Biographies & Memoirs - Books

LIFE The Day Kennedy Died

Biographies & Memoirs

The United States doesn't support royalty, but if it did, the Kennedys would be royals. One of them, so obviously a prince, was elected President-our democratic version of a king-and then he was killed. LIFE The Day Kennedy Died takes you back to that fateful day in Dallas. President John F. Kennedy had been urged by some in his administration not to make the trip, but others insisted just how important Texas would be to his reelection. And so he went. The Kennedy's began their day, on November 23, 1963, in Fort Worth, Texas-John looking dapper as ever; Jackie wearing a pink number fastened with Chanel buttons, a suit that would go on to be perhaps the most famous in history. They made their rounds in Fort Worth and went off to the airport, taking the quick flight to Dallas where they would eventually end up in a convertible with Governor John Connally. In this Special Edition from the editors of LIFE, the story is told with painstaking detail, a complete timeline alongside beautiful photography. Also included, accompanied by the wonderful, trademark LIFE narrative, are the essential frames from the Zapruder film, including the infamous Frame 313 that LIFE withheld from its original issue-the only time LIFE's iconic logo has been printed in black. You'll learn about the man who killed President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as gain a sense of who the Kennedys were as a family-their home life, the time they spent with their children-before everything was taken away. A necessary and authoritative keepsake that chronicles one of the most historic events of the 20th century, LIFE The Day Kennedy Died is the perfect addition to any American's bookshelf.

Cicero's Tusculan Disputations

Biographies & Memoirs

The Tusculanae Disputationes (The Tusculanes or Tusculan Disputations), is a series of books, around 45 BC, attempting to popularise Stoic philosophy and his personal memoirs in Ancient Rome.

The Autobiography of Charles Darwin

Biographies & Memoirs

This edition of Darwin’s life story restores previously censored passages on religion and the scientist’s opinions of his contemporaries. Darwin wrote his autobiography in 1876, at the age of sixty-seven, hoping it would prove interesting to his children and grandchildren. Preparing the book for a wider audience, his family initially sought to protect his legacy by removing passages they found too personal or controversial. This restored edition, which appeared one hundred years after the publication of On the Origin of Species, was edited by Darwin’s own granddaughter Nora Barlow, who wished to share the text as it originally existed in her family’s archives. Shedding light on the women in Darwin’s life and his evolving views on religion, The Autobiography of Charles Darwin delves deep into his brilliant yet shy and reclusive personality, from his childhood love of nature to the reception of his groundbreaking theories on evolution. It also includes previously unpublished notes and letters on family matters, as well as Darwin’s dispute with Samuel Butler.

Grandi artiste al lavoro

Biographies & Memoirs

Come sono riuscite, le grandi artiste, a coniugare gli aspetti quotidiani della vita con la creatività? Scrivevano, dipingevano, componevano ogni giorno? E, se sì, quanto? A che ora cominciavano? E, soprattutto, come ci riuscivano, dovendo anche guadagnarsi da vivere e prendersi cura delle persone presenti nella loro vita? A differenza degli uomini, la cui routine quotidiana sembra curiosamente irreale, con gli ostacoli mitigati da mogli devote e da privilegi accumulati nei secoli, le donne alle prese con il processo creativo hanno dovuto fare i conti da sempre con umilianti frustrazioni e compromessi. Molte delle artiste presenti in questo libro sono cresciute in società che ignoravano o respingevano il lavoro creativo delle donne, e molte avevano genitori o coniugi che si opponevano strenuamente ai loro tentativi di far valere l’espressione artistica rispetto ai tradizionali ruoli di moglie, madre e padrona di casa. Parecchie di loro avevano dei figli e dovettero compiere scelte strazianti nel conciliare le proprie ambizioni con le necessità di chi dipendeva da loro. Tutte furono poi costrette ad affrontare atteggiamenti sessisti da parte del pubblico e di chi apriva le porte del successo: editori, curatori, critici, mecenati. Da Octavia Butler, che si alzava fra le tre e le quattro del mattino, «perché è l’orario in cui scrivere mi viene meglio», a Coco Chanel, che passava ore a sistemare e appuntare le stoffe addosso alle sue modelle, fumando come una ciminiera; da Frida Kahlo, che aveva una grande difficoltà a vivere in maniera regolare e a rispettare le tabelle di marcia, a Louisa May Alcott, che scriveva in preda ad attacchi di energia creativa e di ossessività, saltava i pasti e dormiva poco, Grandi artiste al lavoro svela manie, superstizioni, paure, abitudini di cinquantatrè grandi donne che hanno fatto la storia della letteratura, dell’arte, della musica e del cinema. «Un tesoro di aneddoti divertenti». The Telegraph «Una serie di ritratti di vite decisamente fuori dell’ordinario». Meryle Secrest"

Stephen Hawking

Biographies & Memoirs

This “vivid and compelling account” (The Wall Street Journal) opens not only the inner workings of one of physics’ greatest minds, but also a view into an extraordinary friendship and the human capacity to overcome insurmountable challenges.A BEST SCIENCE BOOK OF 2020 (The Telegraph, The Guardian) A BEST BOOK OF 2020 (New Statesmen) One of the most influential physicists of our time, Stephen Hawking touched the lives of millions. Recalling his nearly two decades as Hawking’s collaborator and friends, Leonard Mlodinow brings this complex man into focus in a unique and deeply personal portrayal. We meet Hawking the genius, who pours his mind into uncovering the mysteries of the universe—ultimately formulating a pathbreaking theory of black holes that reignites the discipline of cosmology and paves the way for physicists to investigate the origins of the universe in completely new ways. We meet Hawking the colleague, a man whose illness leaves him able to communicate at only six words per minute but who expends the effort to punctuate his conversations with humor. And we meet Hawking the friend, who can convey volumes with a frown, a smile, or simply a raised eyebrow. Mlodinow puts us in the room as Hawking indulges his passion for wine and curry; shares his feelings on love, death, and disability; and grapples with deep questions of philosophy and physics. Whether depicting Hawking’s devotion to his work or demonstrating how he would make spur of the moment choices, such as punting on the River Cam (despite the risk the jaunt posed), or spinning tales of Hawking defiantly urinating in the hedges outside a restaurant that doesn’t have a wheelchair accessible toilet, Mlodinow captures his indomitable spirit. This moving account of a friendship offers us invaluable lessons from one of physics’ greatest practitioners about life, the universe, and the ability to overcome daunting obstacles.

Foreign Correspondence

Biographies & Memoirs

As a young girl in a working-class neighborhood of Sydney, Australia, Geraldine Brooks longed to discover the places where history happens and culture comes from, so she enlisted pen pals who offered her a window on adolescence in the Middle East, Europe, and America. Twenty years later Brooks, an award-winning foreign correspondent, embarked on a human treasure hunt to find her pen friends. She found men and women whose lives had been shaped by war and hatred, by fame and notoriety, and by the ravages of mental illness. Intimate, moving, and often humorous, Foreign Correspondence speaks to the unquiet heart of every girl who has ever yearned to become a woman of the world.

The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; On Human Nature

Biographies & Memoirs

The following essays are drawn from the chapters entitled Zur Ethik and Zur Rechtslehre und Politik which are to be found both in Schopenhauer's Parergaand in his posthumous writings. As in my previous volumes, so also in this, I have omitted a few passages which appeared to me to be either antiquated or no longer of any general interest. For convenience' sake I have divided the original chapters into sections, which I have had to name; and I have also had to invent a title which should express their real scope. The reader will find that it is not so much Ethics and Politics that are here treated, as human nature itself in various aspects.

Behind the Scenes

Biographies & Memoirs

Elizabeth Keckley’s Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House is both a riveting slave narrative and a fascinating insider’s look at the First Family during the Lincoln administration. Keckley was the First Lady’s seamstress and confidante and the publication of her memoirs in 1868 caused a storm of controversy. The press excoriated Keckley for revealing the intimate secrets of her employers and Mary Todd Lincoln cut off her friendship with Keckley. Lincoln’s eldest son had the book suppressed.After the White House, Keckley went on to become one of the first successful independent black business owners in America, forming a profitable line in dress-making for the wives of prominent politicians, including the spouses of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. She also formed an important charity for black veterans of the Civil War. Supporters of Keckley’s Contraband Relief Association included Frederick Douglass, Henry Highland Garnet, J. Sella Martin, as well as prominent white figures, such as Wendell Phillips.Includes image gallery with rare shots of Keckley and her contemporaries.

With Bare Hands

Biographies & Memoirs

Overcoming vertigo — and countless injuries which left him officially 60% disabled — the 'Real Spiderman' has scaled over 70 skyscrapers worldwide: from the Petronas Towers in Malaysia to Taipei 101, from Chicago's Sears Tower to Canary Wharf in London. Reward and punishment have been received in equal measure — the flamboyant Frenchman has gained international fame and raised thousands of pounds for charity, but has also been arrested, beaten and prosecuted. Many people ask whether it is madness to undertake such perilous ascents without using safety equipment. But in Alain Robert's view, it is madness not to follow your dreams! This is the inspiring story of a man who has conquered fear and exceeded his own limits: the world's greatest urban climber.

Class

Biographies & Memoirs

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick“Raw and inspiring.” —People“Land is not just exploring her own story, but also the larger implications of what it means to fall between the cracks of American capitalism.” —The New York TimesFrom the New York Times bestselling author who inspired the hit Netflix series about a struggling mother barely making ends meet as a housecleaner—a gripping memoir about college, motherhood, poverty, and life after Maid.When Stephanie Land set out to write her memoir Maid, she never could have imagined what was to come. Handpicked by President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2019, it was called “an eye-opening journey into the lives of the working poor” (People). Later it was adapted into the hit Netflix series Maid, which was viewed by 67 million households and was Netflix’s fourth most-watched show in 2021, garnering three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Stephanie’s escape out of poverty and abuse in search of a better life inspired millions. Maid was a story about a housecleaner, but it was also a story about a woman with a dream. In Class, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career. Facing barriers at every turn including a byzantine loan system, not having enough money for food, navigating the judgments of professors and fellow students who didn’t understand the demands of attending college while under the poverty line—Land finds a way to survive once again, finally graduating in her mid-thirties.Class paints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. Who has the right to create art? Who has the right to go to college? And what kind of work is valued in our culture? In clear, candid, and moving prose, Class grapples with these questions, offering a searing indictment of America’s educational system and an inspiring testimony of a mother’s triumph against all odds.

Wie man ein Auto baut

Biographies & Memoirs

"Der Michelangelo des Motorsports" NEW YORKER In "Wie man ein Auto baut" erzählt Adrian Newey von seiner unvergleichlichen, 35-jährigen Karriere im Formel-1-Zirkus: von den Autos, die er konstruiert hat, von den Fahrern, mit denen er zusammengearbeitet hat, und von den Rennen, an denen er mitgewirkt hat. Illustriert mit bisher unveröffentlichten Fotos und Konstruktionsskizzen, zeigt seine außergewöhnliche Lebensgeschichte, was diesen Sport so einzigartig macht: die totale Verschmelzung von Mensch und Maschine, die perfekte Kombination von Stil, Effizienz und Geschwindigkeit. Bereits im Alter von zwölf Jahren fertigte Adrian Newey seine ersten Konstruktionspläne für Autos an, als wahres Ingenieursgenie dachte er schon damals instinktiv nach den Prinzipien von Form und Gestaltung. Auf die frühen Erfolge im IndyCar folgte eine beispiellose Karriere in der Formel 1, wo er unter anderem die Weltmeister-Autos für Alain Prost, Mika Häkkinen und Sebastian Vettel konstruierte, immer mit dem einen Ziel: das Auto schneller zu machen. Neben vielen Triumphen stehen aber auch Tragödien, etwa Ayrton Sennas tödlicher Unfall 1994, als Newey für Williams tätig war. Adrian Newey, vom New Yorker als "Michelangelo des Motorsports" geadelt, schildert nicht nur 35 Jahre Formel-1-Zirkus. Er zeigt vielmehr auf umfassende und unterhaltsame Weise, wie ein Rennauto tatsächlich funktioniert. Eine bemerkenswerte Autobiografie und zugleich eine große Geschichte der Technik und des Sports.

Notes to the Future

Biographies & Memoirs

From the heart and soul of visionary Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela, a collection of his most uplifting, time-honored quotes that have inspired our world and offer a path for peace.“The book that you hold in your hands is nothing short of a miracle.” —Desmond Tutu, from the IntroductionNotes to the Future is the definitive book of quotations from one of the great leaders of our time. This collection—gathered from privileged access to Mandela’s vast personal archive of private papers, speeches, correspondence, and audio recordings—features more than three hundred quotations spanning more than sixty years and includes his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.These inspirational quotations, organized into four sections—Struggle, Victory, Wisdom, and Future—are both universal and deeply personal. We see Mandela’s sense of humor, his loneliness and despair, his thoughts on fatherhood, and the reluctant leader who had no choice but to become the man history demanded.“A good pen can also remind us of the happiest moments in our lives, bring noble ideas into our dens, our blood and our souls. It can turn tragedy into hope and victory” (from a letter to Zindzi Mandela, written on Robben Island, February 10, 1980).

Mille et une pensées

Biographies & Memoirs

Réédition desPenséesde Philippe Bouvard. Intemporel ! Non content de faciliter le travail des lecteurs, l'auteur a souhaité voler au secours des critiques en formulant dix griefs principaux à l'égard de son propre livre :1) Pour qui l'auteur se prend-il ?2) Comment ose-t-il publier des pensées alors qu'il n'a jamais pris rang parmi les intellectuels ?3) En vertu de quelle légitimité émet-il des jugements aussi définitifs sur des sujets qui lui sont autant étrangers que l'amour, la politique et la culture ?4) Ne pèche-t-il pas par manque de travail et par défaut d'inspiration en se montrant incapable de dépasser dix lignes sur un seul sujet ?5) Pourquoi, alors qu'il sait que tout a été dit, s'obstine-t-il à croire que tout n'a pas été écrit ?6) Son inconscience n'aboutit-elle pas à ce qu'une voie traditionnellement royale s'achève cette fois en impasse ?7) N'est-ce pas pousser trop loin le paradoxe que de qualifier de maximes des songe-creux minimalistes ?8) A-t-on le droit de multiplier les mauvais coups sous prétexte de faire des bons mots ?9) L'auteur ne pense-t-il pas plus haut que sa tête ?10) N'est-il pas de pire fou que celui qui se prend pour un sage ?Philippe Bouvard

La viajera de noche

Biographies & Memoirs

Un relato íntimo cargado de lúcidas reflexiones sobre lo que significa envejecer.Actualmente cumplir años se ha convertido en una desgracia o, como mínimo, en un proceso que la sociedad rechaza y silencia. Frente a esta realidad, esta hermosa obra nos revela no solo los estereotipos y prejuicios que rodean la edad madura, sino el valor que pueden tener el sentimiento de finitud y la experiencia de lo vivido.Entremezclando experiencias personales, anécdotas y referencias a autores como Herman Hesse, Annie Ernaux, Elias Canetti, Marguerite Duras, Virginia Woolf, Roland Barthes y un largo etcétera, este libro nos muestra que, si sumar años está visto como una fatalidad, saber envejecer es una posibilidad e incluso un privilegio. No hay duda de que la vejez supone una aceptación, tal vez un desdoblamiento de uno mismo —te ves distinto de lo que has sido—, pero esta aceptación pasa por mantener el deseo de vivir.La viajera de noche no es una guía para envejecer bien, es un grito contra la invisibilidad y el rechazo a los que se exponen los viejos y, sobre todo, las viejas, así como una invitación a oponerse a la exigencia de la sociedad contemporánea de que nos hagamos mayores en silencio y de forma disimulada. Como dijo Simone de Beauvoir: «La vejez es una cuestión de civilización. ¡Continuemos con la batalla!».

Toute mon histoire

Biographies & Memoirs

« Chez certains, c’est le goût qui provoque des réminiscences ; pour d’autres, c’est le regard ou l’odorat. Dans mon cas, c’est le son, jouant comme une mixtape jamais achevée en attente d’être envoyée. […]Montez le son. Tendez l’oreille avec moi. »Dave Grohl, l’un des musiciens les plus brillants de sa génération, nous livre un portrait authentique, brut et honnête d’une vie extraordinaire faite de moments ordinaires. Toute mon histoire regorge de souvenirs : ses tournées punk effrénées avec Scream, son entrée chez Nirvana puis l'effondrement brutal du groupe, la création des Foo Fighters et ses tours du monde en tant que père de famille...Avec un humour percutant et un regard lucide sur la célébrité, Dave Grohl nous raconte ses histoires comme il écrit ses chansons : avec toute son âme.À propos de l'auteurDave Grohl est un musicien, chanteur, réalisateur et auteur-compositeuraméricain. Batteur du groupe Nirvana dans les années 1990, il fonde celui desFoo Fighters quelques années plus tard. Il y est aujourd’hui encore chanteur etguitariste, et écrit la plupart de ses morceaux.

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 1

Biographies & Memoirs

During the decade between 1879 and 1889 I was engaged in a detailed study of Wordsworth; and, amongst other things, edited a library edition of his Poetical Works in eight volumes, including the "Prefaces" and "Appendices" to his Poems, and a few others of his Prose Works, such as his Description of the Scenery of the Lakes in the North of England. This edition was published by Mr. Paterson, Edinburgh, at intervals between the years 1882 and 1886: and it was followed in 1889 by a Life of Wordsworth, in three volumes, which was a continuation of the previous eight.

The Little Guide to Madonna

Biographies & Memoirs

The world's most famous mononym, Madonna may be outspoken, but she's never outgunned. With a loyal legion of millions of adoring fans, who have stayed by her side for more than four decades, Madonna has inspired and influenced the hearts, souls, and minds of every generation since her now-mythical arrival in New York in 1978.Continuously reinventing her music and her image, she remains today as every bit as powerful, and iconic, as she did throughout her long reign. With quotes from her earliest interviews to her latest (controversial) award speeches, from virgins to vogue-ing, and material girls to unapologetic bitches, Madonna expresses just a little bit of everything for everyone..."I remember just being frozen... He's male and female and beautiful and elegant and poetic and funny and ironic and other-worldly. And I recognized myself in him somehow and he gave me license to dream a different future for myself." In an interview with Mojo magazine, describing her first concert and the impact David Bowie had on her."I stand before you as a doormat, Oh, I mean, as a female entertainer. Thank you for acknowledging my ability to continue my career for 34 years in the face of blatant sexism and misogyny and constant bullying and relentless abuse." On the music industry, accepting Woman of the Year Award at the Billboard Women in Music 2016.

童年•在人间•我的大学

Biographies & Memoirs

《教育部语文新课标必读丛书:童年•在人间•我的大学》主要内容简介:《童年》《在人间》《我的大学》是苏联作家马克西姆。高尔基的自传体三部曲,《教育部语文新课标必读丛书:童年•在人间•我的大学》将其改写后合并在一册书中。孤苦伶仃的阿廖沙从小就寄住在贫困的外祖父家。寄人篱下的生活和充满仇恨的环境,在他幼小的心灵上留下了深深的伤痕。为了生活,他在杂货铺做过伙计,当过绘图师的学徒,还做过船上的洗碗工。后来,怀揣读大学的梦想,阿廖沙背井离乡来到喀山。谁知梦想破灭,迫于生活的压力,他走入了天地广阔的“社会大学”。在这里,阿廖沙终于成长为一位革命者。小读者们能从他的身上汲取追求光明的勇气和信心,学会从容镇定地面对生活中的困难与挑战。

Talking as Fast as I Can

Biographies & Memoirs

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood—along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.With a new bonus chapter In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, “Did you, um, make it?” She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood (“Strangers were worried about me; that’s how long I was single!”), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge on Project Runway (“It’s like I had a fashion-induced blackout”). In “What It Was Like, Part One,” Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay “What It Was Like, Part Two” reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her. Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she’s aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls (“If you’re meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you’ve already set the bar too high”), and she’s a card-carrying REI shopper (“My bungee cords now earn points!”). Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and—of course—talking as fast as you can.

Happy, Happy, Happy

Biographies & Memoirs

This no-holds-barred autobiography chronicles the remarkable life of Phil Robertson, the original Duck Commander and Duck Dynasty® star, from early childhood through the founding of a family business.LIVING THE DREAMDuck calls—though the source of his livelihood—are not what makes Phil Robertson the man he is today. When asked what matters in his life, he’s quick to say, “Faith, family, ducks—in that order.” It isn’t often that a person can live a dream, but Phil Robertson, aka The Duck Commander, has proven that it is possible with vision, hard work, helping hands, and an unshakable faith in the Almighty. Phil’s is the remarkable story of one man who followed the call he received from God and soon after invented a duck call that would begin an incredible journey to the life he had always dreamed of for himself and his family. In the love of his country, his family, and his maker, Phil has finally found the ingredients to the “good life” he always wanted. If you ever wind up sitting face-to-face with Phil, you’ll see that his enthusiasm and passion for duck hunting and the Lord is no act—it is truly who he is.If you’ve watched the exceedingly popular A&E® program Duck Dynasty®, you already know the famed Phil Robertson. As patriarch of the Robertson clan and creator of Duck Commander duck calls, he fearlessly leads his family in a responsible work ethic and an active faith.But what you don’t know is his life before the show. In the pages of this book, you’ll learn of Phil’s colorful past and his wild road to the “happy, happy, happy” life he leads today. Before the “happy,” Phil’s passion for the outdoors and wild living led him down some shady paths. As a young husband and father, he became the proprietor of a rough bar and lived a life, as he says, of “romping, stomping, and ripping” for a number of years. He even left his wife and young boys for a short period of time.Through it all, Phil Robertson has lived his life as a “called” man. Called to live off the land, called to leave a starring role in Louisiana Tech football (playing ahead of Terry Bradshaw) for duck hunting, called to wild living, called to create a new kind of duck call—and finally, called to follow God and lead a life of faith. In this eye-opening and rousing book, you’ll find stories that will shock you, as well as those that will inspire you. You’ll get to know the man behind the legend, and you’ll come away better for it.

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