Best Selling Books by Russell Baker

The Pulitzer Prize–winning memoir about coming of age in America between the world wars: “So warm, so likable and so disarmingly funny” (The New York Times). One of the New York Times’ “50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years” Ranging from the backwoods of Virginia to a New Jersey commuter town to the city of Baltimore, this remarkable memoir recounts Russell Baker’s experience of growing up in pre–World War II America, before he went on to a celebrated career in journalism. With poignant, humorous tales of powerful love, awkward sex, and courage in the face of adversity, Baker reveals how he helped his mother and family through the Great Depression by delivering papers and hustling subscriptions to the Saturday Evening Post—a job which introduced him to bullies, mentors, and heroes who endured this national disaster with hard work and good cheer. Called “a treasure” by Anne Tyler and “a blessing” by Time magazine, this autobiography is a modern-day classic—“a wondrous book [with scenes] as funny and touching as Mark Twain’s” (Los Angeles Times Book Review). “In lovely, haunting prose, he has told a story that is deeply in the American grain.” —The Washington Post Book World “A terrific book.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A “superb [and] often hilarious” memoir of a life in journalism, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Growing Up (The New York Times Book Review). “Baker here recalls his years at the Baltimore Sun, where, on ‘starvation wages,’ he worked on the police beat, as a rewrite man, feature writer and White House correspondent. Sent to London in 1953 to report on the coronation, he spent the happiest year of his life there as an innocent abroad. Moving to the New York Times and becoming a ‘two-fisted drinker,’ he covered the Senate and the national political campaigns of 1956 and 1960, and, just as he was becoming bored with routine reporting and the obligation to keep judgments out of his stories, was offered the opportunity to write his own op-ed page column, ‘The Observer.’ With its lively stories about journalists, Washington politicians and topical scandals, the book will delight Baker’s devotees—and significantly expand their already vast number.” —Publishers Weekly “Aspiring writers will chuckle over Baker’s first, horrible day on police beat, his panicked interview with Evelyn Waugh, and his arrival at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in top hat, tails, and brown-bag lunch.” —Library Journal “A wonderful book.” —Kirkus Reviews

“It is not that Russell Baker is funny, his genius is being so true that nothing remains but to laugh.” —John Kenneth Galbraith "Baker, like Andy Rooney, looks into things that keep all our lives from being ordinary." —Chattanooga News-Free Press Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Russell Baker has charmed readers with his sharp humor and shrewd commentary. The indelible voice of the bestselling memoir GROWING UP compiles some of his greatest New York Times columns in this collection of honest, witty, and profound essays—reflecting on politics, society, and life in all its absurd glory.

A mad scientist and a boy who can''t do anything right team up to make a man.

Humorous essays by the Pulitzer Prize–winning “supreme satirist” (The Washington Post Book World). This collection of more than a hundred anecdotes and essays from the legendary journalist, New York Times columnist, and author of the bestselling memoir Growing Up offers wise and sharply witty reflections on an extraordinary array of topics, ranging from youth, wealth, the media, and the joy of anger to the difference between “dinner” and “supper.” “Russell Baker is the Alka-Seltzer of the American experience. . . . The most effective comic relief available for the agonizing absurdities we encounter every day.” —Houston Chronicle “When it comes to satire of a controlled but effervescent ferocity, nobody can touch Baker.” —The Washington Post Book World

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Growing Up and host of Masterpiece Theatre, Russell Baker has long been a keen observer of American politics and culture. In these essays originally published in the New York Review of Books, Baker profiles a gallery of heroes and rascals who have stirred the American imagination. His subjects include the tragic gulf between the life and myth of Joe DiMaggio; the epic feud between Lyndon Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy; Barry Goldwater''s mercurial yet inspiring role in the rise of the American conservative movement; and more.

The author of On Writing Well presents stories and advice on the writing process from Frank McCourt, Annie Dillard, and many more. For anyone who enjoys reading memoirs—or is thinking about writing one—this collection offers a master class from nine distinguished authors: Russell Baker, Jill Ker Conway, Annie Dillard, Ian Frazier, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alfred Kazin, Frank McCourt, Toni Morrison, and Eileen Simpson. “Annie Dillard talks of her Pittsburgh childhood and her moment of waking to the world outside. Russell Baker explains why his first draft of Growing Up was so bad that he had to start over again. Alfred Kazin finds that writing about his Brooklyn childhood connected him with the great tradition of Emerson and Whitman. Toni Morrison tells why her fiction uses not only family history but the slave narratives of her people. Lewis Thomas traces the evolution of his singular self from primeval bacteria to contemporary scientist whose drive to be useful is the most fundamental of all biological necessities. . . . Delightful and instructive.” —Library Journal

Short essays on the absurdities within U.S. culture, from the author''s column in the New York times.

Satirical guide to Washington''s society, politics, institutions, bureaucracy, and Congress and the Presidency.

Genial slaps at the American scene.

The American Dream is about Faith, Family, Friendship and American History, all wrapped in a blanket of adventure.My name is Kaitlyn O''Connor and the story I''m about to tell you is unbelievable, but it''s true, because it''s my story.I''m just a kid like you. I go to school just like you. Unlike you, I live in a small town called Ottersprings; it''s in Minnesota. Also, unlike you I love history. I know what you are thinking - most people think history is boring! It doesn''t make sense. Why do we need to know that stuff? Yawn!It all started on a rainy weekend where bored kids often look for something exciting to do. My dad always said, if you look hard enough you can always find an adventure; we found that adventure and much more.My friend Sam Neville and I, along with my younger sister Kirsten discovered our next door neighbor was more than just a 7th grade history teacher, when we stumbled into his secret workshop where he had been using a time traveling device he had invented. That''s right, I did say TIME TRAVEL! No wonder he always had such fabulous stories of history; he''s explored history up close and personal!Mr. Bacon showed us the golden prototype and also the latest updated version of this fabulous device, inviting us to join him on his Time Traveling field trips.It was all fun and games until his past caught up to him and swept us up in its wake.What we discovered was our teacher had a ruthless nemesis from his past that would do anything to get his hands on the time device. When this enemy broke into the secret workshop and stole the golden prototype time device, he also kidnapped my sister!Angry, Mr. Bacon, Sam, and I were determined to travel back in time to rescue Kirsten and fight this ruthless enemy in another century, to rescue my sister and save my beloved America''s future.

Gage and Roena Prescott are a couple that are literally from two different worlds. Gage is from earth. Roena is a purple-skinned woman from Lunitin with telepathic powers. Although very much in love, their marriage is a dangerous one. Earth and Lunitin have been at war for centuries. Knowing that their marriage has gotten them branded as traitors by both their worlds, Gage and Roena flee to the neutral system of Braxitar, a place where the war is not allowed and those fleeing the war may seek refuge. Enjoying their honeymoon and making plans for their future in the Braxitar sector, Gage and Roena believe they are safe. But their illusions are shattered when a ruthless bounty hunter named Tripar arrives to take them back for trial and execution. Gage and Roena flee, hoping to lose themselves in the crowd on board the space station until security can capture Tripar. But the bounty hunter proves more resourceful than they could have imagined. As Tripar closes in on them, they are left to wonder if even a place where war is outlawed is safe from the war.

Haunted by his experiences as a first responder when the twin towers fell, detective Jeremy Winslow and his family relocated to the Midwest. While inviting a widow to a church social, the Winslow family meet detective Chris Anderson. Chris is traumatized by his war with the notorious Crimson Dragons, an Oklahoma City crime syndicate. Chris now believes he is the real Sherlock Holmes. In Jeremy Winslow, Chris has found his Watson. When Chris is hired to investigate a series of infant kidnappings, he brings Jeremy along on the case. And when the case endangers Jeremy''s own family, he wonders if his own faith and sanity will survive.

Lulu, a fun loving happy girl comes across a spider one morning while doing her chores, only this isn''t an ordinary spider. This spider can talk. She learns that the spider was once a boy and was turned into a spider for not knowing how to be a good friend. The little spider must learn how to be a friend in order to turn back into a boy, but who would be a spider friend?

''The Gates of the Kingdom'' is a book series which will take you on a spiritual pilgrimage, exploring events where the realms of Heaven and Earth have touched. This pilgrimage is through places which will often be foreign to you. The names of people, places, and relationship terms have been preserved in their original language so that you will get a sense of the cultural context of this real-life journey into realms unseen. Part 2: Sinai

The Voice is both unique and resonate to the heart of every believer. He never contradicts Himself. ‘The Voice’ is simply the dialogue alluded to by the Holy Spirit as he quickens scripture to me. This kind of inner speaking can be heard in the scriptures by listening with ears not your own for the unique and glorious sound of His voice. Sometimes He will speak the heart of God the Father, sometimes, the Son, and even the Bride. He will often speak through a prophet or an apostle. If you listen for the sound of His voice, you will discover as you read, that He is also speaking in you.

Written by Colin Russell Baker under his writing name; Col Baka, The work commenced in December 2013. ORIGINS is the first part in a three part series entitled; The Chronicles of Love, which tells the story of love''s epic evolution to its ultimate expression. Part two is entitled; THE JOURNEY. Part three; THE INDWELLING. THESE ARE ALL WORKS IN PROGRESS. NO PORTION WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

"Alias Sherlock Holmes 1" is the first in a series of Christian mystery stories by Rev. Russell Baker. It concerns a detective, Christopher Anderson, who suffers a breakdown following a tragedy and comes to believe he is Sherlock Holmes and that fellow detective Jeremy Winslow is Dr. Watson. Anderson drags Winslow on a series of mysteries while Winslow attempts to bring Anderson back to sanity. A Biblical theme is explored as Anderson and Winslow work at solving the crimes.