Biographies & Memoirs - Books

Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg

Biographies & Memoirs

The first collection of letters between the two leading figures of the Beat movement Writers and cultural icons Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg are the most celebrated names of the Beat Generation, linked together not only by their shared artistic sensibility but also by a deep and abiding friendship, one that colored their lives and greatly influenced their writing. Editors Bill Morgan and David Stanford shed new light on this intimate and influential friendship in this fascinating exchange of letters between Kerouac and Ginsberg, two thirds of which have never been published before. Commencing in 1944 while Ginsberg was a student at Columbia University and continuing until shortly before Kerouac's death in 1969, the two hundred letters included in this book provide astonishing insight into their lives and their writing. While not always in agreement, Ginsberg and Kerouac inspired each other spiritually and creatively, and their letters became a vital workshop for their art. Vivid, engaging, and enthralling, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: The Letters provides an unparalleled portrait of the two men who led the cultural and artistic movement that defined their generation.

Winston S. Churchill: The Challenge of War, 1914–1916

Biographies & Memoirs

Volume three of this authoritative Churchill biography chronicles his years of triumphant leadership in the Admiralty during World War I. Acclaimed British historian Sir Martin Gilbert continues the official biography of Sir Winston S. Churchill the eventful period between 1914 and 1916, with a full account of his achievements as first lord of the Admiralty during the Great War. These include Churchill’s efforts to prolong the siege of Antwerp, his support for the use of air power, and his part in the early development of the tank. It shows the forcefulness with which he argued for an offensive naval policy, first against Germany, then against Turkey. Gilbert examines the political crisis of May 1915, during which the Conservative Party forced Asquith to form a coalition government. The Conservatives insisted that Churchill leave the center of war policymaking for a position of increasing political isolation. In the next seven months, while the Gallipoli campaign was being fought, Churchill served as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with no authority over military or naval policy. Resigning from the cabinet in November 1915, Churchill was appointed lieutenant-colonel, commanding an infantry battalion in the trenches of the Western Front. In May 1916, he returned from the trenches, hoping to reenter political life, but his repeated attempts to regain his once-substantial influence were unsuccessful. “A milestone, a monument, a magisterial achievement . . . rightly regarded as the most comprehensive life ever written of any age.” —Andrew Roberts, historian and author of The Storm of War “The most scholarly study of Churchill in war and peace ever written.” —Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times

Champagne Supernovas

Biographies & Memoirs

Com a expertise da jornalista Maureen Callahan, Champagne Supernovas nos leva de volta aos anos 90, quando modelos brilhantes deram lugar a verdadeiras lendas, o que era considerado underground e alternativo desfilava nas principais passarelas mainstream, e a moda virou um cenário rico, alimentado pelas mentes mais brilhantes do mundo artístico e cultural. Repleto de histórias divertidas e surpreendentes dos mais celebrados nomes, como os designers Anna Sui e Isaac Mizrahi, as celebridades Kim Gordon, do Sonic Youth, Jane Pratt, da revista Sassy, e um grande elenco de supermodelos, estilistas, editores, fotógrafos e club kids, Champagne Supernovas é, ao mesmo tempo, um relato vibrante sobre uma época e também um estudo revelador dos bastidores, trazendo à tona fatos da vida particular de Moss e até do suicídio de McQueen. Em uma mistura elegante de arte, decadence e genialidade que definiram uma era, este é um panorama legítimo de uma ruptura cultural onde losers e freaks quebraram as regras e emergiram no mundo pop como deuses da moda, mudando drasticamente a forma como entendemos o mundo.

To tylko rock’n’roll (Zawsze The Rolling Stones)

Biographies & Memoirs

Według legendy spotkali się na peronie kolejowym w Dartford. Obaj czekali na pociąg o 8.28 do Londynu. Jagger miał ze sobą płyty, a Richards – gitarę. Tak powstał jeden z najważniejszych zespołów w historii rock and rolla. Mit jest piękny, ale prawdziwa opowieść okazuje się jeszcze ciekawsza – Rich Cohen opowiada o kolejnych dekadach działalności grupy, skupia się jednak na pierwszych wspólnych koncertach i złotym okresie Jaggera i spółki, kiedy nagrali swoje najważniejsze płyty, począwszy od Beggar’s Banquet (1968) do Exile on Main Street (1972).W latach 90. magazyn „Rolling Stone” wysłał Cohena w trasę razem z zespołem. To dało mu dostęp do muzyków, z którymi przez lata nawiązał bliskie relacje. Efektem ich rozmów jest panoramiczna biografia, napisana żywym stylem i z ogromną pasją. Cohen nie stroni też od ujawniania swoich opinii na temat opisywanych zdarzeń. Tak, to książka o seksie, dragach i rock and rollu, ale też o miłości, ambicji, przyjaźni i… satysfakcji. To świeże spojrzenie na wyjątkowy zespół, które odpowiada na pytanie: skąd bierze się długowieczność Stonesów?Nikt nie umiałby opowiedzieć tej historii lepiej niż Cohen… Ta książka dotyka samej istoty rock and rolla.„New York Observer”Fantastyczna! Teksty Cohena rzucają na Stonesów nowe światło.„The Wall Street Journal”Cohen umie pisać o tym, jak muzyka może zmienić świat.„Pitchfork”Mistrzowska! O tym zespole napisano setki książek, ale ta zalicza się do najlepszych.„Chicago Tribune”

Nace un tejedor de sueños

Biographies & Memoirs

Nace un tejedor de sueños es el despertar de un escritor y es la liberación de un pueblo. Mientras Ngũgĩ va a estudiar a la Universidad de Makerere, en Uganda, su pueblo se defiende del Imperio británico. En aquellos tiempos convulsos es cuando nace uno de los intelectuales más importantes de nuestra época, formándose como periodista, escritor de cuentos, dramaturgo y novelista.Perseguido por los recuerdos y las noticias de la carnicería y los encarcelamientos en masa realizados por el Estado colonial británico en su Kenia natal, pero a la vez inspirado en la lucha titánica contra estas injusticias, Ngũgĩ comienza a tejer historias que recoge de las fibras de la memoria, la historia y un presente vibrante y turbulento. Es así como se empieza a formar una identidad de intelectual al servicio de su pueblo.En este texto emocionante y provocativo se despliegan simultáneamente el nacimiento de Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o como escritor combativo, el fin del colonialismo militar en uno de los episodios más violentos de la historia global y el empoderamiento de los pueblos africanos para decidir su futuro.

Une mort très douce

Biographies & Memoirs

La journée du mardi se passa bien. La nuit, maman fit des cauchemars. On me met dans une boîte, disait-elle à ma sœur. Je suis là, mais je suis dans la boîte. Je suis moi, et ce n'est plus moi. Des hommes emportent la boîte! Elle se débattait: Ne les laisse pas m'emporter! Longtemps Poupette a gardé la main posée sur son front: Je te promets. Ils ne te mettront pas dans la boîte. Elle a réclamé un supplément d'Équanil. Sauvée enfin de ses visions, maman l'a interrogée: Mais qu'est-ce que ça veut dire, cette boîte, ces hommes? - Ce sont des souvenirs de ton opération; des infirmiers t'emportent sur un brancard. Maman s'est endormie.

Nessuno può volare

Biographies & Memoirs

Quando si nasce in una famiglia come quella di Simonetta Agnello Hornby, si cresce con la consapevolezza che si è tutti normali, ma diversi, ognuno con le proprie caratteristiche, talvolta un po’ “strane”. Attraverso una serie di ritratti affettuosi, facciamo così la conoscenza di tutta la famiglia… E poi naturalmente di George, il figlio maggiore di Simonetta. Non è facile accettare la malattia di un figlio, eppure è possibile, e la chiave di volta risiede proprio in quel “nessuno può volare”: “Come noi non possiamo volare, così George non avrebbe più potuto camminare: questo non gli avrebbe impedito di godersi la vita in altri modi. Nella vita c’è di più del volare, e forse anche del camminare. Lo avremmo trovato, quel di più”.

Die zivilen Fahnder/innen

Biographies & Memoirs

"Bisse aber noch sehr fit für Dein hohes Alter, Nick." - "Na, mein blonder Bengel Judith hält mich jung, nö?" Neben der Originalserie ermitteln sie nun zusätzlich in Kurzgeschichten: Judith Reiter und Nick Fengler von der Zivilfahndung des Essener Reviers Kettwig/Werden. Ob Entführungsfall oder Vermisstenfall, ob Ruhestörung oder Mord, ob Kampf zwischen Radfahrer und Autofahrer oder Faustkampf in einem Zimmer - mal käbbelnd, mal besonnen, mal spektakulär agierend, jedoch stets ihren typischen Ruhrpott-Slang sprechend. Begleiten Sie das Duo Reiter/Fengler bei zwölf kurzen, abwechslungsreichen Einsätzen, die sämtliche Elemente der Originalserie beinhalten und experimentell darüber hinausgehen - plus Bonus-Pflegegeschichte! Die enthaltenen Kurzgeschichten: 01 Die Kinder der Krimiseherin, 02 Grün, gelb oder rot?, 03 Bombenstimmung, 04 Unmoralisches Angebot, 05 Dieses blonde Püppchen, 06 Bewohnerin verschwunden, 07 Radfahrer und Autofahrer, 08 Einbruch am Ende der Welt, 09 Die Partycrasher, 10 Das Instrument, 11 Identitätslos, arbeitslos, heimatlos, 12 Aufeinander aufpassen, Bonus: Die Wasserflasche und die Schildkröte - oder: die Pflege, die Politik und die Zeit, Probe: Wie sich Judith und Nick kennen lernten - Prolog & Beginn 1. Staffel der Originalserie, Diese Zusammenstellung erscheint zwischen den Staffeln 1 und 2 der Originalserie und bietet das gesamte Spektrum der zivilen Fahnder/innen: amüsante Käbbeleien zwischen Judith und Nick, lockere und ernste Themen, alltägliche und nahegehende Fälle, einfühlsame und actionreiche Ermittlungen, eine detaillierte und spannende Funksequenz. Interessante Experimente inklusive: so schlüpft der Autor einmal in die Rolle einer Verdächtigen und schreibt aus ihrer Sicht. Einmal möchten Judith und Nick das Recht gar nicht umsetzen, einmal müssen sie in einer tragischen Nacht eine Todesnachricht überbringen, und wie gehen sie, die eher bodenständige Fälle gewohnt sind, mit einer besonders verstörenden und vor allem blutigen Tat um? Vor der Kulisse der Essener Stadtteile Kettwig und Werden (der Heimat des Autors), mit Ausflügen nach Rüttenscheid oder Bredeney, wird wie üblich fleißig Ruhrpott geredet! Die reine Handlung der Fälle steht dabei in keinem Bezug zur Serie, es sind unabhängig voneinander lesbare Geschichten: Die Anthologie ist für neue Leser*innen, die das Ermittlerduo kennen lernen möchten, ebenso geeignet wie für Kenner*innen der Originalserie, die zusätzliche Facetten von Judith und Nick entdecken dürfen. "Die zivilen Fahnder/innen: Ermittlerduo Judith Reiter & Nick Fengler (Ruhrpott-Anthologie - 1)" ist als Buch und als eBook erhältlich. Weitere Veröffentlichungen und Staffeln sind geplant.

When I Woke Up

Biographies & Memoirs

He went to hell and back. Then went again. He died on the operating table and lived in a parallel universe whilst fighting for his life in a coma. Became a fugitive, captured at gun point and imprisoned in a squalid Cairo jail for a crime he did not commit. As a child he battled with relentless bullies and overcame chronic dyslexia. As a man, he cheated death survived a foreign prison and built a multi-million-dollar business, yet lost it overnight and found the strength, despite personal tragedy, to rebuild it. Again. He lives today knowing and believing that YOU can survive anything. If you want to know how to get through this thing called life - THIS is your manual.

On the Move

Biographies & Memoirs

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “wonderful memoir” (Los Angeles Times) about a brilliantly unconventional physician and writer, a man who has illuminated the many ways that the brain makes us human. • “Intimate.... Brim[s] with life and affection.” —The New York TimesWhen Oliver Sacks was twelve years old, a perceptive schoolmaster wrote: “Sacks will go far, if he does not go too far.” It is now abundantly clear that Sacks has never stopped going. With unbridled honesty and humor, Sacks writes about the passions that have driven his life—from motorcycles and weight lifting to neurology and poetry. He writes about his love affairs, both romantic and intellectual; his guilt over leaving his family to come to America; his bond with his schizophrenic brother; and the writers and scientists—W. H. Auden, Gerald M. Edelman, Francis Crick—who have influenced his work.

Tolstoy

Biographies & Memoirs

Tolstoy is a concise biography of the famous author. A table of contents is included.

Dreaming Me

Biographies & Memoirs

Jan Willis is not Baptist or Buddhist. She is simply both. Dreaming Me is the story of her life, as a child growing up in the Jim Crow South, dealing with racism in an Ivy League college, and becoming involved with the Black Panther Party. But it wasn't until meeting Lama Yeshe, a Tibetan Buddhist monk living in the mountains of Nepal, that she realized who the real Jan Willis was, and how to make the most of the life she was living.

Who's That Girl?

Biographies & Memoirs

The definitive autobiography from Eve, the multiplatinum, Grammy Award®–winning, Emmy®-nominated rapper, singer-songwriter, actor, mother, philanthropist, and entrepreneur.In 1999, Eve Jihan Cooper made history with her solo debut album, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, reaching number one on the Billboard 200, marking her as the third female rapper to ever obtain that position. She later made history again as the first recipient ever of the Grammy Award®for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for her platinum single “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” with Gwen Stefani. Following up with three chart-topping albums that made unrivaled waves in the world of hip-hop and music, as well as trailblazing moments in TV/film and fashion, Eve now looks back on her groundbreaking career.West Philadelphia was not for the faint of heart—Eve knows that better than anyone. However, she navigated those Philly streets (and later the rest of the world) seamlessly, though it was not without strength and resilience. She incorporates that unbridled ambition into every bar that she writes and every stage/set that she stands on. With a gritty realness that speaks to her style, she shares her experiences going from the Mill Creek Projects to Hollywood. In this memoir, Eve delves into her entrance as "Eve of Destruction" into a male-dominated hip-hop industry, the deeper story behind Scorpion that was never told until now, and the internal battle with her music, her label, and herself after Lip Lock. This fearless, empowering, and inspirational memoir from hip-hop sensation Eve explores her rise to stardom as a female MC, her lasting legacy on pop culture and music, and her incredible yet enduring struggle balancing her personal life with her professional one.

Dames and Daughters of Colonial Days

Biographies & Memoirs

An illustrated volume, Dames and Daughters of Colonial Days includes biographies of influential American women like Eliza Lucas, the developer of indigo and Margaret Brent, a founding settler of the Maryland colony.

A mensagem

Biographies & Memoirs

Quase uma década depois da publicação de Entre o mundo e eu, um dos maiores pensadores da atualidade retorna à não ficção, em ensaios que mesclam memórias, reflexões e relatos de viagem para mostrar como as histórias que contamos podem forjar a realidade.Ta-Nehisi Coates apresenta, em três ensaios que se entrelaçam, uma poderosa reflexão sobre a força das palavras. No primeiro deles, relata uma viagem ao Senegal. Nunca havia pisado no continente africano, mas, ao conhecer Dakar, sente como se estivesse em dois lugares ao mesmo tempo: a cidade propriamente dita e o reino mítico panafricano em que ele foi criado para acreditar.No segundo ensaio, agora na Carolina do Sul, o autor explora um mito diferente. Ao encontrar uma professora cujo emprego está ameaçado por adotar em sala de aula um de seus livros, Entre o mundo e eu, descobre um grupo de apoiadores, entusiastas de suas obras, em sua maioria brancos.Na Palestina, que rende o mais longo e último ensaio, Coates percebe a lacuna devastadora e conflitante entre as narrativas que aceitamos e a realidade da vida no local. Ele se reúne com ativistas e dissidentes, israelenses e palestinos, e, ao visitar Jerusalém, o coração da mitologia sionista, e os territórios ocupados, vê a realidade que o mito pretende esconder.Escrito num momento dramático da história, Coates revela aqui a intimidade de seus pensamentos com destemor e profunda consciência. A mensagem mostra a necessidade urgente de nos libertarmos dos mitos nacionalistas destrutivos que moldam o mundo — e nossas almas — e abraçarmos o poder libertador das verdades mais difíceis."A mensagem marca o retorno de Coates ao debate intelectual. O estilo de grande parte de seu trabalho anterior dá lugar a uma fúria ainda mais vigorosa." — The New York Times Book Review"Em uma série de três ensaios abrangentes, o aclamado escritor Ta-Nehisi Coates examina os mitos que nos impelem e guiam, muitas vezes às custas da verdade." — Harper's Bazaar"Ao mesmo tempo um grito de guerra e uma carta de amor à escrita." — Oprah Daily"As viagens de Coates o ajudaram a fundamentar sua poderosa escrita sobre raça." — Associated Press

The Underground Railroad (Illustrated Edition)

Biographies & Memoirs

In "The Underground Railroad (Illustrated Edition)," William Still presents a rich tapestry of narratives that illuminate the harrowing and courageous journeys of escaped enslaved individuals seeking freedom. Through a blend of poignant personal testimonies, detailed accounts, and historical context, Still employs a narrative style that is both gripping and empathetic, providing an invaluable window into the lives of those who traversed the Underground Railroad. The illustrated edition further enhances the text, offering visual insights that complement the emotional weight of the stories, grounding the reader in the historical realities of antebellum America. William Still, often referred to as the 'Father of the Underground Railroad,' was not merely a chronicler; he was an active participant in the abolitionist movement. His own experience of being born to enslaved parents fueled his dedication to the cause of emancipation and social justice. Through meticulous documentation of escapees' experiences and his role in aiding them, Still crafted this essential historical record, ensuring their stories were not forgotten but celebrated and studied. This illuminated edition of Still's work stands as a crucial resource for anyone interested in American history, civil rights, or the enduring human spirit. Scholars, educators, and general readers alike will find this edition to be an indispensable addition to their libraries, offering profound insights into the struggles and triumphs of those who fought for freedom.

No meu caminho

Biographies & Memoirs

Como se reconstruir quando sua vida muda da noite para o dia? Lançada aos holofotes públicos aos quinze anos, após o atentado perpetrado pelo Talibã contra sua vida, Malala logo se transformou em um ícone internacional, símbolo de bravura e resiliência. Mas, longe das câmeras e das multidões, a garota passou anos lutando para se encontrar em um mundo desconhecido. Agora, Malala apresenta aos leitores — e pela primeira vez — sua trajetória para além das manchetes. No meu caminho é um livro de memórias franco e surpreendente, escrito com originalidade, humor e ternura.Esta é uma história de amizade e primeiro amor, de ansiedade e autodescoberta, de se manter fiel à sua identidade mesmo quando todos insistem em lhe impor rótulos. Malala narra como passou de estudante do ensino médio introspectiva a universitária imprudente até enfim se tornar uma jovem em paz com seu passado. A partir de episódios sinceros e muitas vezes turbulentos— como quase reprovar nas provas, sofrer ghosting e conhecer o amor de sua vida —, Malala nos lembra que as pessoas que se tornam exemplos não são perfeitas, e sim humanas.Nesta autobiografia impressionante, Malala se reapresenta ao mundo e compartilha como aprendeu a viver sob o risco de ser definida por seus momentos mais sombrios — enquanto buscava a liberdade de descobrir quem realmente é. No meu caminho é um olhar íntimo sobre a vida de uma jovem assumindo as rédeas de seu destino, além de um testemunho da força necessária para ser você mesmo — sem remorsos.

The Story of A Band from The Rock

Biographies & Memoirs

The story of a band formed by five young musically inexperienced mates from The Rock, a small NSW regional town in Australia, during the second half of the 1960s pop music revolution. The book charts the band's progression from its first non-paid gig where it played the same five songs over and over because that was extent the band's song list and chronologically moves through the next 4 years with the band ultimately being voted the best band in Wagga, NSW's largest inland city in late 1969. At the end of the year, the last remaining original members left along with the band's connection to The Rock.The bands popularity and it's rise from a small town needed to be documented for local historical recognition. The book contains photos and articles, a gig guide over the 4 years and a section on a successful 40year band reunion in 2005 which attracted nearly 1000 punters from all over Australia and the equally successful follow-up reunion ín 2007, both which raised funds for an aged care facility in the band's hometown.If you were a member of a band in the 1960s, or were part of the 1960s music revolution, this story will bring back memories!

My Days and Nights on the Battle-Field

Biographies & Memoirs

Many of you, my young readers, have seen the springs which form the trickling rivulets upon the hillsides. How small they are. You can almost drink them dry. But in the valley the silver threads become a brook, which widens to a river rolling to the far-off ocean. So is it with the ever-flowing stream of time. The things which were of small account a hundred years ago are powerful forces to-day. Great events do not usually result from one cause, but from many causes. To ascertain how the rebellion came about, let us read history. Nearly three hundred years ago, when Elizabeth was Queen of England, Sir Walter Raleigh sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to explore the newly discovered Continent of America. Sir Walter was a sailor, a soldier, and one of the gentleman attendants of the Queen. He was so courteous and gallant that he once threw his gold-laced scarlet cloak upon the ground for a mat, that the Queen might not step her royal foot in the mud. At that time America was an unexplored wilderness. The old navigators had sailed along the coasts, but the smooth waters of the great lakes and rivers had never been ruffled by the oars of European boatmen. Sir Walter found a beautiful land, shaded by grand old forests; also fertile fields, waving with corn and a broad-leaved plant with purple flowers, which the Indians smoked in pipes of flint and vermilion stone brought from the cliffs of the great Missouri River. The sailors learned to smoke, and when Sir Walter returned to England they puffed their pipes in the streets. The people were amazed, and wondered if the sailors were on fire. So tobacco began to be used in England. That was in 1584. We shall see that a little tobacco-smoke whiffed nearly three hundred years ago has had an influence in bringing about the rebellion. Twenty years rolled by. London merchants dreamed of wealth in store for them in Virginia. A company was formed to colonize the country. Many of the merchants had spendthrift sons, who were also idle and given to bad habits. These young fellows thought it degrading to work. In those Western woods across the ocean, along the great rivers and upon the blue mountains, they saw in imagination a wild, roving, reckless life. They could hunt the wild beasts. They could live without the restraints of society. They had heard wonderful stories of exhaustless mines of gold and silver. There they could get rich, and that was the land for them. A vessel with five hundred colonists was fitted out. There were only sixteen men of the five hundred accustomed to work; the others called themselves gentlemen and cavaliers. They settled at Jamestown. They found no rich gold-mines, and wealth was not to be had on the fertile plains without labor. Not knowing how to cultivate the soil, and hating work, they had a hard time. They suffered for want of food. Many died from starvation. Yet more of the same indolent class joined the colony,—young men who had had rows with tutors at school, and who had broken the heads of London watchmen in their midnight revels. A historian of those times says that “they were fitter to breed a riot than found a colony.”

Moi je. Essai d'autobiographie

Biographies & Memoirs

Journaliste, critique, romancier, essayiste, grand voyageur, Claude Roy est un témoin de son temps à l'œil vif et au cœur chaud. Ses Mémoires, qu'il intitule Moi je, font revivre l'avant-guerre, la guerre et l'occupation. C'est l'anatomie d'une époque, sous tous ses aspects : politique, moral, littéraire, aventureux. C'est aussi une éblouissante galerie de portraits : Gide, Giraudoux, et tant d'autres, sans oublier, bien sûr, l'auteur, dans tous ses âges.

Biographies & Memoirs Books