Most Popular Books in Biographies & Memoirs

This satire of imaginary memoirs purports to be by Eginhardus, Abbot of Seligenstadt, but is in fact a contemporary satire by Mrs Mary de la Rivière Manley, written as a continuation of her ''Secret memoirs and manners of several persons...''.

A portrait of the divergent lives of Thomas Jefferson''s three daughters reveals how his white daughters struggled with the realities of lives they were ill-prepared to manage, while the daughter he fathered with a slave did not achieve freedom until adulthood.

"The nearly eight years of Harry Truman''s presidency--among the most turbulent in American history--were marked by victory in the wars against Germany and Japan; the first use of an atomic weapon; the beginning of the Cold War; creation of the NATO alliance; the founding of the United Nations; the Marshall Plan to rebuild the wreckage of postwar Europe; the Red Scare; and the fateful decision to commit troops to fight in Korea."--Amazon.

The race to the crown -- The birth of "pocket Hercules"--The lonely, naughty princess -- An impossible, strange madness -- "Awful scenes in the house"--Becoming queen: "I shall not fail" -- The coronation: "a dream out of the Arabian nights" -- Learning to rule -- A scandal in the palace -- Virago in love -- The bride: "I never, never spent such an evening" -- Only the husband, not the master -- The palace intruders -- King to all intents: "like a vulture into his prey" -- Perfect, awful, spotless prosperity -- Annus Mirabilis: the revolutionary year -- What Albert did: the Great Exhibition of 1851 -- The Crimea: ''This unsatisfactory war'' -- London boils over -- Royal parents: "everything passes so quickly!" -- "Who will call me Victoria now?" -- "The whole house seems like Pompeii." -- Resuscitating the widow at Windsor -- The queen''s stallion -- The faery queen awakes -- Enough to kill any man -- Two ironclads colliding: the queen and Mr. Gladstone -- The monarch in a bonnet -- The "poor munshi" -- The diamond empire -- The end of the Victorian Age - "The streets were indeed a strange sight

Relates the story of the only French writer to be executed for treason during World War II, from his rise during the 1930s to his trial and death in front of a firing squad.

An historian of the Mormon Church draws on diaries and letters not available to previous biographers to profile the highly gifted and controversial church leader

The first biography of America''s greatest twentieth-century sculptor, Alexander Calder: an authoritative and revelatory achievement, based on a wealth of letters and papers never before available, and written by one of our most renowned art critics. Alexander Calder is one of the most beloved and widely admired artists of the twentieth century. Anybody who has ever set foot in a museum knows him as the inventor of the mobile, America''s unique contribution to modern art. But only now, forty years after the artist''s death, is the full story of his life being told in this biography, which is based on unprecedented access to Calder''s letters and papers as well as scores of interviews. Jed Perl shows us why Calder was--and remains--a barrier breaker, an avant-garde artist with mass appeal. This beautifully written, deeply researched book opens with Calder''s wonderfully peripatetic upbringing in Philadelphia, California, and New York. Born in 1898 into a family of artists--his father was a well-known sculptor, his mother a painter and a pioneering feminist--Calder went on as an adult to forge important friendships with a who''s who of twentieth-century artists, including Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Georges Braque, and Piet Mondrian. We move through Calder''s early years studying engineering to his first artistic triumphs in Paris in the late 1920s, and to his emergence as a leader in the international abstract avant-garde. His marriage in 1931 to the free-spirited Louisa James--she was a great-niece of Henry James--is a richly romantic story, related here with a wealth of detail and nuance. Calder''s life takes on a transatlantic richness, from New York''s Greenwich Village in the Roaring Twenties, to the Left Bank of Paris during the Depression, and then back to the United States, where the Calders bought a run-down old farmhouse in western Connecticut. New light is shed on Calder''s lifelong interest in dance, theater, and performance, ranging from the Cirque Calder, the theatrical event that became his calling card in bohemian Paris to collaborations with the choreographer Martha Graham and the composer Virgil Thomson. More than 350 illustrations in color and black-and-white--including little-known works and many archival photographs that have never before been seen--further enrich the story.

Traces the life of Benjamin, the first Jewish U.S. Senator, and the Confederate Secretary of State, and describes his exile in England

The collected writings of women freethinkers of the nineteenth & twentieth centuries

This political biography reveals the turbulent life of Ernest Francois Eugene Douwes Dekker, born on Java in 1879, whose life spanned a critical period in late colonial and early Indonesian national history. His story flows in novel-like fashion from the battle fields of South Africa, internment camps in Sri Lanka, work as a journalist and teacher in Java, to service as a political advisor and close friend of President Soekarno. Paul W. van der Veur is professor emeritus of Ohio University.

In the Aftermath of Genocide: The U.S. Role in Rwanda deepens understanding of the violence-the Rwandan genocide and the Congolese war-that engulfed Central Africa in the midnineties, and America''s policy response to the crises. Author Robert E. Gribbin draws on his thirty years of diplomatic experience in the region to analyze U.S. perceptions of Rwanda in the years before the genocide and to recount the unfolding of the terrible event itself. Most important, he describes what happened afterwards-how the new government and people of Rwanda, together with their international partners, confronted devastation, picked up the pieces, and began to forge a new nation. They had to reestablish viable government, deliver justice to those guilty of genocide, repatriate over a million refugees, and confront an insurgency at home and a war in the Congo. In the Aftermath of Genocide is an insider''s account of these crucial events. It recounts what the U.S. government knew, or did not know, and what it did, or did not do, about them.

Draws on recently declassified documents to chronicle Nixon''s presidency, presenting a portrait of a brilliant man overcome by his deep insecurities and his distrust of his cabinet, Congress, and the American people.

The Women Who Made New York reveals the untold stories of the phenomenal women who made New York City the cultural epicenter of the world. Many were revolutionaries and activists, like Zora Neale Hurston and Audre Lorde. Others were icons and iconoclasts, like Fran Lebowitz and Grace Jones. There were also women who led quieter private lives but were just as influential, such as Emily Warren Roebling, who completed the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge when her engineer husband became too ill to work.--Amazon.com

Renowned Israeli-American scholar Harshav presents the first comprehensive investigation of Marc Chagall''s life and consciousness after the classic 1961 biography by Chagall''s son-in-law Franz Meyer.

Written by one of the world''s outstanding music historians and critics, the late Alfred Einstein, this classic study of Mozart''s character and works brings to light many new facts about his relationship with his family, his susceptibility to ambitious women, and his associations with musicalcontemporaries, as well as offering a penetrating analysis of his operas, piano music, chamber music, and symphonies.

The editor of twelve volumes of Walter Scott''s letters has written a new life, founded upon extensive research. The book is based upon the author''s lectures at Toronto University & throws new light on Scott''s financial affairs.

Dr. Seuss is a classic American icon; his work has defined our childhoods, and even more than twenty-five years after his death his books continue to find new readers. Theodor Geisel, however, led a life that goes much deeper than the prolific and beloved children''s book author. He had a successful career as a political cartoonist, and his political leanings can be felt throughout his books. Jones introduces us to this complicated man, who introduced generations to the wonders of reading while teaching young people about empathy and how to treat others well. -- adapted from jacket

Tells the story of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki through the eyes of Sachiko Yasui, who was six when the devastation was wrought, describing her experiences in the aftermath of the attack as well as her long journey to find peace.

"The story of Daniel Ellsberg and his decision to steal and publish secret documents about America''s involvement in the Vietnam War"--

1e dr. 1983.

An epic tale of self-discovery by a self-confessed Rock n Roll disciple What story begins in a bedroom in suburban New Jersey in the early ''60s, unfolds on some of the country''s largest stages, and then ranges across the globe, demonstrating over and over again how Rock and Roll has the power to change the world for the better? This story. The first true heartbeat of UNREQUITED INFATUATIONSis the moment when Stevie Van Zandt trades in his devotion to the Baptist religion for an obsession with Rock and Roll. Groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones created new ideas of community, creative risk, and principled rebellion. They changed him forever. While still a teenager, he met Bruce Springsteen, a like-minded outcast/true believer who became one of his most important friends and bandmates. As Miami Steve, Van Zandt anchored the E Street Band as they conquered the Rock and Roll world. And then, in the early ''80s, Van Zandt stepped away from E Street to embark on his own odyssey. He refashioned himself as Little Steven, a political songwriter and performer, fell in love with Maureen Santoro who greatly expanded his artistic palette, and visited the world''s hot spots as an artist/journalist to not just better understand them, but to help change them. Most famously, he masterminded the recording of "Sun City," an anti-apartheid anthem that sped the demise of South Africa''s institutionalized racism and helped get Nelson Mandela out of prison. By the ''90s, Van Zandt had lived at least two lives--one as a mainstream rocker, one as a hardcore activist. It was time for a third. David Chase invited Van Zandt to be a part of his new television show, the Sopranos--as Silvio Dante, he was the unconditionally loyal consiglieri who sat at the right hand of Tony Soprano (a relationship that oddly mirrored his real-life relationship with Bruce Springsteen). Underlying all of Van Zandt''s various incarnations was a devotion to preserving the centrality of the arts, especially the endangered species of Rock. In the twenty-first century, Van Zandt founded a groundbreaking radio show (Underground Garage), a fiercely independent record label (Wicked Cool), and developed a curriculum to teach students of all ages through the medium of music history. He also rejoined the E Street Band for what has now been a twenty-year victory lap. UNREQUITED INFATUATIONS chronicles the twists and turns of Stevie Van Zandt''s always surprising life. It is more than just the testimony of a globe-trotting nomad, more than the story of a groundbreaking activist, more than the odyssey of a spiritual seeker, and more than a master class in rock and roll (not to mention a dozen other crafts). It''s the best book of its kind because it''s the only book of its kind.

This book argues that Gertrude Stein shifted the thrust of the genre of autobiography away from involvement in the past and the creation of the self as an artifact and towards a consciousness, on the part of both writer and reader, of knowing and writing as ongoing process.

"In We the People, renown journalist, Fox political analyst, and bestselling author Juan Williams examines the lives of the men and women in the 20th century who have extended the Founding Fathers'' original vision of the country and reshaped what America is"--

Recounts the life and career of Duke Ellington''s collaborator, the composer of such jazz standards as "Take the `A'' Train" and a homosexual who received little acknowledgement for his talents during his lifetime.

In one way or another, Donald Trump has been a topic of conversation in America for almost forty years. No one in the world of business-not Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or Warren Buffett-has been as famous as Trump for as long. First associated with high-profile real estate development in 1970s Manhattan, his name has since become synonymous with success defined by wealth and luxury.What does one make of a grown man who, when he argues with women, stoops to insulting their appearance and habitually courts controversy? What if the same man were among the most prominent people in the world, and a privately generous person who once handed a dying child a $50,000 check so that he could enjoy the last months of his life? Add to the picture a kind of resilience that has allowed him to stage countless comebacks and truly a boundless level of optimism, and you get a figure so compelling that he cannot be dismissed simply because of his personality.Drawing upon exclusive interviews and detailed research, Michael D''Antonio presents the full story of Donald Trump, a man who, for all of his excesses, is perfectly adapted to our world.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, gave birth to a generation of leaders forged not in classrooms through hypothetical training but on the front lines of war through hands-on experience. U.S. Navy SEAL Teams were at the forefront of this transformation, emerging from the triumphs and tragedies of war with an understanding of leadership in the most challenging environments. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are just such leaders-highly decorated Navy SEAL officers who served together in some of the toughest combat of the Iraq War. Together, they developed leadership lessons and organizational practices through years of experience, alongside heroes such as sniper Chris Kyle. They took those lessons and helped write doctrine for the next generation of SEALs as BUD/S instructors.Today, Babin and Willink apply these principles in the boardroom via their company Echelon Front. Across the country, they demonstrate how the SEAL approach to leadership that made them successful soldiers can help countless organizations and individuals achieve the highest level of success. With Extreme Ownership, their proven plan is available to everyone, with lessons that include:* EXTREME OWNERSHIP: Take it upon yourself to push harder and improve* CHECK THE EGO: Operate with a high degree of humility by admitting mistakes and taking responsibility* COVER & MOVE: Have each other''s back and work together to accomplish the mission* And much more

Based on private diaries, correspondence, and unpublished writings, George Rochberg, American Composer, reveals the impact of personal trauma on the creative and intellectual work of a leading postmodern composer.

Tells the "story of the U.S. Navy''s most famous aviator duo, Lieutenant Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown, and the Marines they fought to defend. A white New Englander from the country-club scene, Tom passed up Harvard to fly fighters for his country. An African American sharecropper''s son from Mississippi, Jesse became the navy''s first black carrier pilot, defending a nation that wouldn''t even serve him in a bar"--Amazon.com.

A collection of personal stories and reflections based on the memoirs of Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Mount Everest and the Seven Summits. Honouring High Places is a compelling collection of highlights from Junko Tabei''s stirring life that she considered important, inspiring and interesting to mountaineering culture. Until now, her works have been available only in Japanese, and RMB is honoured to be sharing these profound and moving stories with the English-speaking world for the first time. The collection opens on Mount Everest, where the first all-women''s expedition is met with disaster but pushes on against all odds. The story then shifts to the early years of Tabei''s life and reflects on her countryside childhood as a frail girl with no talent for sport, and cultural expectations that ignored her passion for mountains. With reminiscences of the early days of female climbers on Everest, the deaths of fellow mountaineers, Tabei''s pursuit of Mount Tomur, a cancer diagnosis, and efforts to restore a love for nature in the surviving youth of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011, this beautifully curated collection of essays captures the essence of a notable time and the strength of character of one of the 20th and 21st centuries'' female mountaineering pioneers.

Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella caused a seismic shift in hip-hop when they decided to form N.W.A in 1986. Suddenly rap became gangsta and relevant on the West Coast. With their hard-core image, bombastic sound, and lyrics that were by turns poetic, lascivious, socially conscious, and downright in-your-face, N.W.A spoke the truth about life on the streets of Compton, California--at the time a hotbed of poverty, drugs, gangs, and unemployment. Their hood tales offered a sharp contrast to the cozy, comfortable images of thriving middle-class life emanating from television screens across America. For the group, making music was not about being nice or projecting a false reality. It was all about expressing themselves. Through firsthand interviews and exhaustive research, Los Angeles Times music reporter Gerrick D. Kennedy transports readers back in time and offers a front-row seat to N.W.A''s early days and the drama and controversy that followed the incendiary group as they rose to become multiplatinum artists. Kennedy leaves nothing off the table in his pursuit of the full story behind the group''s most pivotal moments, including Ice Cube''s decision to go solo after their debut studio album became a smash hit, the forming of Ruthless Records, the group''s confrontation with the FBI over their inflammatory lyrics, incidents of physical assault, Dr. Dre''s decision to launch Death Row Records with Suge Knight, N.W.A''s impact on the 1992 LA riots, Eazy-E''s battle with AIDS, and much more. A riveting and illuminating work of music journalism, [this book] captures a defining moment in rap music, when N.W.A made it altogether social, freaky, enterprising, and gangsta. They forced us all to take notice. For that reason alone, their story must be told."--Dust jacket flap.

A stunning and brutally honest memoir that shines a light on what happens when female desire conflicts with a culture of masculinity in crisis In her midthirties and newly free from a terrible relationship, Tabitha Lasley quit her job at a London magazine, packed her bags, and poured her savings into a six-month lease on an apartment in Aberdeen, Scotland. She decided to make good on a long-deferred idea for a book about oil rigs and the men who work on them. Why oil rigs? She wanted to see what men were like with no women around. In Aberdeen, Tabitha became deeply entrenched in the world of roughnecks, a teeming subculture rich with brawls, hard labor, competition, and the deepest friendships imaginable. The longer she stayed, the more she found her presence had a destabilizing effect on the men--and her. Sea State is on the one hand a portrait of an overlooked industry: "offshore" is a way of life for generations of primarily working-class men and also a potent metaphor for those parts of life we keep at bay--class, masculinity, the transactions of desire, and the awful slipperiness of a ladder that could, if we tried hard enough, lead us to security. Sea State is on the other hand the story of a journalist whose professional distance from her subject becomes perilously thin. In Aberdeen, Tabitha gets high and dances with abandon, reliving her youth, when the music was good and the boys were bad. Twenty years on, there is Caden: a married rig worker who spends three weeks on and three weeks off. Alone and in an increasingly precarious state, Tabitha dives into their growing attraction. The relationship, reckless and explosive, will lay them both bare.

A searing memoir from actress and activist Evanna Lynch about the tragedy and the glory of growing up, mourning girlhood, and navigating the path between fears and dreams. Evanna Lynch has long been viewed as a role model for people recovering from anorexia, as the story of her casting as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films grew to almost mythic proportions--a tale of how she faced disordered eating as a young girl, found solace in a beloved book series, and later landed the part of her favorite character. But that is not the whole story. Even after recovery, there remains a conflict at the very core of her being: a bitter struggle between the familiar, anesthetizing pursuit of perfection and the desire to fully and fearlessly embrace her creative side, uncertain as it may be. Revealing a startlingly accomplished voice, Lynch delves into the very heart of her relationship with her body. As she takes the reader through a personal journey of leaving behind the safety of girlhood, she explores the pivotal choices that ultimately led her down the path of creativity and toward acceptance of the wild, sensual, and unpredictable reality of womanhood. Honest, electrifying, and inspiring, this is a story of the battle between self-destruction and creation, of giving up the preoccupation with perfection in favor of our uncharted dreams--and how the simple choice to create is the most liberating action a person can do.