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Biography and Memoir January 2017
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| The Book of Isaias: A Child of Hispanic Immigrants Seeks His Own America by Daniel ConnollyIn The Book of Isaias, award-winning journalist Daniel Connolly reports on the experiences of Mexican immigrants while focusing on one high school student, Isaias Ramos. Connolly, who speaks fluent Spanish, spent five years "embedded" in a Memphis, TN high school, observing the students and their families, the high school and its administration, and the special challenges facing undocumented residents. He also discusses legislation and policies that have led to the current official U.S. position on immigration. This "delicate, comprehensive, and empathetic" (Publishers Weekly) account offers a thought-provoking picture of Isaias that some will find eye-opening. |
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All the gallant men : an American sailor's firsthand account of Pearl Harbor
by Donald Stratton
A first memoir by a USS Arizona survivor describes his witness to the attacks that left him with burns over more than 65 percent of his body, his resolve to reenter service after a grueling recovery and his contributions to some of the Pacific's most violent battles. 200,000 first printing.
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River of time : my descent into depression and how I emerged with hope
by Naomi Judd
The Grammy-winning superstar and best-selling author of All That Is Bitter and Sweet shares the story of her struggles with depression, PTSD and addiction, a journey that included extended hospital stays and moving lessons about how to find hope and help. 50,000 first printing.
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Reagan : American icon
by Iwan W Morgan
A heavily researched portrait of the 40th U.S. President chronicles his early years in Illinois, Hollywood career, election as governor of California and achievements and setbacks during his White House years.
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| Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe by Robert MatzenActor James Stewart grew up in the ordinary small town of Indiana, PA, where he was fascinated by airplane flight from his childhood. Having already logged many hours in the cockpit as a civilian, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as a bomber pilot, flying numerous grueling missions over France and Germany. In Mission, Hollywood historian Robert Matzen chronicles Stewart's military service and his film career. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with some of Stewart's crew members, Matzen provides little-known details of his war experience and the toll it took on him. A perceptive study of Stewart's highly successful Hollywood years completes this absorbing narrative. |
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| Hank: The Short Life and Long Country Road of Hank Williams by Mark RibowskyBefore Elvis was King, country music's ruler was Hiram King "Hank" Williams, known for his mournful lyrics. A spinal defect inflicted so much pain on him, he could only keep going on pills; his mother and his first wife caused him so much misery, he could only sing unforgettable songs. Then he died in the backseat of a baby-blue Cadillac at age 29. In Hank, biographer Mark Ribowsky provides a riveting portrait of the Alabama-born musician, acclaimed as the author of "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Library Journal says this is "probably the greatest biography yet" of the star termed the "Hillbilly Shakespeare." |
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| Peter O'Toole: The Definitive Biography by Robert SellersStage and screen actor Peter O'Toole, best known for his epic performance in David Lean's film Lawrence of Arabia, comes to life in this comprehensive biography by show-biz biographer Robert Sellers. Sellers details O'Toole's life story, including his alcohol-fueled maverick behavior and his reliance on close personal friends. Focusing the spotlight on O'Toole's talent and skill on stage and screen, Sellers illuminates the reasons for his acclaim, making this "one of the best biographies of any actor," according to Booklist's starred review. |
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Great books you might have missed!
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| Fast into the Night: A Woman, Her Dogs, and Their Journey North on the Iditarod Trail by Debbie Clarke ModerowAlaska's Iditarod Sled Dog Race, held annually in March, presents a grueling, dangerous test of dog teams and the human "mushers" who run them. In Fast into the Night, amateur musher Debbie Moderow relates her experiences training for the Iditarod and twice attempting the race, focusing on her relationship with her dogs as a significant aspect of her life and the most important component of the racing team. Weaving her life's story into her account of how she fell in love with Huskies and mushing, Moderow's engaging memoir takes readers along on her thrilling adventures. |
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The Last Cowboy: A Life of Tom Landry
by Mark Ribowsky
Texas native Tom Landry was a stupendously successful professional football coach who took over a losing expansion team, the Dallas Cowboys, in 1960 and transformed it into a winning machine that became known as "America's Team." His systematic and innovative approach to coaching gradually brought widespread changes to pro football as well as to the Cowboys, as he employed computer analysis of the players' styles and developed new offensive and defensive systems. Celebrity biographer Mark Ribowsky recounts Landry's early life and coaching career in detail, though he's unable to shed much light on the emotional life of the notoriously reserved coach. The Last Cowboy is sure to fascinate both those who love the Cowboys and those who love to hate them.
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Code Name: Johnny Walker: The Extraordinary Story of the Iraqi Who ...
by Johnny Walker with Jim deFelice
"Johnny Walker" is the code name for an Iraqi translator who worked with American Special Forces during the post-9/11 war in Iraq. He is now an American citizen, but he maintains his code name to protect relatives who remain in Iraq. In this riveting, thought-provoking memoir, "Johnny Walker" explains what motivated him to work with Americans and what it meant to be a civilian translator with Navy SEALs -- he had to be as ready for combat as they were. Eventually, he was forced to leave Iraq because assassins were targeting him. Code Name: Johnny Walker offers an engaging, candid, and eye-opening view of the war and of one man's personal commitment to his own and his adopted country.
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Body counts : a memoir of politics, sex, AIDS, and survival
by Sean O'Brien Strub
The political activist and founder of POZ magazine recounts his experiences as a politically astute Georgetown student during the height of the AIDS epidemic, his own transforming diagnosis with HIV and his efforts as the executive director of the Sero Project.
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Unbreak my heart : a memoir
by Toni Braxton
The six-time Grammy award-winning artist and the star of Braxton Family Values reveals the measures she took to make herself and her family whole again after heart ailments and a lupus diagnosis forced her to let go of her past and take charge of her own healing - physically and spiritually. 150,000 first printing.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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