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Grandes dinastías
by BioEl apasionante relato de las 25 dinastías más famosas de la historia. Dinero, poder, belleza, sexo, lujo, glamour, escándalo, tragedia y éxito... la historia real y emotiva de las veinticinco familias más famosas del siglo XX, avalada por la calidad y el rigor de Bio, el canal de las celebrities. ¿Cómo se levantaron de la nada las grandes fortunas de este siglo? ¿Qué sucedió en el seno de las míticas sagas de actores de Hollywood? ¿De dónde surgieron las firmas más influyentes del mundo de la moda? ¿Cuáles son las familias nobiliarias que han pervivido hasta nuestros días? En Grandes dinastías se relata con amenidad y rigor la emocionante historia de los emprendedores que construyeron imperios, crearon estilo, marcaron tendencia y alcanzaron las cotas más altas del reconocimiento público. La aristocracia, la banca, la política, la industria farmacéutica, el automovilismo, la altacostura, el cine o incluso la venta de alcohol han sido algunos ámbitos en los que las sagas familiares más poderosas del planeta han crecido para, en ocasiones, caer estrepitosamente en desgracia. De los Kennedy a los Onassis, de los Gucci a los Versace, de los Rockefeller a los Trump, de los Alba a los Rivera-Ordóñez# un entretenido recorrido por las luces y las sombras, los triunfos y los fracasos de veinticinco legendarias familias que han definido el mundo político, social y económico en que vivimos, con el sello de Bio, el canal de televisión que muestra la vida de las celebrities más importantes del mundo.
Grandfather Gandhi
by Bethany Hegedus Arun Gandhi Evan Turk<p>Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson tells the story of how his grandfather taught him to turn darkness into light in this uniquely personal and vibrantly illustrated tale that carries a message of peace. <p>How could he—a Gandhi—be so easy to anger? <p>One thick, hot day, Arun Gandhi travels with his family to Grandfather Gandhi’s village. <p>Silence fills the air—but peace feels far away for young Arun. When an older boy pushes him on the soccer field, his anger fills him in a way that surely a true Gandhi could never imagine. Can Arun ever live up to the Mahatma? Will he ever make his grandfather proud? <p>In this remarkable personal story, Arun Gandhi, with Bethany Hegedus, weaves a stunning portrait of the extraordinary man who taught him to live his life as light. Evan Turk brings the text to breathtaking life with his unique three-dimensional collage paintings.</p>
Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
by Ben MontgomeryEmma Gatewood was the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, as well as the first person--man or woman--to walk it twice and three times and she did it all after the age of 65. This is the first and only biography of Grandma Gatewood, as the reporters called her, who became a hiking celebrity in the 1950s and '60s. She appeared on TV with Groucho Marx and Art Linkletter, and on the pages of Sports Illustrated. The public attention she brought to the little-known footpath was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance, and very likely saved the trail from extinction. Author Ben Montgomery was given unprecedented access to Gatewood's own diaries, trail journals, and correspondence. He also unearthed historic newspaper and magazine articles and interviewed surviving family members and hikers Gatewood met along the trail. The inspiring story of Emma Gatewood illustrates the full power of human spirit and determination.
Grandma Moses: Painter of Rural America (Women of Our Time)
by Zibby OnealAlthough she did not start painting until she was nearly 80 years old, Grandma Moses became one of America's best-loved artists. She lived to be 101, painting until the last year of her life. Outspoken and witty, Grandma won admirers for her down-home attitude as much as for her beautiful paintings. Her primitive landscapes reflect an old country charm that Americans love to recall, just as Grandma Moses herself lived the simple lifestyle of earlier generations. Picture descriptions or captions included from picture pages.
Grandma Says: The Wisdom, Wit, Advice, and Stories of “Grandma Aggie”
by Agnes Baker PilgrimAgnes Baker Pilgrim, known to most as Grandma Aggie, is in her nineties and is the oldest living member of the Takelma Tribe, one of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz.A descendant of both spiritual and political tribal leaders, Grandma Aggie travels tirelessly around the world to keep traditions alive, to help those in need, and to be a voice for the voiceless, helping everyone to remember to preserve our Earth for animals and each other in a spiritual environment.Considered an excellent speaker, she has mesmerized her audience wherever she appears, and now her wit, wisdom, memories, advice, stories and spirituality have been captured for all to hear.Honored as a “Living Cultural Legend” by the Oregon Council of the Arts, Grandma Aggie here speaks about her childhood memories, about her tribe and her life as a child growing up in an area that often didn’t allow Indians and dogs into many public places, as well as about such contemporary issues as bullying, teen suicide, drugs and alcohol, Pope Francis, President Obama, water conservation, climate change, and much more. This is an amazing recording of one of the oldest and most important voices of the First Nation and of the world. Her stories and advice will mesmerize and captivate you, as well as provide a blueprint for how all the inhabitants of the earth can live together in harmony, spirituality, and peace.
Grandma's Gardens
by Chelsea Clinton Hillary ClintonFrom mother-daughter team Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton comes a celebration of family, tradition and discovery, and an ode to mothers, grandmothers and the children they love.Grandma Dorothy shared her love of gardens with her daughter, Hillary, and her granddaughter, Chelsea. She taught them that gardens are magical places to learn, exciting spaces for discovery, quiet spots to spend time with family and beautiful areas to share stories and celebrate special occasions. But most of all, she taught them that in her gardens, her love grew and blossomed.In this inspiring and heartwarming mother-daughter story, Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton team up to show readers how sharing the things we love with the people we love can create powerful, everlasting bonds between generations.Praise for Grandma's Gardens:"A deeply affectionate tribute to the bounty of nature and the love of gardening." --Publishers Weekly"Filled with mindfulness, the story inspires children to reflect on family and keep memories alive." --Booklist
Grandmothers Against the War: Getting Off Our Fannies And Standing Up For Peace
by Joan WileOne Person Can Make A Difference! Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night thinking, "I've got to DO something," but felt like you were just one person who couldn't bring about change? Well, Joan Wile woke up one night thinking she had to do something about the war in Iraq. Little did she know how far she would go. . . Joan founded Grandmothers Against the War in 2003. In this outspoken memoir, she tells the amazing story of the courageous, spunky women who stood up for their beliefs and refused to back down. From getting arrested and jailed in Times Square, to marching to Washington, D.C., to speaking and performing in Europe, these activists are sure to inspire you with their hope and determination against all odds. It's never too late to change your life--and take action!
Grandmothers are Like Snowflakes ... No Two are Alike
by Janet LaneseWhen a child is born, a miracle happens -someone becomes a grandmother! For first-time grandmas, beloved veterans, or grandmas-in-waiting, this warm, wonderful book captures all the joy and humor of one of a woman's most life-altering experiences. Heartwarming observations from such famous names as Margaret Mead, Jane Russell, and Margaret Thatcher; poems to copy and stick on the refrigerator; words of advice to "accidentally" leave on a daughter-in-law's kitchen table, suggestions to smooth the rough times or increase the joy, it's all here to read and treasure. Don't miss. . . Special things only a grandmother can do Family history a grandmother can pass on A precious gift every child needs from a grandmother Secret satisfactions a grandmother feels How a grandmother can act even wiser than she is And more!
Grandmère
by David B. Roosevelt Manuela Dunn-MascettiUntil her death when he was 20, David B. Roosevelt enjoyed a close relationship with his grandmother Eleanor Roosevelt. Now David shares personal family stories and photographs that show Eleanor as she really was.
Grandpa Stops a War: A Paul Robeson Story
by Susan Robeson"It takes a man of peace to stop a war." The true story of Paul Robeson's visit to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War is a tale of courage and activism told by his granddaughter, Susan Robeson. Grandpa Paul was a world-famous actor and singer with a deep and rumbling voice, a man of peace and principle who worried about the safety of children and families living in countries at war. He wanted to use his voice to promote social justice all over the world. Though people warned Grandpa Paul that it was too dangerous, he traveled with his friend Captain Fernando to the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War to sing to the soldiers. And then something amazing happened...With gorgeous illustrations from fine artist Rod Brown, Grandpa Stops a War celebrates Paul Robeson's global activism and towering achievements, and shows readers the power of music in times of discord and war.An author's note helps readers learn more about the author's personal experience growing up in the Robeson family, and gives parents, teachers, and librarians more in-depth material to expand the reader's understanding of the war and Robeson as a champion of civil rights, global freedom, and world peace.
Grania
by Morgan LlywelynHistorical fiction about Grace O'Malley, an Irish chieftain in the late 1500's.
Granny D
by Doris Haddock Dennis BurkeIn February 2000, ninety-year-old Doris “Granny D” Haddock became a national heroine when she completed her 3,200-mile, fourteen-month walk from Los Angeles to Washington, D. C. , to bring attention to the issue of campaign finance reform. Granny Drecalls and celebrates an exuberant life of love, ac-tivism, and adventure—from one-woman feminist plays in the thirties, to stopping nuclear testing near an Eskimo fishing village in 1963, to her current crusade. Threaded throughout is the spirit of her beloved hometown in New Hampshire—Thornton Wilder’s inspiration for Grover’s Corners in Our Town—a quintessentially American center of New England pluck, Yankee ingenuity, and can-do attitude. Told in Doris’s vivid and unforgettable voice,Granny Dwill move and delight readers with its clarion message that one person can indeed make a difference.
Granny Takes a Trip: High Fashion and High Times at the Wildest Rock 'n' Roll Boutique
by Paul GormanLavishly illustrated with never-before-seen photographs of the shop, its key players and - of course - the clothes.Granny Takes A Trip was more than just a shop and a fashion brand; it was the original rock and roll clothes boutique, the template for all that followed. What started as an odd retail venture/art installation in a depressed part of London known as World's End became an international byword for glam decadence in Manhattan and Hollywood, combining flamboyant style and all manner of countercultural activity to attract everyone from Pattie Boyd, Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg to Elton John, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, the Beatles, and Lou Reed.Unfolding over a decade-and-a-half, this tumultuous story invokes a cast of often unique, sometimes entitled, unusually talented and troubled individuals on a collective mission to shake up austere, repressed, class-ridden Britain and white bread America. Some achieved this at great personal cost as darkness, addiction and tragedy stalked those behind the extraordinary shop facades.Much mythologised but never told, this cautionary tale has now found its definitive chronicler in celebrated cultural historian Paul Gorman who has had access to first-hand accounts from all the principal figures, as well as notes for a memoir and a much-treasured scrapbook by Freddie Hornik, the tailoring entrepreneur who survived the death marches of central Europe after WW2 to acquire Granny Takes A Trip in the late 60s and transform into an unparalleled pop cultural force.
Granny Takes a Trip: High Fashion and High Times at the Wildest Rock 'n' Roll Boutique
by Paul GormanGranny Takes A Trip was more than just a shop and a fashion brand; it was the original rock and roll clothes boutique, the template for all that followed. What started as an odd retail venture/art installation in a depressed part of London known as World's End became an international byword for glam decadence in Manhattan and Hollywood, combining flamboyant style and all manner of countercultural activity to attract everyone from Pattie Boyd, Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg to Elton John, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, the Beatles, and Lou Reed.Unfolding over a decade-and-a-half, this tumultuous story invokes a cast of often unique, sometimes entitled, unusually talented and troubled individuals on a collective mission to shake up austere, repressed, class-ridden Britain and white bread America. Some achieved this at great personal cost as darkness, addiction and tragedy stalked those behind the extraordinary shop facades.Much mythologised but never told, this cautionary tale has now found its definitive chronicler in celebrated cultural historian Paul Gorman who has had access to first-hand accounts from all the principal figures, as well as notes for a memoir and a much-treasured scrapbook by Freddie Hornik, the tailoring entrepreneur who survived the death marches of central Europe after WW2 to acquire Granny Takes A Trip in the late 60s and transform into an unparalleled pop cultural force.Listeners can find a selection of key photos and images from the history of Granny Takes a Trip in the accompanying PDF.
Granny Takes a Trip: High Fashion and High Times at the Wildest Rock 'n' Roll Boutique
by Paul GormanLavishly illustrated with never-before-seen photographs of the shop, its key players and - of course - the clothes.Granny Takes A Trip was more than just a shop and a fashion brand; it was the original rock and roll clothes boutique, the template for all that followed. What started as an odd retail venture/art installation in a depressed part of London known as World's End became an international byword for glam decadence in Manhattan and Hollywood, combining flamboyant style and all manner of countercultural activity to attract everyone from Pattie Boyd, Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg to Elton John, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, the Beatles, and Lou Reed.Unfolding over a decade-and-a-half, this tumultuous story invokes a cast of often unique, sometimes entitled, unusually talented and troubled individuals on a collective mission to shake up austere, repressed, class-ridden Britain and white bread America. Some achieved this at great personal cost as darkness, addiction and tragedy stalked those behind the extraordinary shop facades.Much mythologised but never told, this cautionary tale has now found its definitive chronicler in celebrated cultural historian Paul Gorman who has had access to first-hand accounts from all the principal figures, as well as notes for a memoir and a much-treasured scrapbook by Freddie Hornik, the tailoring entrepreneur who survived the death marches of central Europe after WW2 to acquire Granny Takes A Trip in the late 60s and transform into an unparalleled pop cultural force.
Grant
by Jean Edward SmithUlysses S. Grant was the first four-star general in the history of the United States Army and the only president between Andrew Jackson and Woodrow Wilson to serve eight consecutive years in the White House. As general in chief, Grant revolutionized modern warfare. Rather than capture enemy territory or march on Southern cities, he concentrated on engaging and defeating the Confederate armies in the field, and he pursued that strategy relentlessly. As president, he brought stability to the country after years of war and upheaval. He tried to carry out the policies of Abraham Lincoln, the man he admired above all others, and to a considerable degree he succeeded. Yet today, Grant is remembered as a brilliant general but a failed president. In this comprehensive biography, Jean Edward Smith reconciles these conflicting assessments of Grant's life. He argues convincingly that Grant is greatly underrated as a president. Following the turmoil of Andrew Johnson's administration, Grant guided the nation through the post- Civil War era, overseeing Reconstruction of the South and enforcing the freedoms of new African-American citizens. His presidential accomplishments were as considerable as his military victories, says Smith, for the same strength of character that made him successful on the battlefield also characterized his years in the White House. Grant was the most unlikely of military heroes: a great soldier who disliked the army and longed for a civilian career. After graduating from West Point, he served with distinction in the Mexican War. Following the war he grew stale on frontier garrison postings, despaired for his absent wife and children, and began drinking heavily. He resigned from the army in 1854, failed at farming and other business endeavors, and was working as a clerk in the family leathergoods store when the Civil War began. Denied a place in the regular army, he was commissioned a colonel of volunteers and, as victory followed victory, moved steadily up the Union chain of command. Lincoln saw in Grant the general he had been looking for, and in the spring of 1864 the president brought him east to take command of all the Union armies. Smith dispels the myth that Grant was a brutal general who willingly sacrificed his soldiers, pointing out that Grant's casualty ratio was consistently lower than Lee's. At the end of the war, Grant's generous terms to the Confederates at Appomattox foreshadowed his generosity to the South as president. But, as Smith notes, Grant also had his weaknesses. He was too trusting of his friends, some of whom schemed to profit through their association with him. Though Grant himself always acted honorably, his presidential administration was rocked by scandals. "He was the steadfast center about and on which everything else turned," Philip Sheridan wrote, and others who served under Grant felt the same way. It was this aura of stability and integrity that allowed Grant as president to override a growing sectionalism and to navigate such national crises as the Panic of 1873 and the disputed Hayes-Tilden election of 1876. At the end of his life, dying of cancer, Grant composed his memoirs, which are still regarded by historians as perhaps the finest military memoirs ever written. They sold phenomenally well, and Grant the failed businessman left his widow a fortune in royalties from sales of the book. His funeral procession through the streets of Manhattan closed the city, and behind his pallbearers, who included both Confederate and Union generals, marched thousands of veterans from both sides of the war.
Grant
by William S. McfeelyIn this stunning biography, William McFeely brings us a thoroughly compelling story of a tangled life.<P><P> Having once said "a military life had no charms to me," U.S. Grant entered West Point to get through the course, secure a detail for a few years as assistant professor of mathematics at the Academy, and afterwards obtain a permanent position as professor at some respectable college. But the course his life took was quite different. Little did he ever dream that he would serve with distinction in the Mexican War, lead the Union to victory in the Civil War, struggle through eight years as President of the United States, and wage bitter personal battles against alcoholism, insolvency, and cancer.<P> Pulitzer Prize Winner
Grant Achatz
by Chicago Tribune StaffGrant Achatz's career as a chef has been built around beating the odds--from his humble Midwestern beginnings and rise to stardom in Chicago; his iconoclastic vision of the American dining experience; and his life-threatening battle with cancer that temporarily stripped him of his ability to taste. In all these situations, Achatz defiantly and definitively surmounted innumerable obstacles to become--and remain--one of the world's most recognizable and respected chefs.Grant Achatz: The Remarkable Rise of America's Most Celebrated Young Chef, a collection of articles taken from the Chicago Tribune, is an up-close examination of Achatz's personal history and international impact in the culinary world. Included are rare interviews on Achatz's humble beginnings as a young chef and modest lifestyle, stories from his stint as executive chef of Evanston, Illinois's four-star restaurant Trio, long-unseen restaurant reviews, as well as features on his innovative restaurants Aviary and Next, which play with Achatz's trademark concept of molecular gastronomy and the importance of presentation and memory in fine dining. In the middle of all this success, Achatz was diagnosed with stage-four squamous cell carcinoma, a rare cancer afflicting the tongue that completely eliminated Achatz's sense of taste. Told he would die if he did not have his tongue surgically removed, Achatz tenaciously clung to the belief he would be able to regain the sense most vital to his extraordinary talent. While undergoing experimental treatment to regain his sense of taste, Achatz continued to manage Alinea and even improved it despite his professionally debilitating condition. Miraculously, Achatz made a full recovery and regained his ability to taste while going on to open one of the culinary world's most discussed and praised new restaurants: Next.Grant Achatz tells the story of the man at the forefront of modern culinary trends and the world's top-rated restaurants, as seen through both his own eyes and the journalists who have been covering his fights against the odds from the beginning.
Grant Fuhr
by Bruce Dowbiggin Grant FuhrThe Hall of Fame story of Grant Fuhr, the first black superstar in the National Hockey League and the last line of defense for the Edmonton Oilers dynasty, told through Fuhr's 10 most important games.Grant Fuhr was the best goalie in the league at a time when hockey was at its most exciting. Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers were arguably the greatest team in league history, and during the 1980s arguably the most popular team across the United States, even if many had little idea where Edmonton was. They were that good. And so was Fuhr: Gretzky called him the best goaltender in the world.Fuhr broke the colour barrier for NHL goaltenders when he played his first game for the Oilers in 1981, and was an inspiration for later players including future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla. But in addition to their dynastic run of Stanley Cup championships, the Oilers were also synonymous with the excesses of the decade: Fuhr himself was suspended for substance use, a discredit he had to fight back from--and did, going on to set career records and earning election to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Grant Me Vision: A Journey of Family, Faith, and Forgiveness
by Sabrina GreenleeForeword by DeAndre HopkinsIn this extraordinary memoir, Sabrina Greenlee, the indomitable mother of NFL sensation DeAndre Hopkins, unveils her journey of triumph over adversity—a saga of tenacity, redemption, faith, and the profound reclamation of personal power.Sabrina Greenlee was born to teenage parents in the shadow of South Carolina’s Clemson University, and her story unfolds against the backdrop of her challenging upbringing in a family that lacked the means—financial and emotional—to offer her and her two brothers the safety, comfort, and love every child deserves. When she was a teenager, her beloved younger brother, Dilly, died in a drunk driving accident. In her early twenties, Sabrina faced the tragic loss of her fiancé and one true love. A decade later, she was brutally and publicly assaulted, resulting in the loss of her vision. After years of abusive relationships, Sabrina willed herself to achieve the kind of life she had always dreamed of. She became the loving and dependable mother she wished she’d had, raising four children— including star athletes—who attended college and are successful in their chosen fields. She also found the courage to break the silence that enshrouded her life, ending the trauma that had damaged her family for generations—allowing Sabrina and her kin to heal. Today she works to help other women assert their power and find the faith to have strength even when the future seems hopeless—just as she herself has. Grant Me Vision is her riveting story—a memoir of resilience in the face of life’s most difficult challenges. It serves as a testament to faith and fortitude, encouraging others to confront their past and to make peace with it.
Grant Moves South: Grant Moves South And Grant Takes Command
by Bruce CattonA Pulitzer Prize-winning historian's acclaimed Civil War history of the complex man and controversial Union commander whose battlefield brilliance ensured the downfall of the Confederacy Preeminent Civil War historian Bruce Catton narrows his focus on commander Ulysses S. Grant, whose bold tactics and relentless dedication to the Union ultimately ensured a Northern victory in the nation's bloodiest conflict. While a succession of Union generals--from McClellan to Burnside to Hooker to Meade--were losing battles and sacrificing troops due to ego, egregious errors, and incompetence, an unassuming Federal Army commander was excelling in the Western theater of operations. Though unskilled in military power politics and disregarded by his peers, Colonel Grant, commander of the Twenty-First Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was proving to be an unstoppable force. He won victory after victory at Belmont, Fort Henry, and Fort Donelson, while brilliantly avoiding near-catastrophe and ultimately triumphing at Shiloh. And Grant's bold maneuvers at Vicksburg would cost the Confederacy its invaluable lifeline: the Mississippi River. But destiny and President Lincoln had even loftier plans for Grant, placing nothing less than the future of an entire nation in the capable hands of the North's most valuable military leader. Based in large part on military communiqués, personal eyewitness accounts, and Grant's own writings, Catton's extraordinary history offers readers an insightful look at arguably the most innovative Civil War battlefield strategist, unmatched by even the South's legendary Robert E. Lee.
Grant Takes Command: Grant Moves South And Grant Takes Command
by Bruce CattonA thrilling account of the final years of the War Between the States and the great general who led the Union to victory This conclusion of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Bruce Catton's acclaimed Civil War history of General Ulysses S. Grant begins in the summer of 1863. After Grant's bold and decisive triumph over the Confederate Army at Vicksburg--a victory that wrested control of the Mississippi River from Southern hands--President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to the head of the Army of the Potomac. The newly named general was virtually unknown to the nation and to the Union's military high command, but he proved himself in the brutal closing year and a half of the War Between the States. Grant's strategic brilliance and unshakeable tenacity crushed the Confederacy in the battles of the Overland Campaign in Virginia and the Siege of Petersburg. In the spring of 1865, Grant finally forced Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, thus ending the bloodiest conflict on American soil. Although tragedy struck only days later when Lincoln--whom Grant called "incontestably the greatest man I have ever known"--was assassinated, Grant's military triumphs would ensure that the president's principles of unity and freedom would endure. In Grant Takes Command, Catton offers readers an in-depth portrait of an extraordinary warrior and unparalleled military strategist whose brilliant battlefield leadership saved an endangered Union.
Grant Wood: A Life
by R. Tripp EvansA major new biography of America’s most acclaimed, and misunderstood, regionalist painter, Grant Wood who is revealed to have been anything but plain, or simple . . . R. Tripp Evans reveals the true complexity of the man and the image Wood so carefully constructed of himself. Grant Wood called himself a farmer-painter but farming held little interest for him. He appeared to be a self-taught painter with his scenes of farmlands, farm workers, and folklore but he was classically trained, a sophisticated artist who had studied the Old Masters and Flemish art as well as impressionism. He lived a bohemian life and painted in Paris and Munich in the 1920s, fleeing what H. L. Mencken referred to as “the booboisie” of small-town America. We see Wood as an artist haunted and inspired by the images of childhood; by the complex relationship with his father (stern, pious, the “manliest of men”); with his sister and his beloved mother (Wood shared his studio and sleeping quarters with his mother until her death at seventy-seven; he was forty-four). We see Wood’s homosexuality and how his studied masculinity was a ruse that shaped his work. Here is Wood’s life and work explored more deeply and insightfully than ever before. Drawing on letters, the artist’s unfinished autobiography, his sister’s writings, and many never-before-seen documents, Evans’s book is a dimensional portrait of a deeply complicated artist who became a “National Symbol. ” It is as well a portrait of the American art scene at a time when America’s Calvinistic spirit and provincialism saw Europe as decadent and artists were divided between red-blooded patriotic men and “hothouse aesthetes. ” Thomas Hart Benton said of Grant Wood: “When this new America looks back for landmarks to help gauge its forward footsteps, it will find a monument standing up in the midst of the wreckage . . . This monument will be made out of Grant Wood’s works. ”
Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War
by Charles Bracelen FloodThis dual Civil War biography presents “[a] powerful and illuminating study of a military collaboration that won the war for the Union” (Josiah Bunting III, Washington Post).“We were as brothers,” William Tecumseh Sherman said, describing his relationship to Ulysses S. Grant. They were incontestably two of the most important figures in the Civil War, but until now there has been no book about their victorious partnership and the deep friendship that made it possible.They were prewar failures: Grant was forced to resign from the Regular Army because of his drinking, and Sherman had moved from one job to the next in the years before the conflict. But heeding the call to save the Union, each struggled past political hurdles to join the war effort. And after taking each other’s measure at the Battle of Shiloh, they began their unique collaboration.Often together under fire on the war’s great battlefields, they also supported each other in the face of mudslinging criticism by the press and politicians. Sharing the demands of family life and the heartache of loss, they built a mutual admiration and trust which President Lincoln increasingly relied upon. Though their headquarters were hundreds of miles apart, they communicated almost daily, strategizing the final moves of the war and planning how to win the peace that would follow.
Grant and Twain: The Story of a Friendship That Changed America
by Mark PerryIn the spring of 1884 Ulysses S. Grant heeded the advice of Mark Twain and finally agreed to write his memoirs. Little did Grant or Twain realize that this seemingly straightforward decision would profoundly alter not only both their lives but the course of American literature. Over the next fifteen months, as the two men became close friends and intimate collaborators, Grant raced against the spread of cancer to compose a triumphant account of his life and times—while Twain struggled to complete and publish his greatest novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In this deeply moving and meticulously researched book, veteran writer Mark Perry reconstructs the heady months when Grant and Twain inspired and cajoled each other to create two quintessentially American masterpieces. In a bold and colorful narrative, Perry recounts the early careers of these two giants, traces their quest for fame and elusive fortunes, and then follows the series of events that brought them together as friends. The reason Grant let Twain talk him into writing his memoirs was simple: He was bankrupt and needed the money. Twain promised Grant princely returns in exchange for the right to edit and publish the book—-and though the writer’s own finances were tottering, he kept his word to the general and his family. Mortally ill and battling debts, magazine editors, and a constant crush of reporters, Grant fought bravely to get the story of his life and his Civil War victories down on paper. Twain, meanwhile, staked all his hopes, both financial and literary, on the tale of a ragged boy and a runaway slave that he had been unable to finish for decades. As Perry delves into the story of the men’s deepening friendship and mutual influence, he arrives at the startling discovery of the true model for the character of Huckleberry Finn. With a cast of fascinating characters, including General William T. Sherman, William Dean Howells, William Henry Vanderbilt, and Abraham Lincoln, Perry’s narrative takes in the whole sweep of a glittering, unscrupulous age. A story of friendship and history, inspiration and desperation, genius and ruin, Grant and Twain captures a pivotal moment in the lives of two towering Americans and the age they epitomized.