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Biography and Memoir January 2018
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An American Princess : The Remarkable Life of Marguerite Chapin Caetani
by Laurie Dennett
In An American Princess, Laurie Dennett relates the remarkable story of a New England woman whose wealth, intelligence, and charm took her to the heart of aristocratic and intellectual Europe. Marguerite Chapin (1880-1963) was the product of two cultures: her father’s enterprising American one and her mother’s French heritage, which enabled her to move to Paris when she inherited a fortune at age twenty-one. There, she studied singing with the greatest tenor of the age, commissioned paintings from artists such as Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, and André Derain, and drew upon her many friendships with writers to found and edit the pioneering literary review Commerce.
Her marriage, in 1911, to the composer Prince Roffredo Caetani, a member of one of Italy’s oldest dynasties, added a whole new dimension to her life. Not only did it bring her a title, but happiness, two children, and a set of extraordinarily talented in-laws. When Marguerite and Roffredo moved to Italy in 1932, she found refuge from fascism and an outlet for creativity at Ninfa, the estate where the Caetani had created a garden among the ruins of a medieval town. At age sixty-eight, having survived the death of her son, the war, and the German occupation, Marguerite launched the international review Botteghe Oscure. Its aim was to reclaim respectability for Italian writing, but through her discerning and generous editorial vision, it became a showcase for writers everywhere.
An engrossing biography based on extensive original research, An American Princess celebrates Marguerite Chapin Caetani’s impressive accomplishments and legacy.
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Hoover : an extraordinary life in extraordinary times
by Kenneth Whyte
A portrait of the 31st president traces his difficult childhood and meteoric business career through his significant contributions during World War I and the Great Depression, sharing insights into his less-recognized economic and political achievements.
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Mayhem
by Sigrid Rausing
An evocative memoir on the impact of addiction on a family traces the author's experiences as the sibling of Hans K. Rausing, whose wife died of a drug overdose in 2012 amid tabloid speculation and difficult questions about responsibility and control in the face of a destructive disease.
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What does this button do? : An Autobiography
by Bruce Dickinson
A highly anticipated memoir by the multifaceted lead vocalist of Iron Maiden traces his myriad experiences outside of the entertainment industry while sharing insight into his solo work, his turbulent childhood, his battle with cancer and his views on the band's enduring cultural influence.
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Hit So Hard
by Patty Schemel
The former drummer for Hole provides a front-seat view into the life of Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, her one-time housemates, and describes her own addictions to heroin that resulted in being fired, homelessness, multiple stints in rehab and petty theft and prostitution.
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Friends divided : John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
by Gordon S Wood
A dual portrait of the second and third presidents shares insights into their disparate backgrounds, the partnership decisions that helped establish America's foundation and the unexpected ways their subsequent falling out and reconciliation corrected the course of a young republic. By the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire of Liberty.
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Sophia Loren : movie star Italian style
by Cindy De La Hoz
A stunning photographic tribute to one of the most beautiful and talented actresses the screen has ever known recounts her extraordinary life and notable films with famous co-stars and directors and features quotes by Sophia Loren and those who have known her best.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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