southern, author of The Roman Army
Standing Up After Saigon: The Triumphant Story of Hope, Determination, and Reinvention
by Thuhang Tran Sharon OrloppThis inspiring true story of familial love and triumph through adversity follows a father and daughter separated by war in Vietnam. In 1970, near the end of the Vietnam War, Thuhang Tran was born in Saigon. She contracted polio as a baby, and though her family sacrificed much to seek treatment, their efforts were halted by Saigon&’s fall. Her father, Chinh Tran, an air traffic controller in the South Vietnam Air Force, was lost during the evacuations and presumed dead. This powerful memoir follows both father and daughter through their respective struggles, from Thuhang's battle with polio and the impact of her father's absence, to Chinh's immigration to the United States and his desperate 15-year mission to be reunited with his family. Through all the seemingly impossible hurdles she&’s faced, Thuhang has remained hopeful and resilient. Now she tells her incredible story, inspiring those around her to find strength through perseverance.
Star-Crossed
by Susan KrinardA futuristic romance &“filled with nonstop action and exhilarating passion&” from the New York Times–bestselling author of the Midgard and Fane series (Literary Times). When Lady Ariane Burke-Marchand&’s brother is killed, a Kalian refugee named Rook Galloway is suspected of the murder. Though Ariane once loved Rook from afar, she now turns her back on him and stokes the flames of hatred between the Marchands and Kalians. Eight years later, Ariane goes to confront Rook, who is serving out his prison sentence on a brutal planet. Caught in a whirlwind of political turmoil and mutual mistrust, Ariane becomes Rook&’s pawn in a desperate game of vengeance. But the desire that once stirred their souls cannot be contained, and Ariane and Rook will find themselves fighting for each other—and the truth. Praise for Susan Krinard &“Susan Krinard was born to write romance.&” —Amanda Quick, New York Times–bestselling author &“The reading world would be a happier place if more paranormal romance writers wrote as well as Krinard.&” —Contra Costa Sunday Times &“A vivid, talented author with a sparkling imagination.&”—Anne Stuart, New York Times bestselling author
Spaghetti Sauces: Authentic Italian Recipes From Biba Caggiano
by Biba CaggianoThe award-winning chef and author of Northern Italian Cooking shares her spaghetti sauce secrets with 80 authentic Italian recipes. Biba Caggiano&’s Spaghetti Sauces are sure to entice everyone at the table with palate-pleasing flavor. From traditional recipes passed down from her mother in Bologna, to mouth-watering favorites at her award-winning restaurants, or featured on her cooking show Biba&’s Italian Kitchen, this beautifully illustrated book shows off the range and creativity of Italian pasta sauces. Twirl your fork into a plate of spaghetti topped with Pecorino Romano, Black Pepper, and Crisp Garlic; Mediterranean Pesto with Tomatoes; Prawns with Broccoli Florets and Paprika; Tomato Sauce with Goat Cheese and Basil; or Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar.
The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America
by Ethan MichaeliThis &“extraordinary history&” of the influential black newspaper is &“deeply researched, elegantly written [and] a towering achievement&” (Brent Staples, New York Times Book Review). In 1905, Robert S. Abbott started printing The Chicago Defender, a newspaper dedicated to condemning Jim Crow and encouraging African Americans living in the South to join the Great Migration. Smuggling hundreds of thousands of copies into the most isolated communities in the segregated South, Abbott gave voice to the voiceless, galvanized the electoral power of black America, and became one of the first black millionaires in the process. His successor wielded the newspaper&’s clout to elect mayors and presidents, including Harry S. Truman and John F. Kennedy, who would have lost in 1960 if not for The Defender&’s support. Drawing on dozens of interviews and extensive archival research, Ethan Michaeli constructs a revelatory narrative of journalism and race in America, bringing to life the reporters who braved lynch mobs and policemen&’s clubs to do their jobs, from the age of Teddy Roosevelt to the age of Barack Obama. &“[This] epic, meticulously detailed account not only reminds its readers that newspapers matter, but so do black lives, past and present.&” —USA Today
Teddy Roosevelt in California: The Whistle Stop Tour That Changed America
by Chris EptingThe camping trip taken by the &“conservationist president&” that put America&’s national parks on the map—from the award-winning author of Roadside Baseball. During his whirlwind 1903 tour of the western states, President Theodore Roosevelt paid his first visit to California. In between the appearances and pageantry, he embarked on three days of epic adventure in the wilderness of Yosemite with the famous and influential naturalist John Muir. A lover of the rugged outdoors, Roosevelt was humbled and impressed by the camping trip, which proved to be one of the most important sojourns in presidential history. Through firsthand accounts, speeches and rare photographs, author Chris Epting tells the story of a great and profound journey that had a lasting effect on conservation history and the National Park System.
Reflections in a Golden Eye: The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter / Reflections In A Golden Eye / The Ballad Of The Sad Café / The Member Of The Wedding / Clock Without Hands (Library Of America Carson Mccullers Edition Ser. #1)
by Carson McCullersThe classic tale of marriage, infidelity, and homosexual yearning on a Southern army base by the acclaimed author of The Ballad of the Sad Café. Georgia, 1930s. Army bases are notoriously boring places during peacetime, but the quiet life of Captain Penderton is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of dashing ladies&’ man Major Langdon. Penderton&’s marriage has always been tempestuous, but when his wife Leonora begins an affair with Langdon, Penderton finds himself increasingly unable to mask his attraction to the handsome young private he has assigned to do his yard work. And tensions rise to explosive levels as that private develops a dangerous infatuation with Leonora. A scandal when it was first published in 1941, Reflections in a Golden Eye was later adapted into a film starring Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, and Robert Forester.
The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy (Lyons Press Ser.)
by Judith L. PearsonThis WWII espionage biography brings "one of America's greatest spies back to life&” in a &“story of derring-do and white knuckles suspense&” (Patrick O'Donnell, author of Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs) Virginia Hall left her comfortable Baltimore roots in 1931 with dreams of becoming a Foreign Service Officer, but her gender—and her wooden leg—kept her from pursuing politics. As Hitler advanced across Europe, she put her gift for languages to use with the British Special Operations Executive, a secret espionage organization. She was soon deployed to occupied France where she located drop zones, helped prisoners of war flee to England, and secured safe houses for agents. Soon, wanted posters appeared throughout France, offering a reward for Hall&’s capture. By 1942, Hall had to flee France via the only route possible: an arduous hike on foot through the frozen Pyrénées Mountains. Upon her return to England, the American espionage organization, the Office of Special Services, recruited her and sent her back to France disguised as an old peasant woman. While there, she was responsible for killing 150 German soldiers and capturing 500 others. Sabotaging communications and directing resistance activities, her brave work helped change the course of the war.
Sergeant York: An American Hero
by David D. LeeA stirring account of the heroic World War I exploits and life of Tennessean Alvin C. York. &“Reads like a good novel.&” —Southern Living In a brief encounter on October 8, 1918, during the Argonne offensive, Alvin C. York killed 25 German soldiers and, almost singlehandedly, effected the capture of 132 others. Returning to the United States the following spring, he received a tumultuous public welcome and a flood of offers from businessmen eager to capitalize on his acclaimed feat. But York, true to his character, went quietly back to his home in the Tennessee mountains, where he spent the remainder of his life working to bring schools and other services to those remote valleys where his neighbors lived. In this definitive biography, David D. Lee goes beyond that single wartime episode, however, to consider its consequences on York&’s later life—his efforts, not always successful, to better his mountain community; his involvement in making a motion picture of his life; his difficulties with money and taxes. But Sergeant York is better known as a symbol than as an individual, and in this study Lee connects the man and his life to an American heroic ideal. With his rural background, his refusal to take commercial advantage of his fame, and his simple piety, Alvin York exemplified the traditional values of an agrarian America that was in his own day already receding into the past. He claimed a special place in the hearts of his countrymen, Lee concludes, because his life seemed to show that the virtues of the common man continued to be a vital part of American society.
The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick
by Philip K. DickA glimpse into the mind of the bestselling science fiction author through a collection of his personal, metaphysical, religious, visionary writings.Based on thousands of pages of typed and handwritten notes, journal entries, letters, and story sketches, The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick is the magnificent and imaginative final work of an author who dedicated his life to questioning the nature of reality and perception, the malleability of space and time, and the relationship between the human and the divine. Edited and introduced by Pamela Jackson and Jonathan Lethem, this will be the definitive presentation of Dick&’s brilliant, and epic, final work. In The Exegesis, Dick documents his eight-year attempt to fathom what he called &“2-3-74,&” a postmodern visionary experience of the entire universe &“transformed into information.&” In entries that sometimes ran to hundreds of pages, Dick tried to write his way into the heart of a cosmic mystery that tested his powers of imagination and invention to the limit, adding to, revising, and discarding theory after theory, mixing in dreams and visionary experiences as they occurred, and pulling it all together in three late novels known as the VALIS trilogy. In this abridgment, Jackson and Lethem serve as guides, taking the reader through the Exegesis and establishing connections with moments in Dick&’s life and work.The e-book includes a sample chapter from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick. &“A dyspeptic dystopian&’s mad secret notebooks, imposing order—at least of a kind—on a chaotic world…Fascinating and unsettling.&”—Kirkus Reviews
A Complicated Man: The Life of Bill Clinton as Told by Those Who Know Him
by Michael Takiff&“An astonishing collection of 171 interviews with Clinton&’s friends, foes, admirers, and detractors as well as reporters and political analysts.&”—Booklist (starred review). Though Bill Clinton has been out of office since 2001, public fascination with him continues unabated. Many books about Clinton have been published in recent years, but shockingly, no single-volume biography covers the full scope of Clinton&’s life from the cradle to the present day, not even Clinton&’s own account, My Life. More troubling still, books on Clinton have tended to be highly polarized, casting the former president in an overly positive or negative light. In this, the first complete oral history of Clinton&’s life, historian Michael Takiff presents the first truly balanced book on one of our nation&’s most controversial and fascinating presidents. Through more than 150 chronologically arranged interviews with key figures—including Bob Dole, James Carville, and Tom Brokaw, among many others—A Complicated Man goes far beyond the well-worn party-line territory to capture the larger-than-life essence of Clinton the man. With the tremendous attention given to the Lewinsky scandal, it is easy to overlook the president&’s humble upbringing, as well as his many achievements at home and abroad: the longest economic boom in American history, a balanced budget, successful intervention in the Balkans, and a series of landmark, if controversial, free-trade agreements. Through the candid recollections of Takiff&’s many subjects, A Complicated Man leaves no area unexplored, revealing the most complete and unexpected portrait of our forty-second president published to date. &“Packed with fascinating personal perspective and testimony.&”—Nigel Hamilton, bestselling and award-winning author of American Caesars
Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant (Screen Classics)
by Victoria Amador&“There is much more to de Havilland&’s story than her role as Melanie Wilkes, and it&’s all here . . . a treat for film fans&” (Booklist).Two-time Academy Award winner Olivia de Havilland is best known for her role as Melanie Wilkes in Gone with the Wind. She often inhabited characters who were delicate, elegant, and refined; yet at the same time, she was a survivor with a fierce desire to direct her own destiny on and off the screen. She fought and won a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over a contract dispute that changed the studio contract system forever. She is also noted for her long feud with her sister, fellow actress Joan Fontaine—a feud that lasted from 1975 until Fontaine&’s death in 2013.Victoria Amador draws on extensive interviews and forty years of personal correspondence with de Havilland to present an in-depth look at her life and career.Amador begins with de Havilland&’s childhood—she was born in Japan in 1916 to affluent British parents who had aspirations of success and fortune in faraway countries—and her theatrical ambitions at a young age. The book then follows her career as she skyrocketed to star status, becoming one of the most well-known starlets in Tinseltown. Readers are given an inside look at her love affairs with iconic cinema figures such as James Stewart and John Huston, and her onscreen partnership with Errol Flynn, with whom she starred in The Adventures of Robin Hood and Dodge City. After she moved to Europe, de Havilland became the first woman to serve as the president of the Cannes Film Festival in 1965, and remained active in film and television for another two decades.Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant is a tribute to one of Hollywood&’s greatest legends, tracing her evolution from a gentle heroine to a strong-willed, respected, and admired artist.