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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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| Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win World War I... by Ann BausumWhile members of the 102nd Infantry trained at Yale University before embarking for Europe to fight in World War I, soldier James Conroy found a friend -- a stray terrier who soon won the devotion of the enlistee and the hearts of the whole regiment. On the front, where Conroy served as a scout and messenger, mascot "Sergeant" Stubby warned soldiers of incoming gas and helped medics find the wounded. In this engaging biography of a man and a dog, author Ann Bausum vividly depicts conditions on the front, the horrors of trench warfare, and the experiences of the human soldiers, while portraying Stubby's contribution to the effort. |
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| Vanessa: The Life of Vanessa Redgrave by Dan CallahanVanessa Redgrave, an award-winning actor from a prominent theatrical family, is known for both her stage and film successes and her political engagement. In Vanessa, author Dan Callahan provides a meticulous critical assessment of her career while rounding out her biography with details of her family, her marriages, and the controversies aroused by her activism. Callahan "refreshingly eschews gossipy tabloid fodder" (Booklist) while shining the spotlight on Redgrave's acting technique and achievements. This absorbing and informative portrait will please her admirers and general fans of film and theater. |
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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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| Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space by Lynn SherrSally Ride, the first American woman to go into space, competed successfully in the male-dominated profession of physics and became an inspiration to girls who dreamed of science careers. Journalist Lynn Sherr, drawing on materials provided by Ride's family and friends as well as official records and Sherr's own friendship with Ride, offers a moving and sensitive portrait of this pioneer who guarded her private life -- her long-term lesbian relationship only became known through her obituary. Publishers Weekly praises Sally Ride as a "window into one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th century." |
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| Black and White: The Way I See It by Richard Williams with Bart DavisAfrican-American entrepreneur Richard Williams grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, where his mother taught him the value of tolerance in the face of racial discrimination, though he rebelled against her advice. Eventually finding that southern California provided the opportunities he had been denied in the South and even Chicago, Williams recognized the economic potential of tennis and decided that his (yet unborn) children should become tennis stars. He taught himself the game, and when his daughters Venus and Serena became old enough to play, he coached them to outstanding success in a sport dominated by white people. Black and White unapologetically relates Williams' inspiring, unusual odyssey. |
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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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| Mathew Brady: Portraits of a Nation by Robert WilsonCelebrated 19th-century photographer Mathew Brady made unequaled contributions to the development of his medium as an art form. Best known for his Civil War photographs, Brady directed the work of numerous assistants in bringing battle scenes to the general public and ran an acclaimed photography studio. Though Brady left no personal papers, historian Robert Wilson draws on government and business documents and records of Brady's associates and clients to depict Brady's methodology, artistic genius, and business acumen. Including numerous photographs accompanied by contextual information, Mathew Brady provides an accessible and fascinating biography for Civil War buffs and readers interested in the history of photography. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Dauphin County Library System
101 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101
717.234.4961
http://www.dcls.org
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