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Biography and MemoirFebruary 2015
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"I've had to work hard at that easygoing manner you see on the screen." ~ James Garner (1928-2014), American actor
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New and Recently Released!
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| Separated @ Birth: A True Love Story of Twin Sisters Reunited by Anaïs Bordier and Samantha FutermanEarly in 2013, 25-year-old French fashion designer Anaïs Bordier saw a YouTube video that showed an American actress, Samantha Futerman, and Anaïs felt as if she was looking in a mirror! She found Samantha on Facebook and sent her a message saying that she thought they might be twins. Separated @ Birth relates how they got acquainted, introduced their adoptive families, visited their birthplace in South Korea, and documented their experiences in a feature-length film, Twinsters. Don't miss this inspiring joint memoir, which Booklist calls a "testament to the power of sisterhood." |
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| Stalin: Paradoxes of Power, 1878-1928 by Stephen KotkinIn this "authoritative and rigorous" (Kirkus Reviews) biography of Joseph Stalin, the 1st of three planned volumes, historian Stephen Kotkin details the Soviet dictator's youth and rise to power in the context of the sweeping political changes that eventually brought down the czarist regime in Russia. Having started life in poverty, Stalin received a seminary education, where he was radicalized by a Marxist teacher. Joining the revolutionary movement, he overcame social and physical disabilities to place himself in the ideal position to assume leadership of the Soviet Union at Lenin's death -- and to begin his dictatorial career. |
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| My Heart Is a Drunken Compass: A Memoir by Domingo MartinezBestselling memoirist Domingo Martinez continues his life story (begun in The Boy Kings of Texas) with accounts of two shattering events: his youngest brother and his ex-fiancée both suffered serious head injuries in separate incidents. After introducing this memoir with reports of their accidents, Martinez portrays his relationships with his brother and his former fiancée, the devastating effects their injuries had on them and him, and his recovery from resulting depression and addiction. In My Heart is a Drunken Compass, Martinez' powerful and graceful writing offers inspiration as it illuminates his path to healing and redemption. |
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| Shackleton: By Endurance We Conquer by Michael SmithAnglo-Irish explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton participated in the greatest Antarctic expeditions, not quite winning the race to the geographic South Pole but making his mark in Polar exploration nonetheless. Though Shackleton's name is associated with remarkable achievements, less has been written about his life at home in England. In Shackleton, journalist Michael Smith portrays the whole man, including his failed business ventures and complicated personal life along with his remarkable leadership abilities and details of his expeditions. Polar exploration fans, general biography readers, and adventure addicts won't want to miss this riveting life story. |
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| Chaucer's Tale: 1386 and the Road to Canterbury by Paul StrohmGeoffrey Chaucer, author of The Canterbury Tales, held a valuable customs position in 1386 when political disaster struck, leaving him unemployed, homeless, estranged from his family and friends, and exiled from London. After his life fell apart, Chaucer dedicated himself to full-time writing and produced his greatest work. Medievalist Paul Strohm examines these events in detail, vividly portraying prominent figures in addition to Chaucer, detailing the political intrigues that led to his banishment, and relating them to portions of The Canterbury Tales. This accessible work opens a fascinating window into the poet's life and a year in England's history. |
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Focus on: Actors and Actresses
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| The Garner Files by James Garner and Jon WinokurJames Garner, star of television's Maverick and The Rockford Files (among other roles), claims that he owes his successful acting career more to luck than to his own abilities. Nevertheless, when he describes the physical demands of action roles, it becomes clear that he was a hard worker. Employing the gentle humor that distinguished his television characters, he recalls his difficult Depression Era childhood, his service in the Korean War, and his marriage of over 50 years. This delightful autobiography includes anecdotes about Garner by friends and family as well as an introduction by Julie Andrews and his annotations on films and television shows where he appeared. |
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| Rita Moreno: A Memoir by Rita MorenoActress Rita Moreno is the only Latina to win an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony, and two Emmys. Born in Puerto Rico, Moreno came to New York at age five and soon began dancing lessons, winning a Broadway part by age 13 and developing an enduring career in film, television, and stage acting. This straightforward memoir relates her frustrations about being typecast as well as other aspects of Hollywood's studio system; it also details her personal life and political activities. Moreno's fans and those intrigued by the acting profession in the 1950s and '60s will find this an absorbing autobiography. |
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| The Astaires: Fred & Adele by Kathleen RileyEntertainer Fred Astaire's first dancing partner was his older sister Adele, who initially outshone her brother with her more natural talent. The siblings developed a wildly successful career in New York and London, until Adele retired from the theater after marrying a British aristocrat. In The Astaires, theater historian Kathleen Riley depicts Adele and Fred's gay and glittering life among entertainment celebrities such as Noël Coward, the Gershwin brothers, Flo Ziegfeld, and socialites on both sides of the Atlantic. Writing with a "grace and eloquence equal to her subjects" (Publishers Weekly), Riley offers a well researched and sparkling theatrical biography. |
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| The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir by Victoria RowellIn this inspiring memoir, ballet dancer, runway model, and actress Victoria Rowell lovingly portrays the women who raised and mentored her. Rowell's unmarried mother was white, and her father was African American. Her mother was unable to raise her alone; consequently, Rowell had a series of foster mothers who loved her dearly and took good care of her. One of her ballet teachers was also an outstanding mentor. The Women Who Raised Me compellingly depicts both the challenges and the joys of her non-traditional upbringing and movingly expresses Rowell's gratitude towards the important women in her life. |
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| My Extraordinary Ordinary Life by Sissy Spacek with Maryanne VollersAcademy Award-winning actress Sissy Spacek has had a long and storied career in Hollywood, but don't read her memoir expecting dirt on her co-stars. Instead, the down-to-earth actress shares the story of her life and career in an honest and open account that spans her childhood in Texas, her arrival in New York City, her distinguished acting career, and, most importantly it seems, her connection to the farm in Virginia where she raised her daughters and continues to live. With a focus on family and friendships, Spacek's life story will appeal to readers more interested in the wife and mother than the movie star. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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