New Releases by Karen Blumenthal

A bold picture book biography about Mary Katharine Goddard, the only woman whose name is printed on the Declaration of Independence, by award-winning authors Karen Blumenthal and Jen McCartney, and illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. Who was Mary Katharine Goddard? Born in 1738, she was homeschooled by her mother in reading and math. She took over her brother’s printing shop a few years later and became an expert in printing newspapers, essays, and posters. When the American Revolution started, she published important news that helped the fight against the British – even if it meant that if she was caught, she’d be punished for treason. In 1776, Mary was asked to print the Declaration of Independence – she is the only woman whose name is on the Declaration. That was Mary. Follow Mary's revolutionary journey in this captivating picture book biography perfect for fans of I DISSENT and COUNTING ON KATHERINE.

A riveting look at the tumultuous history of abortion rights in the United States leading up to the landmark case of Roe v. Wade, by award-winning author and journalist Karen Blumenthal. Tracing the path to the 19th century to the pivotal decision in Roe v. Wade and the continuing battle for women's rights, Blumenthal examines, in a straightforward tone, the root causes of the current debate around abortion and its repercussions that have rippled through generations of American women. This urgent book is the perfect tool to facilitate discussion and awareness of a topic that affects each and every person in the United States.

Bonnie and Clyde may be the most notorious--and celebrated--outlaw couple America has ever known. This is the true story of how they got that way. Bonnie and Clyde: we've been on a first name basis with them for almost a hundred years. Immortalized in movies, songs, and pop culture references, they are remembered mostly for their storied romance and tragic deaths. But what was life really like for Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in the early 1930s? How did two dirt-poor teens from west Texas morph from vicious outlaws to legendary couple? And why? Award-winning author Karen Blumenthal devoted months to tracing the footsteps of Bonnie and Clyde, unearthing new information and debunking many persistent myths. The result is an impeccably researched, breathtaking nonfiction tale of love, car chases, kidnappings, and murder set against the backdrop of the Great Depression.

As a young girl, Hillary Diane Rodham's parents told her she could be whatever she wanted--as long as she was willing to work for it. Hillary took those words and ran. In a life on the front row of modern American history, she has always stood out--whether she was a teen campaigning for the 1964 Republican presidential candidate, winning recognition in Life magazine for her pointed words as the first student commencement speaker at Wellesley College, or working on the Richard Nixon impeachment case as a newly minted lawyer. For all her accomplishments, scrutiny and scandal have followed this complex woman since she stepped into the public eye—from her role as First Lady of Arkansas to First Lady of the United States to becoming the first female U.S. senator from New York to U.S. secretary of state. Despite intense criticism, Hillary has remained committed to public service and dedicated to health-care reform, children's issues, and women's rights. Now, she aspires to a bigger role: her nation's first woman president. In Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History, critically acclaimed author Karen Blumenthal gives us an intimate and unflinching look at the public and personal life of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographs and political cartoons, this is a must-have biography about a woman who has fascinated--and divided--the public, who continues to push boundaries, and who isn't afraid to reach for one more goal. "After decades in the public eye, Hillary Rodham Clinton is still an enigma, as Blumenthal ( Tommy: The Gun That Changed America) emphasizes in this compelling portrait of the former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State's journey from budding activist to presidential aspirant." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

John Taliaferro Thompson had a mission: to develop a lightweight, fast-firing weapon that would help Americans win on the battlefield. His Thompson submachine gun could deliver a hundred bullets in a matter of seconds—but didn't find a market in the U.S. military. Instead, the Tommy gun became the weapon of choice for a generation of bootleggers and bank-robbing outlaws, and became a deadly American icon. Following a bloody decade—and eighty years before the mass shootings of our own time—Congress moved to take this weapon off the streets, igniting a national debate about gun control. Critically-acclaimed author Karen Blumenthal tells the fascinating story of this famous and deadly weapon—of the lives it changed, the debate it sparked, and the unprecedented response it inspired.

Over six terrifying, desperate days in October 1929, the fabulous fortune that Americans had built in stocks plunged with a fervor never seen before. At first, the drop seemed like a mistake, a mere glitch in the system. But as the decline gathered steam, so did the destruction. Over twenty-five billion dollars in individual wealth was lost, vanished, gone. People watched their dreams fade before their very eyes. Investing in the stock market would never be the same. Here, Wall Street Journal bureau chief Karen Blumenthal chronicles the six-day period that brought the country to its knees, from fascinating tales of key stock-market players, like Michael J. Meehan, an immigrant who started his career hustling cigars outside theaters and helped convince thousands to gamble their hard-earned money as never before, to riveting accounts of the power struggles between Wall Street and Washington, to poignant stories from those who lost their savings—and more—to the allure of stocks and the power of greed. For young readers living in an era of stock-market fascination, this engrossing account explains stock-market fundamentals while bringing to life the darkest days of the mammoth crash of 1929.

"Seu tempo é limitado, então não perca tempo vivendo a vida de outra pessoa..." Steve Jobs, em discurso na Universidade de Stanford. Desde o início, seu caminho não foi previsível: Steve Jobs foi entregue para adoção ao nascer, largou a faculdade ainda no primeiro semestre e aos vinte anos criou a Apple, na garagem de seus pais com seu amigo Steve Wozniak. Rapidamente elevado ao topo da indústria, Jobs enfrentou todos os limites e cultivou o que virou a grande marca de sua genialidade – seu perfeccionismo e sua capacidade para inventar. Logo após alcançar o sucesso, porém, Jobs foi despedido de sua própria empresa. Sendo obrigado a recomeçar, ele atingiu um dos períodos de maior criatividade de sua vida. Com a Pixar, o IPod e o IPhone, Jobs revolucionou a indústria do cinema, da música e da telefonia. Sempre em busca da disciplina do corpo e da mente, lutou contra o câncer por quase uma década. Legendário CEO, fez o mundo desejar cada coisa que ele tocou. Karen Blumenthal conduz o leitor ao universo dessa grande e complicada personalidade, enquanto explora a evolução dos computadores e da tecnologia. Ilustrado com fotos, este livro conta a história de um homem que mudou o mundo.

A riveting biography of the groundbreaking innovator who was a giant in the worlds of computing, music, filmmaking, design, smart phones, and more. A finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award! "Your time is limited. . . . have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." —Steve Jobs From the start, his path was never predictable. Steve Jobs was given up for adoption at birth, dropped out of college after one semester, and at the age of twenty, created Apple in his parents' garage with his friend Steve Wozniack. Then came the core and hallmark of his genius—his exacting moderation for perfection, his counterculture life approach, and his level of taste and style that pushed all boundaries. A devoted husband, father, and Buddhist, he battled cancer for over a decade, became the ultimate CEO, and made the world want every product he touched, from the Macintosh to the iPhone, from iTunes and the iPod to the Macbook. Critically acclaimed author Karen Blumenthal takes us to the core of this complicated and legendary man while simultaneously exploring the evolution of computers. Framed by Jobs' inspirational Stanford commencement speech and illustrated throughout with black and white photos, this is the story of the man who changed our world. Read more thrilling nonfiction by Karen Blumenthal: Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History (A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist) Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition Tommy: The Gun That Changed America Praise for Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different: A Biography: “This is a smart book about a smart subject by a smart writer.” —Booklist, starred review “Students who know Steve Jobs only through Apple's iTunes, iPhones, and iPads will have their eyes opened by this accessible and well-written biography.” —VOYA “An engaging and intimate portrait. Few biographies for young readers feel as relevant and current as this one does.” —The Horn Book Magazine “A perceptive, well-wrought picture of an iconic figure.” —Kirkus Reviews “Blumenthal crafts an insightful, balanced portrait.” —Publishers Weekly

Three years after the economic meltdown began, many of us are still reeling from its devastating effects. Maybe you're among the millions of homeowners who fell behind on their mortgages or you lost your home to foreclosure. Maybe you lost your job and have struggled to find a new one, meanwhile struggling with a drastically reduced income. Or perhaps you're one of the roughly 1.5 million Americans filing each year for bankruptcy. Or maybe you emerged from the meltdown relatively unscathed, but you've been recently divorced or widowed. Now, along with all the other accompanying emotional hardships, you must deal with a household budget that is dramatically changed. Maybe you experienced an unexpected health crisis that drained your savings or retirement account. Or perhaps you've simply grown tired of having so much debt. As tough as these situations are, they aren’t hopeless.. You have options. When the old \ rules for managing your finances no longer apply, you can take control of your situation, wipe the slate clean, and start over. Here, in the accessible, empathetic, and easy-to-understand style the Wall Street Journal Guidebook series is known for, veteran WSJ personal finance reporter Karen Blumenthal walks you through everything you need to know to leave the past behind you and get your financial life back on track. This includes how to: -Build a trusted team of professionals to help you navigate your new financial landscape -Get your credit record - the support beam of your financial scaffolding - back in order -Recalibrate your budget and weigh your big ticket expenses -Determine whether you can afford to stay in your home -Adjust your debts to your new situation -Assess your health coverage and other necessary insurance -Invest for your future retirement and other needs -Craft a sustainable plan for long-term financial health Whether you're recently divorced or widowed, or have declared bankruptcy or lost your home to foreclosure, or simply want to start with a clean slate, you can make a fresh financial start. Covering housing, insurance, health care, investing, debt, taxes, wills, and more, this book shows readers at all life stages and income levels how to adapt and adjust their finances to their new circumstances and get on the path to a better financial life.

Sam Walton grew up to become the founder of Wal-Mart, but he was born with practically nothing except a compulsive drive to win - at football, at becoming class president, at beating everyone no matter what the game. His eventual empire started as nothing more than a dingy one-room general store. He created Wal-Mart - and his massive wealth - one building at a time, one town at a time. This is not a history of his company, but the biography of an uncomplicated man who just wanted to beat the guy down the street. More than forty black-and-white photos illustrate the text.

It began with the best of intentions. Worried about the effects of alcohol on American families, mothers and civic leaders started a movement to outlaw drinking in public places. Over time, their protests, petitions, and activism paid off—when a Constitional Amendment banning the sale and consumption of alcohol was ratified, it was hailed as the end of public drunkenness, alcoholism, and a host of other social ills related to booze. Instead, it began a decade of lawlessness, when children smuggled (and drank) illegal alcohol, the most upright citizens casually broke the law, and a host of notorious gangsters entered the public eye. Filled with period art and photographs, anecdotes, and portraits of unique characters from the era, this fascinating book looks at the rise and fall of the disastrous social experiment known as Prohibition. Bootleg is a 2011 Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year title. One of School Library Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011. YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist in 2012.

Your Road to Lifelong Financial Independence It’s about time you felt empowered to better manage your money because–in tough economic times more than ever–your financial freedom depends on making smart choices. But it’s hard to know where to begin, especially when you’re just starting out. And of course, it only gets more complicated as you go through life: How do you establish good credit? Do you buy or rent? What kinds of health coverage do you really need? How do you actually stay afloat in an uncertain market? The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting Your Financial Life gets you off on the right financial foot, from tackling everyday choices like cell-phone plans and pet ownership to big decisions such as smart investment strategies and buying a car or a house. You’ll learn: • How to open your first checking and savings accounts, get your first credit card, and establish good credit • The ins and outs of starting a job, including information about taxes, choosing health insurance options, and saving for retirement • How to budget for big purchases and expenses, such as paying off student loans, buying a car, and affording your housing • Strategies for buying the little things you want and need without going broke • The basics of investing, how to manage an inheritance, and the documents you need to protect your assets This valuable resource puts you in the driver’s seat, so you will be in control of your money and on your way to achieving lifelong financial independence across any economic terrain.

Karen Blumenthal, like most people, is mystified by the stock market. Just why is it, she wonders, that seemingly good news can send a stock plummeting and bad news can send it skyrocketing again? In Grande Expectations, she shows how money is made and lost by following one of America’s hottest growth stocks, Starbucks, through a year of rapid store openings, fancy new drinks, and clever promotions, revealing how the many players—big and small investors, company management, analysts, and the media—propel its shares up and down. Blumenthal pulls back the curtain on the stock market to expose its quirks and inner workings, from the power of a penny of earnings and the unexpected impact of a stock split to the image-enhancing effects of a brand of bottled water. With a fly-on-the-wall, character-driven narrative, Grande Expectations not only makes investing interesting but also will help you make smarter and savvier investing choices by: •Understanding how big pension and mutual fund managers decide whether to buy more Starbucks—or dump it •Seeing the unique ways that analysts and other finance professionals assess an investment—dissecting not only the numbers but also the company’s management, demographics, and global opportunities •Learning how Starbucks executives manage our expectations and keep excitement percolating about the business—and the stock •Watching how a stock is traded and how that might affect your buying or selling •Gleaning how multibillion-dollar private hedge funds make money on infinitesimal changes in a stock’s price •Entering the dark, strange world of the short sellers •Realizing how different people can make absolutely opposite bets and all still come out ahead You’ll come away with new insights into how the stock market really works—the power of expectations, stock buybacks, and profits—and explore Starbucks’ phenomenal growth and whether it is sustainable. By unraveling the market’s mysteries, Grande Expectations shows how investing can be both profitable and understandable. Get ready for the ride of your life—and a lifetime of fruitful stock market success.

Discusses the impact of Title IX, the United States civil rights law guaranteeing more rights for girls.