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Biography and Memoir February 2021 |
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Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics
by Dolly Parton
A 60-year celebration of the country music and pop culture legend’s remarkable life and career explores the songs that have defined her journey and contains rare photos and memorabilia that share additional insights into classic Parton lyrics.
"I mean, I didn't really *need* more proof that Dolly Parton is a gift the world doesn't deserve, but it's been proven with this book..."--Goodreads reviewer
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The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women--and Women to Medicine
by Janice P. Nimura
Award-winning author Nimura shines new light on the life and accomplishments of Elizabeth Blackwell, America's first female physician, and equally on the achievements of her dynamic younger sister and fellow doctor, Emily. From Bristol, England, to the new cities of antebellum America, this work of rich history follows the sisters as they transform the nineteenth century medical establishment and, in turn, our contemporary one.
"Janice P. Nimura has resurrected Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell in all their fiesty, thrilling, trailblazing splendour."--Stacy Schiff
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The Woman who Stole Vermeer: the True Story of Rose Dugdale and the Russborough House Art Theft
by Anthony M. Amore
Here's the story of heiress-turned-revolutionary Rose Dugdale, who in 1974 became the only woman to pull off a major art heist. Her life was singularly notorious. Born into extreme wealth, she abandoned her life as an Oxford-trained PhD and heiress to join the cause of Irish Republicanism. While on the surface she appears to be an Irish version of Patty Hearst, she was anything but. Dugdale's life of crime and activism is at turns unbelievable and awe-inspiring--sure to engross readers.
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Tumult!: the Incredible Life and Music of Tina Turner
by Donald Brackett
The narrative of Tumult! is an extended exploration of the magical transformation of shy country girl Anna Mae Bullock into the boisterous force of nature we know today as Tina Turner. It is also the captivating tale of someone who was already precociously there, a stellar talent just waiting to emerge and grab the global spotlight. Often referred to as the "Queen of Rock and Roll," she has sold more than 200 million records and sold more live concert tickets than any other solo performer in history.
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Girl With No Job: the Crazy Beautiful Life of an Instagram Thirst Monster
by Claudia Oshry
In this juicy, behind-the-scenes look at the life of an Instagram sensation, Claudia Oshry leaves nothing out as she contemplates staying true to yourself while hustling in today's digital culture. She's taken some knocks, but like anyone with a relentless desire to be popular, she dusts herself off and finds a new way forward. With humour and insight, Claudia examines the nature of social media celebrity, the many sides of fandom, and cancel culture.
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Rock Monster: My Life With Joe Walsh
by Kristin Casey
Far from bitter or self-pitying, Rock Monster is an honest account of one woman's life-changing experience in a relationship with rock legend Joe Walsh. At once envious, glamorous, debauched, and disturbing, it's her long and winding journey from life in the fast lane to sobriety and redemption. This is a sexy, crazy, cautionary tale of two addicts in love without a single relationship skill.
"a well-written and often harrowing tale of love, lust, and little packets of white powder"--Houston Press
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One to Remember: Stories from 39 Members of the NHL’s One Goal Club
by Ken Reid
If you've ever picked up a hockey stick, chances are you've dreamed of scoring in the NHL. Ken Reid interviews and profiles 39 men who did just that: they bulged the twine in the best hockey league in the world...but only once. From minor league call-ups to season-long mainstays, and even a Hall of Famer, One to Remember answers all the questions: what did that one tally mean? Was it enough to satisfy a lifelong ambition, or was it just the smallest taste of success?
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Focus on: Black History Month
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Just as I Am: a Memoir
by Cicely Tyson
"Harlem's True-born Queen"--the Academy, Tony, and three-time Emmy Award-winning actor and trailblazer tells her stunning story, looking back at her six-decade career and life.
"Here, in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say."--Cicely Tyson
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They Call Me George: The Untold Story of the Black Train Porters and the Birth of Modern Canada
by Cecil Foster
*A CBC must-read for Black History month*
Foster chronicles the little-known stories of Black railway porters--the so-called "Pullmen" of the Canadian rail lines. The actions and spirit of these men helped define Canada as a nation in surprising ways: effecting race relations, human rights, North American multiculturalism, community building, the shape and structure of unions, and the nature of travel and business across Canada and the U.S.
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Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada
by Rodney Diverlus
The killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012 by a white assailant inspired the Black Lives Matter movement, which quickly spread outside the borders of the United States. The movement's message found fertile ground in Canada, where Black activists speak of generations of injustice and continue the work of the Black liberators who have come before them. Until We Are Free contains some of the very best writing on the hottest issues facing the Black community in Canada.
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The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations
by Toni Morrison
The Source of Self-Regard is brimming with all the elegance of mind and style, the literary prowess and moral compass that are Morrison's hallmark. It is divided into three parts: the first is introduced by a powerful prayer for the dead of 9/11; the second by a searching meditation on Martin Luther King Jr.; and the last by a heart-wrenching eulogy for James Baldwin. In the writings and speeches included here, Morrison takes on contested social issues: the foreigner, female empowerment, the press, money, "black matters," and human rights...
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| Black Is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and... by Emily Bernard"I am black--and brown too. Brown is the body I was born into. Black is the body of the stories I tell."
Here's a lyrical memoir in essays that examines author Emily Bernard's relationship to her Blackness and her Southern heritage.
Topics include: Bernard's interracial marriage and her adoption of twin girls from Ethiopia; her grandmother's Jim Crow-era Mississippi childhood. |
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| The Book of Delights by Ross GayWhat it is: National Book Critics Circle Award-winning poet Ross Gay's wide-ranging collection of 102 "essayettes" celebrating life's big and small joys.
Why it matters: Gay's engaging reflections on everything from race and masculinity to hobbies and popular culture offer a thought-provoking rejoinder to narratives that center on Black suffering. |
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A Black Women's History of the United States
by Daina Ramey Berry
Two award-winning history professors and authors focus on the stories of African-American women slaves, civilians, religious leaders, artists, queer icons, activists, and criminals in a celebration of Black womanhood that demonstrates its indelible role in shaping America.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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