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Biography and MemoirAugust 2014
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"If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you're consistent, you will succeed." ~ John Lewis, Civil Rights leader and Member of Congress
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New and Recently Released!
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Neil Armstrong: a life of flight
by Jay Barbree
To date, everything written about Armstong's life and flights has been written from the outside looking in; Barbree is the only person whom Neil Armstrong trusted to share close personal details about his inspiring life story. Working from his years of notes, and with the full cooperation of the Armstrong family, Barbree has written the definitive biography of America's most famous astronaut and one of our greatest modern heroes.
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Fire shut up in my bones: a memoir
by Charles M Blow
A respected journalist describes the abuse he suffered at the hands of a close relative, the effect this had on his formative years, and how he overcame the anger and self-doubt it left behind.
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| Good Talk, Dad: The Birds and the Bees...And Other Conversations We Forgot to Have by Bill Geist and Willie GeistIn Good Talk, Dad, television personalities Bill Geist and his son Willie reminisce about their parent-child relationship, family cars, Little League, summer camp, and significant life events (including the time Willie met Donald Trump). More serious topics, including Bill Geist's Parkinson's diagnosis, round out an engaging, insightful, and occasionally off-color conversation. The Geists share the profession of television hosts and reporters, and their written storytelling is equally engaging in this book that "should come with a six-pack of cheap beer" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Delancey: a man, a woman, a restaurant, a marriage
by Molly Wizenberg
"When Molly Wizenberg married Brandon Pettit, she vowed always to support him, to work with him to make their hopes and dreams real. She evinced enthusiasm about Brandon's enthusiasms: building a violin, building a boat, and opening an ice cream store--none of which came to pass. So when Brandon started making plans to open a pizza restaurant, Molly felt sure that the restaurant would join the list of Brandon's abandoned projects. When she finally realized that Delancey really was going to happen, that Brandon was going to change all of her assumptions about what their married life would be like, it was too late.
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Focus on: Books You Might Have Missed
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| Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law by Alan DershowitzIn Taking the Stand, law professor and appellate attorney Alan Dershowitz engagingly narrates his childhood and youth and presents in detail his experiences as a lawyer and teacher. His outgoing personality shines through in this entertaining but highly informative memoir as he presents his views on capital punishment, affirmative action, freedom of speech, and national security, among other controversial topics. For another lightning-rod lawyer's captivating autobiography, read William Kunstler's My Life as a Radical Lawyer. |
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| Dr. J: The Autobiography by Julius Erving with Karl Taro GreenfeldJulius "Dr. J" Erving transformed basketball in the 1970s when he brought playground-style moves to the pro game. In Dr. J, Erving frankly relates his private struggles and successes; his thoughtful self-assessment complements the details of his basketball career, from his teamwork on an obscure college squad to the emergence of the wizard who played with and against legends such as Bill Russell, Moses Malone, and Larry Bird. General biography readers will appreciate this engaging and insightful autobiography, and sports fans will revel in the basketball stats and anecdotes. |
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| March. Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin; illustrated by Nate PowellIn the early 1960s, John Lewis became chairman of the civil rights group SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), speaking at the 1963 March on Washington and taking part in other major demonstrations in the civil rights movement. In this memoir in graphic novel format, Lewis relates his early life as a sharecropper's son, his introduction to nonviolent protest tactics while in college, and his continued involvement in peaceable efforts to bring about integration in the South. This is the 1st of three planned volumes, though it stands on its own as an introduction to Lewis' life and the social movement he helped lead. |
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| Beethoven: The Man Revealed by John SuchetThough he suffered from deafness, Ludwig van Beethoven is considered one of the greatest composers of all time. While he had many admirers, he was often angry and sometimes cruel towards friends and associates. In this biography, journalist John Suchet delves into influences on Beethoven's personality, the education and training that helped form his musicianship, and the supportive relationships he had with others, including other musicians. Though he includes little musicological analysis of Beethoven's compositions, Suchet offers a sympathetic and informative study of his life. For a recent biography that provides more technical information on the music, read Jan Swafford's Beethoven. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Yolo County Library at
530-666-8085, 226 Buckeye St., Woodland, CA 95695
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