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Biography and MemoirMay 2015
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"Of all his characteristics, Truman held the elements of friendship -- loyalty -- with the greatest regard, mostly for good, but sometimes for ill, in his political career." ~ from Aida D. Donald's Citizen Soldier
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New and Recently Released!
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| He Wanted the Moon: The Madness and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird... by Mimi Baird with Eve ClaxtonAuthor Mimi Baird lost contact with her father Dr. Perry Baird when she was six, in 1944. She knew only that he was "ill" and wasn't coming home. Dr. Baird was manic-depressive; though he was frequently institutionalized and subjected to primitive treatments for years, he cogently recorded observations of his own illness. In He Wanted the Moon, Mimi weaves together excerpts from her father's manuscript with her own recollections, providing a fascinating, if sobering, portrait of psychiatric treatment before the symptoms of mental disorders were better understood. |
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| The Barefoot Lawyer: A Blind Man's Fight for Justice and Freedom in China by Guangcheng ChenIn a risky escape from house arrest in 2012, Guangcheng Chen made international headlines as he broke free of the Chinese government's efforts to suppress his voice. In The Barefoot Lawyer, Chen relates his life story, explaining how illness destroyed his sight in infancy, how he overcame his disability and obtained an education, and why he began to advocate for women's rights, land reform, and improved conditions for the poor. His escape culminated in his taking refuge in the American Embassy and emigrating to the U.S., where he now lives with his family. For another compelling memoir by a Chinese dissident, read Baiqiao Tang's My Two Chinas. |
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| Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press by James McGrath MorrisIn the 1950s and '60s, there were few African Americans reporting in prominent newspapers or on television, and even fewer of them were black women. In Eye on the Struggle, biographer James McGrath Morris relates the life of journalist and activist Ethel Payne, who covered such pivotal events as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Little Rock school integration crisis; later in her career, she became the first African American to report on the Vietnam War, among other significant achievements. If you'd like to read more about African-American reporters, you may also appreciate Alice Dunnigan's autobiography, Alone Atop the Hill. |
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| A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain by Marc MorrisEngland's King Edward I, known for defeating Sir William Wallace of Scotland, consolidated English power in the 13th century by conquering Wales, partially subduing Scotland, and quelling rebellious nobles. Using an "engaging narrative style" (Library Journal), historian Marc Morris creates a colorful and informative portrait of Edward's life and his era, offering an even-handed evaluation of his legacy. A Great and Terrible King also lays the groundwork for understanding the conquests -- and disputes -- of subsequent reigns. |
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| A Brief Stop on the Road from Auschwitz by Göran RosenbergIn A Brief Stop on the Road from Auschwitz, Swedish journalist Göran Rosenberg recounts his father's struggles to live a hopeful life after surviving the Holocaust and settling in a bustling Swedish town. This introspective, absorbing memoir also describes how his mother arrived from Germany to join his father and relates Göran's birth in 1948 and his childhood. The contrast between the way the Nazi past continually haunts his father and the optimism of postwar Sweden prompts Göran, as an adult, to explore the locations mentioned in his parents' wartime letters. His discoveries, recounted in this book, provide a "sobering reminder of the long shadows of the Holocaust" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Citizen Soldier: A life of Harry S. Truman by Aïda D. DonaldMay 8, 1884. Harry S. Truman became the 33rd President of the U.S. upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. As World War II came to an end, it was Truman who had to decide whether to use atomic bombs against Japan. The Korean conflict occurred during his watch, and he presided over significant domestic initiatives. However, when Truman left the White House in 1953, his approval ratings were abysmal, and many have labeled his presidency a failure. In Citizen Soldier, historian Aïda Donald reinterprets Truman's legacy, emphasizing his strengths as well as offering insight into his mistakes. Kirkus Reviews calls this a "skillful psychobiography by an empathetic scholar." |
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| Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning MarableMay 19, 1925. In this thoroughly researched biography, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for History, historian Manning Marable compellingly depicts the controversial Black Power advocate Malcolm X, who was assassinated in 1965. Detailing influences on Malcolm's character (including his father's early death), his complex thinking and brilliant oration, and his troubled personal life, Marable paints a vivid portrait of this Nation of Islam leader who died at age 39. Malcolm X also discusses the inaccuracies in The Autobiography of Malcolm X (written with Alex Haley), analyzes the FBI's possible involvement in his assassination, and leaves the poignant question of Malcolm's unfulfilled potential. |
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| Native American Son: The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe by Kate BufordMay 28, 1887. Acknowledged by many as one of the top ten athletes of the 20th century, Jim Thorpe lived a life of contrasts. He endured discrimination as an American Indian, won Olympic gold -- but then had his medals revoked -- and led a successful professional football career. However, he suffered from financial problems and alcohol addiction in later years. Journalist Kate Buford illuminates the triumphs and tragedies of Thorpe's life in this compelling and insightful biography, which "reports the facts and dispels many fictions," according to Publishers Weekly. Biography fans and anyone interested in sports history or Native American history will want to read Native American Son. |
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| A Widow's Story: A Memoir by Joyce Carol OatesJune 16, 1938. Award-winning author Joyce Carol Oates worked for decades side-by-side with her husband, Raymond Smith, co-editing the literary journal Ontario Review. His unexpected death in 2008 from complications of pneumonia was a devastating, heart-wrenching blow, and the process of dealing with funeral arrangements, estate matters, and the shutting down of their journal was equally difficult. Oates narrates her "surreal, nearly hallucinatory" experiences (Kirkus Reviews) in this challenging, moving memoir that will remind readers of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking or Elizabeth Alexander's recent memoir, The Light of the World. |
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| That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor by Anne SebbaJune 19, 1896. Bessie Wallis Warfield, later the Duchess of Windsor, rose above her financially constrained childhood in Baltimore to become a popular socialite. She was married to her second husband when she met Edward, Prince of Wales, who soon became infatuated with her. Her second divorce, Edward's decision to marry her and abdicate the throne, and their life together, have become the stuff of legend. In That Woman, biographer and journalist Anne Sebba engagingly sorts out myth and misinformation about the Duchess, supplying facts from her comprehensive research and offering some well-founded speculation of her own. This intriguing personality portrait will please anyone interested in 20th-century history or royal biography. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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