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Biography and MemoirNovember 2014
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''The reason you are so sore you missed the war is because war is the best subject of all. It groups the maximum of material and speeds up the action and brings out all sorts of stuff that normally you have to wait a lifetime to get.'' ~ Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), American author
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New and Recently Released!
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Jerry Lee Lewis : his own story
by Rick Bragg
Draws on more than two years of interviews between the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee to document Lewis' rebellious youth, marriages, party lifestyle, IRS setbacks and brushes with death. 100,000 first printing.
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| Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh by John LahrTennessee Williams was a highly celebrated American playwright even during his lifetime, but the insightful characterizations that brought so much popular and critical acclaim grew out of his personal doubts, fears, addictions, and family tragedies. In this compelling biography, New Yorker drama critic John Lahr draws on voluminous resources to delineate the relationship between Williams' personal struggles and those of the characters he created. Whether you're interested in American dramatists, curious about Williams' life, or looking for a stunningly well written life story, be sure to pick up Tennessee Williams. |
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Not my father's son : a memoir
by Alan Cumming
The acclaimed actor profiles his turbulent relationship with his father and discusses his 2010 appearance in a celebrity genealogy show to solve the disappearance of a WWII hero grandparent and his discovery of astounding family secrets
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Cosby : his life and times
by Mark Whitaker
In a book based on extensive research and in-depth interviews with Bill Cosby and more than 60 of his closest friends and associates, the author offers a frank account of the comedian's life and legacy. 75,000 first printing.
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Angry optimist : the life and times of Jon Stewart
by Lisa Rogak
Drawing on interviews with current and former colleagues of Jon Stewart, the author of The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert chronicles the life of The Daily Show host Jon Stewart, from his early stand-up days to the acclaimed The Jon Stewart Show to his rise to become a comedic—and, surprisingly, a political—icon.
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Mona Lisa : a life discovered
by Dianne R. Hales
Blends biography, history and memoir to compile the story of da Vinci's famous masterpiece subject, detailing the political upheavals, family dramas and public scandals of Renaissance Florence that shaped her life and her relationships with kings and artists.
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GI brides : the wartime girls who crossed the Atlantic for love
by Duncan Barrett
Describes the lives of British women who married American G.I.s during World War II and found themselves coping with culture shock in the United States. By the best-selling authors of The Sugar Girls. Original. 75,000 first printing.
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Mademoiselle : Coco Chanel and the pulse of history
by Rhonda K. Garelick
An extensive portrait of the 20th-century fashion maven examines her critical place in history and the talents through which she internalized and transmitted cultural trends, drawing on extensive portraits of her intimates to offer insights into her creativity and business savvy.
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Eichmann before Jerusalem : the unexamined life of a mass murderer
by Bettina Stangneth
A heavily researched reassessment of the life of Adolf Eichmann reveals his activities and notoriety among a global network of National Socialists after the collapse of the Third Reich, explaining how he was able to downplay his wartime roles and hide before his capture by the Mossad. 25,000 first printing.
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Not that kind of girl : a young woman tells you what she's "learned"
by Lena Dunham
The creator and star of HBO's Girls documents her coming-of-age in and out of the spotlight, recounting her experiences with everything from dieting and embarrassing sex to dirty old men and performing in less-than-ideal conditions. 250,000 first printing.
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Yes please
by Amy Poehler
A first-person account by the Golden Globe-winning actress best known for her work on Parks and Recreation and Saturday Night Live includes coverage of such topics as her relationships with caregivers and her friendship with Tina Fey. 500,000 first printing.
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Dancing with myself
by Billy Idol
A candid memoir by the multiplatinum recording artist chronicles his life—from his childhood in England and rise to fame at the height of the punk-pop revolution to his popular hits and his collaborations with fellow artists. 100,000 first printing.
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Focus on: Military Life Stories
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| Bolívar: American Liberator by Marie AranaIn 1813, 200 years before the publication of this biography, Simón Bolívar began the military campaign that would eventually lead to the liberation of much of South America from Spanish rule. Bolívar isn't well known in North America, but his vision and military skill made him one of the most important figures in the history of the Western Hemisphere. This vivid and thoroughly researched biography explores his family background, his youth, and his career following independence to create a nuanced portrait of this complex man, viewed both as a dictatorial strongman and as a visionary leader. |
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| Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic by Mark L. Donald with Scott MacTavishTraining to be a Navy SEAL offers one of the most difficult personal challenges anyone can undertake, but author Mark Donald not only qualified as a SEAL -- he also became a combat medic. In Battle Ready, Donald relates why he chose the Marines, his progress to medical service and battlefield experiences, and his subsequent struggles with PTSD and adjustment to civilian life. Though he was the first medical officer since Vietnam to receive the Navy Cross, he expresses ambivalence about both the demands of war and the value of military engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a thought-provoking examination of war and what it means to be a soldier. |
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| Code Talker by Chester Nez with Judith Schiess AvilaDuring World War II, Japanese codebreakers successfully cracked many of the Americans' encrypted communications -- until the U.S. Navy developed a code based on the Navajo language. Marines who were native speakers of Navajo safely transmitted and received messages about operations in the Pacific theater until the end of the war. In Code Talker, one of these Marines, Chester Nez, relates his life story, providing details of his traditional Navajo childhood and his reasons for enlisting, the fierce engagements on Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and other locations, and his postwar life. This absorbing autobiography of a World War II veteran relates a "unique, inspiring story," according to Kirkus Reviews. |
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| Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam by Lewis SorleyGeneral William Westmoreland had a highly successful Army career that included combat service in World War II and Korea, command of the 101st Airborne Division, and Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, closing his service with a period as Army Chief of Staff. Despite these impressive achievements, however, he's primarily remembered for the American loss in Vietnam. In this detailed biography, author Lewis Sorley begins by asserting, "unless and until we understand William Childs Westmoreland, we will never understand fully what happened to us in Vietnam, or why," and argues that Westmoreland's failed strategies led to the U.S. defeat. For a more sympathetic view of the general, read Gregory Daddis' Westmoreland's War. |
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| Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army by Kayla WilliamsFemale soldiers make up a significant minority of American military personnel today, and in Love My Rifle More Than You, Iraq War veteran Kayla Williams provides an unreserved, gritty, and revealing account of women soldiers' lives. Williams describes her five years in uniform, including her decision to enlist, her experience as an Arabic interpreter in Iraq, and how she was viewed (both positively and negatively) by her fellow soldiers. Williams' language is rough, macho, and profane, and some of the situations she describes are shocking. Read this vivid memoir for a realistic -- and perhaps unexpected -- view of the contemporary military experience. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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530-666-8085, 226 Buckeye St., Woodland, CA 95695
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