Publisher: Random House
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/05/2013
ISBN-13: 9780307595416
ISBN-10: 0307595412

Guns, gun ownership, and the regulation of both are much-discussed topics in the U.S. these days. And while this book does not address recent tragedies like the shootings in Aurora or Newtown, it does offer a balanced and even-keeled perspective on gun ownership that should resonate with most readers interested in the topic. Held together by a road-trip narrative, Gun Guys presents a tour of American gun culture that offers insight into the appeal of guns, includes interviews with gun owners, and appraises current gun laws -- and offers suggestions for compromise between the two sides. For a more historical perspective on gun ownership in the U.S., try Michael Bellesiles' Arming America.

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Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 02/19/2013
ISBN-13: 9781608191055
ISBN-10: 1608191052

Released in 1956 and starring John Wayne, the classic western film The Searchers was based on a novel by Alan Le May, which itself was inspired by true events. Combining a behind-the-scenes view of the making of the Hollywood movie with the well-researched story of the girl whose 1836 abduction by the Comanche -- and her difficult return to white culture -- this account explores the differences between the three "realities" and how movies can alter the way their viewers understand historical events. "A fascinating journey from fiction to fact," says the Washington Post.

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Publisher: HarperCollins
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/02/2013
ISBN-13: 9780062213655
ISBN-10: 0062213652

In Debbie Reynolds' first candid memoir, published in 1988 (Debbie), the actress came across as both determined and likable, and this doesn't really change in her latest, in which she picks up where she left off. Reynolds has been acting and singing for 60 years, and has plenty of anecdotes to share about Hollywood's Golden Age, the movies she appeared in, and the celebrities she has worked with or befriended. But Reynolds also has two children and three ex-husbands; she writes honestly about all of them, including her financially ruinous divorces. By turns heartbreaking and uplifting, this memoir will appeal not only to Reynolds' fans but to readers interested in the story of a remarkable woman.

Publisher: Crown Publishers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/05/2013
ISBN-13: 9780307720894
ISBN-10: 0307720896

To many people (thanks mostly to Disney), Davy Crockett was a coonskin-hat-wearing "king of the wild frontier." But he was also a U.S. Congressman who probably didn't wear a lot of animal skins to work. The colorful details of his life (and his death at the Alamo) have been clouded by legends, oral history, and movie-makers, and in Born on a Mountaintop, author Bob Thompson describes his efforts to unearth the real David Crockett. In addition to visiting locations key to Crockett's life (including his Tennessee River Valley home and the Alamo), Thompson consults with experts, reads a ton of written accounts, and even crosses paths with Paul Bunyan and Daniel Boone (or at least their legends). Entertaining and well-researched, this is a great introduction to an American legend.

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Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/29/2007
ISBN-13: 9780805083040
ISBN-10: 0805083049

In Piano, New York Times staff writer James Barron follows the 11-month journey of a Steinway concert grand from raw materials to stage debut. This particular piano, K0862, was first profiled in a series of Times articles; along with meticulous details of K0862's creation, Barron gives an in-depth history of the Steinway company itself, complete with interviews of employees and performing pianists. Whether you are a music lover, a woodworker, or are just fascinated by the process of building a cultural icon, you're sure to find something to pique your interest. Or, try Stuart Isacoff's A Natural History of the Piano for a wide-ranging discourse on "all things piano" (Publishers Weekly).

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Publisher: Anchor Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/01/2003
ISBN-13: 9781400032310
ISBN-10: 1400032318

With all the drama inherent in a staged opera, there's just as much going on backstage -- at least, there is at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, which has been entertaining audiences since 1883. Molto Agitato pulls back the curtain on the passions, ambitions, and high-stakes corporate politics lurking behind the Met's elegant façade -- for scandals galore have plagued this illustrious institution. For more on the Met, try The Toughest Show on Earth, by the Met's former general manager Joseph Volpe, of whom author Johanna Fiedler (herself the former press representative) speaks favorably.

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Publisher: Harper
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/01/2003
ISBN-13: 9780060009427
ISBN-10: 006000942X

Do you ever get the feeling that there's more to what you're reading than what you're actually processing? If so, this lively and entertaining introduction to the art of reading literature can help, for its author, English professor Thomas Foster, explains simply and succinctly how to recognize and understand the symbols, themes, narrative devices, and contexts of literary works. Though it's conversational in style, you'll learn everything you need to tackle such high-brow works as Shakespearean sonnets and plays, ancient Greek epics, and even classic novels like Doctor Zhivago or Animal Farm. Sure, sometimes a cigar's just a cigar...but sometimes it's a lot more.

Publisher: Dutton
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/25/2012
ISBN-13: 9780525952671
ISBN-10: 0525952675

Love it or hate it, almost everyone has an opinion about modern art, even if we don't really know what we're viewing. To provide a little more basis for our opinions, former director of London's Tate gallery Will Gompertz presents a lighthearted, offbeat tour of modern art that considers not only its present but its history as well. From Cézanne and Duchamp to Ai WeiWei and Banksy, Gompertz traces modern art's schools and movements, artists, and key works while sharing a wealth of lesser-known details -- perfect for both art enthusiasts and those who are just beginning their educations.

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Publisher: Random House
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/29/2011
ISBN-13: 9780812968743
ISBN-10: 0812968743

When Apollo's Angels was first published (just before the Oscar-nominated movie Black Swan was released), it captured a fair amount of attention, garnering appreciative reviews from outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, while the author was interviewed on NPR's Weekend Edition. And with good reason -- written by a former professional ballerina who's now a dance critic, this lavishly illustrated history of ballet explores its evolution as an art form and delves into the personalities known for their devotion to it (Balanchine, Taglioni, Fonteyn). Kirkus Reviews calls this cultural critique "a work of elegance, emotion and enduring importance."

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