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Biography and MemoirJuly 2015
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As always, if the library does not own one of the books on this list, please feel free to place a request. We will contact you when your book is available.
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| How I Shed My Skin: Unlearning Racist Lessons of a Southern Childhood by Jim GrimsleyAuthor Jim Grimsley was 11 years old in 1966 when his school district was forced to end segregation. Until that time, he had never associated with black people. In How I Shed My Skin, Grimsley poignantly and insightfully describes his experiences. He relates how he mimicked the bigotry of some of his elders, learned from certain other white people how to show respect towards blacks, and became friends with his African-American classmates. He describes his own outsider status and how this tumultuous political period gave him opportunities to develop his sense of identity. For another coming-of-age memoir of the period, read Timothy Tyson's Blood Done Sign my Name. |
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| The Job: True Tales from the Life of a New York City Cop by Steve OsborneIn The Job, retired New York City police lieutenant Steve Osborne, a popular storyteller on The Moth Project, relates his experiences during two decades on the beat. The immediacy of live storytelling influences Osborne's writing style, making his accounts vivid and compelling. In addition to recounting anecdotes about specific incidents, he reflects on less well known details of policing and considers its emotional effects on cops. This humorous and candid memoir also offers an insider's view of the NYPD during the last twenty years of the 20th century up to 2003. Kirkus Reviews calls this book "provocatively true to life." |
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| Goebbels: A Biography by Peter LongerichJoseph Goebbels served as Adolf Hitler's Minister of Propaganda, not only crafting the public façade of the Third Reich but micromanaging government approval (or banning) of writers and other artists. In this detailed biography of the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany, historian Peter Longerich examines Goebbels' psychological profile, mines his diaries for descriptions of those around him, and explores his generally unsuccessful efforts to influence Hitler. This thoroughly researched study provides an important contribution to the history of the Third Reich and a fascinating account for biography fans. |
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| Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back by Janice P. NimuraIn the years after 1853, when Japan opened its harbors to trade with the U.S., the Japanese government realized that its citizens would need to understand Western culture as it pursued commerce with the rest of the world. Since they viewed women as essential to the preparation of future leaders, they decided to send some girls to the U.S. so they could learn American ways and return to Japan as educators. Daughters of the Samurai presents complete biographies of three of the five girls who were chosen, tracing their foreign experiences and following their adult lives in Japan. For a detailed account of one of them, read Barbara Rose's Tsuda Umeko and Women's Education in Japan. |
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| My Organic Life: How a Pioneering Chef Helped Shape the Way We Eat Today by Nora PouillonNora Pouillon, the founder of the first certified organic restaurant in America, moved to the U.S. from Austria in the 1960s and was surprised that even the best restaurants served food that wasn't organically raised or local. Having grown up on a farm in the Alps, she was accustomed to fresh, seasonal foods that were free of artificial hormones and pesticide residues. In My Organic Life, Pouillon relates how she started offering cooking classes and eventually founded her own eatery, Restaurant Nora. She engagingly recounts overcoming numerous obstacles, from being a single working mom to securing financing for her business. Those who are looking for recipes should turn to her cookbooks, Cooking with Nora and Cooking in a Healthy Way. |
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Focus on: July and August Birthdays
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| Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend by Larry TyeJuly 7, 1906. Although pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige played almost all of his phenomenal baseball career in the segregated Negro leagues, he was perhaps the most popular and highly paid player of his time -- in any league. However, at 42 his age prevented him from making a successful transition to the Major League Cleveland Indians in 1948. Drawing on voluminous written records and over 200 interviews, biographer Larry Tye authoritatively brings out the details of Paige's background and brilliant career -- during which he struck out several white sluggers, including Joe DiMaggio, in demonstration games. If you want still more about this baseball legend, read Mark Ribowsky's Don't Look Back. |
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| The Story of Charlotte's Web: E.B. White's Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth... by Michael SimsJuly 11, 1899. Author E.B. White spent his happiest hours among the animals in his barns and stables. From ingenious spiders to hulking pigs, honking geese to sneaky rats, White said of himself that he felt a stronger affinity with these critters than to other humans. He also enjoyed reading animal tales by other authors. It's no surprise that he captivated people so effectively with his novel Charlotte's Web, since he portrayed his characters with human thoughts and emotions. Mining White's original drafts of the novel as well as his correspondence, while elegantly relating the events of his life, author Michael Sims presents a delightful, absorbing biography of the shy farmer and New Yorker writer. |
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| Herbert Hoover by William E. LeuchtenburgAugust 10, 1874. Successful financier Herbert Hoover seemed like the ideal candidate for the U.S. presidency in 1928. But after his election the Great Depression hit, and Hoover's background in business and dislike of big government were seen to hinder rather than help the nation. In this richly descriptive and passionately written biography, respected New Deal historian William Leuchtenburg evaluates the 31st president, from his career before taking office to his failed policies and unsuccessful reelection campaign. Herbert Hoover is a "richly insightful biography," says Publishers Weekly. |
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| Empire of Dreams: The Epic Life of Cecil B. DeMille by Scott EymanAugust 12, 1881. The most famous Hollywood producer of sprawling epic films in the first half of the 20th century was undoubtedly Cecil B. DeMille. Biographer Scott Eyman, drawing on previously unavailable family papers, offers a biography that rivals DeMille's films in breadth, detail, and compelling subject matter. Eyman engagingly relates specifics of the producer's life away from the studio lots as well as details of his cinematic craft and anecdotes about his professional relationships in Empire of Dreams, which Publishers Weekly calls "engaging and authoritative." |
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| A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless by Danielle SteelAugust 14, 1947. In response to the devastating loss of her son (recounted in His Bright Light), bestselling author Danielle Steel launched a program of service to homeless people in San Francisco. For 11 years she worked anonymously after dark with a small team to deliver food and other basic items. In A Gift of Hope, Steel sheds her anonymity to illuminate the desperate needs of some of the most neglected people in America. Recent reductions in funding and services prompted Steel to reveal her work, vividly portraying many of the individuals she met and giving the voiceless a voice in this "simple but moving call for action" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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