Yolo County Library
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Biography and MemoirJanuary 2016
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"We lit candles, and then Mom and Dad led us into a pew, where we dropped to our knees and prayed to Sainte Anne, even though none of us had anything that needed fixing." ~ from John Grogan's The Longest Trip Home
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| The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East (1978-1984): A Graphic Memoir by Riad Sattouf; translated by Sam TaylorCartoonist and filmmaker Riad Sattouf grew up in rural France, Muammar Gaddafi's Libya, and Hafez al-Assad's Syria, the son of a Pan-Arabist determined to raise his family in the ideal Arab nation. A bestseller in France, The Arab of the Future portrays in graphic novel format the turmoil within his family and in international politics. Sattouf makes Arab customs and politics accessible to Westerners while depicting their contradictions and grimness from a child's viewpoint. His narration through text and drawings deftly expresses the humor and irony in his life and may remind readers of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis. |
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A mother's reckoning : living in the aftermath of tragedy
by Sue Klebold
The mother of one of the two shooters at Columbine High School draws on personal recollections, journal entries and video recordings to piece together what led to her son's unpredicted breakdown and share insights into how other families might recognize warning signs. Illustrations.
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United : thoughts on finding common ground and advancing the common good
by Cory Booker
The rising U.S. Senator and former mayor of Newark, New Jersey, outlines a case for emphasizing connection and compassion to guide the nation toward a better future, sharing specific recommendations for criminal justice, economic equality and environmental responsibility.
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A cancer in the family : take control of your genetic inheritance
by Theodora Ross
An authoritative reference for people facing a genetic predisposition to cancer draws on the author's experiences as both an oncologist and genetic melanoma survivor to explain how to identify risk patterns, obtain testing and make informed decisions without fear.
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In other words
by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Unaccustomed Earth traces her enduring love affair with the Italian language that prompted her family's move to Rome, where her efforts to master the language as a writer shaped her feelings of belonging and exile
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West of Eden : an American place
by Jean Stein
An oral history of five outsider families who rose to power and fortune in Hollywood and Los Angeles traces their humble origins, the dreams that inspired their ambitions, the setbacks that challenged their achievements and their enduring legacies. By the author of Edie. Illustrations
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On my own
by Diane Rehm
The beloved NPR radio host recounts her late husband's long battle with Parkinson's and her efforts to reconstruct a life without him, describing how she found inspiration in the examples of widowed colleagues and her advocacy of the Right to Die movement.
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A doctor in the house : my life with Ben Carson
by Candy Carson
The wife of pioneering surgeon and presidential candidate Ben Carson offers an intimate portrait of her husband as a family man, Christian and patriot that shares insights into his beliefs about how all Americans are capable of remarkable achievements.
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Republic of spin : an inside history of the American presidency
by David Greenberg
A history of the political publicity methods of the past century documents the rise of the White House "spin machine" to illuminate the art of image-making and message craft, citing the activities of presidents and back-stage strategists as well as ongoing debates about the impact of spin on politics.
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When breath becomes air
by Paul Kalanithi
A young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal diagnosis describes his examination into what truly makes a meaningful life.
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Their promised land : my grandparents in love and war
by Ian Buruma
In a moving story of an assimilated Jewish family in turbulent times, the author describes his grandparents' enduring love through the terror and separation of two world wars, during which, no matter what befell them, their courage, imagination and devotion helped them to triumph over the very darkest of days.
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The lost airman : a true story of escape from Nazi-occupied France
by Seth Meyerowitz
Documents the story of a World War II American Air Force turret-gunner who was one of two escapees when his team's plane was shot down near Cognac in 1943, tracing his harrowing six-month flight to safety across the Pyrenees under constant pursuit by the Gestapo.
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Before I forget : hope, help, and acceptance in our fight against Alzheimer's
by B. Smith
A restaurateur, magazine publisher, celebrity chef and nationally known lifestyle maven shares her experiences with her husband's Alzheimer's, in an uplifting account that doubles as a love story and provides practical and helpful advice for dealing with the day-to-day challenges of this disease.
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The sound of gravel : a memoir
by Ruth Wariner
An account of the author's coming-of-age in a polygamist Mormon Doomsday cult describes her childhood on a Mexico hills farm as one of her father's more than 40 welfare-dependent children, the extreme religious beliefs that haunted her daily life and her escape in the aftermath of a devastating tragedy.
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Stories I tell myself : growing up with Hunter S. Thompson
by Juan F. Thompson
A detailed and intimate description of the life of the manic, drug-fueled, charismatic and sensitive wildman of American journalism, known for his fearless style covering everything from biker gangs to presidential elections, as told by his only son. Illustrations.
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I'll never write my memoirs
by Grace Jones
A legendary, influential performer offers a revealing account of her spectacular career and turbulent life—from her strict religious upbringing in Jamaica to her sharing screen time with Arnold Schwarzenegger—charting the development of a persona that has made her one of the world's most recognizable artists.
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Napoleon : soldier of destiny
by Michael Broers
Draws on the newly available personal archives of Napoleon in a first volume of a two-part biography of the iconic French emperor and conqueror that shares firsthand insights into his intense emotions, Corsican roots, early military career and early 19th-century mastery of Europe.
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When Europe was a prison camp : father and son memoirs, 1940-1941
by Otto Schrag
"In an unusual but compelling approach to storytelling, When Europe Was a Prison Camp, weaves together two accounts of a family's eventual escape from occupied Europe. One, a fictionalized memoir written by the father in 1941; the other, begun by the sonin the 1980s, fills in the story of himself and mother, supplemented by historical research. The result is both personal and provocative, involving as it does issues of history and memory, fiction and "truth," courage and resignation. This is not a "Holocaust memoir." The Schrags were Jews, and Otto was interned, under execrable conditions, in southern France. But Otto, with the help of a heroic wife, escaped the camp before the start of massive transfers of prisoners "to the East," and Peter and his mother escaped from Belgium before the Jews were rounded up and sent to Auschwitz. Still, the danger and suffering, the comradeship and betrayal, the naïve hopes and cynical despair of those in prison and those in peril are everywhere in evidence"
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Being Nixon : a man divided
by Evan Thomas
Reveals the personal and political lives of the American president, whose accomplishments during his presidency opened foreign relations with the Soviet Union and China but also led to his political downfall in the Watergate scandal
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Visiting hours : a memoir of friendship and murder
by Amy Butcher
Exploring the complexities of friendship in the aftermath of a tragedy, a deeply affecting memoir follows the author as she, after her friend Kevin fatally stabbed his ex-girlfriend during an acute psychotic break, became obsessed with discovering the narrative that explained what he had done.
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Focus on: January and February Birthdays
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| Then Again by Diane KeatonJanuary 5, 1946. Actress Diane Keaton, perhaps best known for her Oscar-winning role as the title character in Woody Allen's Annie Hall, thoughtfully explores memories of her own life and her mother's in Then Again. Keaton alternates excerpts from her mother's journals and descriptions of her increasing dementia with passages that portray Keaton's early life, her acting experiences and love affairs, and her adopted children. This emotionally engaging memoir weaves a colorful tapestry depicting Keaton's family and her relationship with her mother. |
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| Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster by Jonathan EigJanuary 17, 1899. Drawing on long-overlooked government files and other records, journalist Jonathan Eig offers a compelling account of Al Capone's life and a vivid history of Prohibition-era Chicago. Setting the record (which has been distorted by legend) straight, Get Capone brings to life the usual suspects along with the more obscure law enforcement agents who determinedly built the case that won Capone's conviction. This is an irresistible biographical study: informative, engagingly written, and richly detailed. |
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| The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789 by Edward J. LarsonFebruary 22, 1732. Many people forget that General George Washington retired after the Revolutionary War. He just went home to Mount Vernon and resumed farming his estate. In The Return of George Washington, Pulitzer prize-winning historian Edward Larson relates how Washington reluctantly came out of retirement to help establish a more effective form of government than the Articles of Confederation. With engaging, vivid writing, Larson makes the years between 1782 and 1789 accessible to general readers. For another biography that emphasizes Washington's personality and private life, try Ron Chernow's Washington. |
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| The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir by John GroganFebruary 24, 1961. John Grogan, author of the bestselling Marley & Me, grew up in a devout Catholic family whose vacation trips featured visits to religious shrines. In The Longest Trip Home, Grogan relates his childhood, during which his family's deep involvement in the church contrasted with his less devout -- even sacrilegious -- attitudes. As an adult, Grogan's distinct break from his Catholic upbringing distanced him from his parents. Eventually, as his father's health failed and he felt guilt and emptiness in his skeptical views, he found a way to span the gap between them. Those who appreciate a humorous but poignant family story should pick up Grogan's memoir. |
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| Johnny Cash: The Life by Robert HilburnFebruary 26, 1932. In Johnny Cash, former Los Angeles Times music critic Robert Hilburn compellingly presents all the downs and ups of the country music star's life. Growing up on an Arkansas farm, Cash dreamed of performing to large audiences, but didn't know how to achieve his dream. Eventually, he moved to Nashville and persuaded a reluctant Sam Phillips (the groundbreaking record producer) to listen to his songs. Years of stardom, struggles with drugs, divorce, remarriage, and an apparent end to his performing life followed -- until he re-launched his career in the 1990s. Hilburn's thoroughly researched and "spellbinding" (Publishers Weekly) biography will please showbusiness fans. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Yolo County Library
226 Buckeye St. Woodland, California 95695 530-666-8005
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