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Biography and Memoir September 2018
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My twenty-five years in Provence : reflections on then and now
by Peter Mayle
"The beloved author Peter Mayle, champion of all things Provence, here in a final volume of all new writing, offers vivid recollections from his twenty-five years in the South of France--lessons learned, culinary delights enjoyed, and changes observed. Twenty-five years ago, Peter Mayle and his wife, Jennie, were rained out of a planned two weeks on the Cãôte d'Azur. In search of sunlight, they set off for Aix-en-Provence; enchanted by the world and life they found there, they soon decided to uproot their lives in England and settle in Provence. They have never looked back. As Mayle tells us, a cup of cafe might now cost three euros--but that price still buys you a front-row seat to the charming and indelible parade of village life. After the coffee, you might drive to see a lavender field that has bloomed every year for centuries, or stroll through the ancient history that coexists alongside Marseille's metropolitan bustle. Modern life may have seeped into sleepy Provence, but its magic remains. Withhis signature warmth, wit, and humor--and twenty-five years of experience--Peter Mayle is a one-of-a-kind guide to the continuing appeal of Provence. This thoughtful, vivid exploration of life well-lived, à la Provence, will charm longtime fans and a new generation of readers alike"
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Meghan : a Hollywood princess
by Andrew Morton
By the New York Times best-selling author of Diana: Her True Story, comes a revealing biography of Meghan Markle, the American actress who won Prince Harry's heart.
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Ninety-nine glimpses of Princess Margaret
by Craig Brown
The best-selling author of Hello Goodbye Hello shares a portrait of the sister of Elizabeth II that draws on eclectic sources to explore her controversial relationships, the contradictory aspects attributed to her character and the tragedies that overshadowed her life
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The man I never met : a memoir
by Adam Schefter
The influential ESPN personality describes how his wife lost her first husband during the World Trade Center attacks, how he bonded with his young stepson and how their family has made September 11 an anniversary of hope and healing.
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Beauty in the broken places : a memoir of love, faith, and resilience
by author Pataki, Allison
"A deeply moving memoir about two lives that were changed in the blink of an eye, and the love that helped them rewrite their future. Five months pregnant, on a flight to their "babymoon," Allison Pataki turned to her husband when he asked if his eye looked strange, and watched him suddenly lose consciousness. After an emergency landing, she discovered that Dave--a healthy thirty-year-old athlete and surgical resident--had suffered a rare and life-threatening stroke. Next thing Allison knew, she was sitting alone in the ER in Fargo, North Dakota, waiting to hear if her husband would survive the night. When Dave woke up, he could not carry memories from hour to hour, much less from one day to the next. Allison lost the Dave she knew and loved when he lost consciousness on the plane. Within a few months, she found herself caring for both a newborn and a sick husband, struggling with the fear of what was to come. As a way to make sense of the pain and chaos of their new reality, Allison started to write daily letters to Dave. Not only would she work to make sense of the unfathomable experiences unfolding around her, but her letters would provide Dave with the memories he could not make on his own. She was writing to preserve their past, protect their present, and fight for their future. Those letters became the foundation for this beautiful, intimate memoir. And in the process, she fell in love with her husband all over again. This is a manifesto for living, an ultimately uplifting story about the transformative power of faith and resilience. It's a tale of a husband's turbulent road to recovery, the shifting nature of marriage, and the struggle of loving through pain and finding joy in the broken places"
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All happy families : a memoir
by Jeanne McCulloch
Describes how the author's Hamptons wedding was shattered by her father's fatal stroke, clashing personalities, the strict societal mores of the privileged class and the transforming beliefs of two remarkable families. A first book.
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Fail until you don't : fight grind repeat
by Bobby Bones
The host of The Bobby Bones Show and best-selling author of Bare Bones delivers an uplifting and riotous collection of stories about his biggest misses in life and how he turned them into lessons and wins.
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Dear America : notes of an undocumented citizen
by Jose Antonio Vargas
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker and immigration-rights activist presents a debut memoir about how he unknowingly entered the United States with false documents as a child.
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There Are No Grown-Ups: A Midlife Coming-of-Age Story
by Pamela Druckerman
What it is: part memoir, part self-help guide, this witty and lighthearted collection of 25 essays explores American expat life in Paris, the realities of aging, and family relationships.
Want a taste? "You know you're a fortysomething parent when you've decided that swimming counts as a shower."
Chapters include: "How to Have a Midlife Crisis;" "How to Plan a Ménage à Trois;" and "How to Think in French."
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I should have honor : a memoir of hope and pride in Pakistan
by Khalida Brohi
The founder of the Sughar nonprofit presents a memoir about tribal life in Pakistan that describes how her father's nontraditional beliefs about education saved her from an arranged marriage and helped her become her village's first woman doctor.
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Betty Ford : First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer
by Lisa McCubbin
"An intimate and insightful biography of Betty Ford, the groundbreaking, candid, and resilient First Lady and wife of President Gerald Ford, from the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Presidents and Mrs. Kennedy and Me. Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer is the inspiring story of an ordinary Midwestern girl thrust onto the world stage and into the White House under extraordinary circumstances. Setting a precedent as First Lady, Betty Ford refused to be silenced by her critics as she publicly championed equal rights for women, and spoke out about issues that had previously been taboo--breast cancer, depression, abortion, and sexuality. Privately, there were signs something was wrong. After a painful intervention by her family, she admitted to an addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. Her courageous decision to speak out publicly sparked a national dialogue, and in 1982, she co-founded the Betty Ford Center, which revolutionized treatment for alcoholism and inspired the modern concept of recovery. Lisa McCubbin also brings to light Gerald and Betty Ford's sweeping love story: from Michigan to the White House, until their dying days, their relationship was that of a man and woman utterly devoted to one another other--a relationship built on trust, respect, and an unquantifiable chemistry. Based on intimate in-depth interviews with all four of her children, Susan Ford Bales, Michael Ford, Jack Ford, and Steven Ford, as well as family friends, and colleagues,Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer is a deeply personal, empathic portrait of an outspoken First Lady, who was first and foremost a devoted wife and mother. With poignant details and rare insight, McCubbin reveals a fiercely independent woman who had a lively sense of humor, unwavering faith, and an indomitable spirit--the true story behind one of the most admired and influential women of our time"
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Reagan : an American journey
by Bob Spitz
The best-selling author of The Beatles draws on hundreds of interviews and previously unavailable documents to present a post-partisan biography of the 40th President that offers insight into Reagan's universal appeal and transformative leadership. Illustrations.
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| Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Conflict Photographer, and Their Journey Back... by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O'ReillyWhat it's about: Marine sergeant Thomas J. Brennan and war photographer Finbarr O'Reilly met in 2010 during a Taliban attack, striking up a friendship after O'Reilly photographed Brennan's injuries.
What sets it apart: In this ode to the healing power of friendship, alternating chapters recount the men's battle-weary postwar life, providing unique perspectives on post-traumatic stress disorder and the will to survive. |
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| The Bridge Ladies by Betsy LernerWhat it is: a moving chronicle of how a New Haven, Connecticut women's bridge club helped author Betsy Lerner reconcile with her estranged mother.
Read it for: Engaging profiles of the five bridge club members reveal how their shared hobby has sustained them through more than 50 years of personal triumphs and tragedies.
You might also like: Becky Aikman's Saturday Night Widows: The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives. |
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| Jackie's Girl: My Life with the Kennedy Family by Kathy McKeonWhat it is: a charming account of Irish immigrant Kathy McKeon's decade serving as Jacqueline Kennedy's live-in assistant and governess following President Kennedy's 1963 assassination.
Don't miss: Kennedy's loyalty and generosity to her staff inspired a deep friendship and devotion that endured even after McKeon left her employ.
Is it for you? McKeon's humorous (and occasionally sobering) reflections offer a personal peek into the post-Camelot era, perfect for those fascinated by the Kennedy dynasty. |
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| The Art of Rivalry: Four Friendships, Betrayals, and Breakthroughs in Modern Art by Sebastian SmeeWhat it is: an absorbing collective biography charting the the intimate friendships and dramatic rivalries among eight modern artists, including Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.
Author alert: Sebastian Smee is a Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic for the Washington Post.
Try this next: Mary Gabriel's Ninth Street Women, which profiles five trailblazing women who revolutionized the modern art scene. |
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| Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson by Gordon S. WoodWhat it's about: the unlikely friendship between two of America's Founding Fathers, whose disparate personalities and conflicting ideologies often put them at odds.
Did you know? Adams and Jefferson died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826.
About the author: Historian Gordon S. Wood is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Radicalism of the American Revolution. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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