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Inside the Gate: Sigrid Undset's Life at Bjerkebæk
by Nan Bentzen SkilleNobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset&’s life at Bjerkebæk, her retreat in Lillehammer, NorwayInside the Gate offers readers a rare glimpse into Sigrid Undset&’s life at her home, Bjerkebæk, now a museum and national landmark in Lillehammer, Norway. Immensely protective of her privacy, Undset filled the timbered house with books and created a writing space where she authored many of her famous works, including Kristin Lavransdatter. There she also raised her three children, tended to her beloved garden, and welcomed close friends and family members during three decades of personal joys, sorrows, and hard work.Drawing on a wealth of historical documents, Nan Bentzen Skille&’s lively narrative presents an intimate portrait of Sigrid Undset&’s intense emotional life and creative endeavors, with Bjerkebæk at the center of it all. Many photographs vividly illustrate the text. For readers who have long admired Undset&’s literature, Inside the Gate provides new insight into the life and work of the Nobel Prize winner.
Inside the Halo and Beyond: The Anatomy of a Recovery
by Maxine Kumin"Here is a singular story of survival, an earthly miracle wrought by family devotion, gardens, horses, guts. A compelling read."--Carolyn Heilbrun In July 1998, when Maxine Kumin's horse bolted at a carriage-driving clinic, she was not expected to live. Yet, less than a year later, her progress pronounced a miracle by her doctors, she was at work on this journal of her astonishing recovery. She tells of her time "inside the halo," the near-medieval device that kept her head immobile during weeks of intensive care and rehabilitation, of the lasting "rehab" friendships, and of the loving family who always believed she would heal. "[S]he resonates wisdom while announcing a triumph of body and soul."--Anne Roiphe, New York Times Book Review "Maxine Kumin brings the sensitivity and imagination of a poet to her extraordinary ordeal."--Richard Selzer, author of Mortal Lessons: Notes on the Art of Surgery "From a singular experience she has created a lesson that is universal, which, it seems to me, is the essence of being a poet."--Abraham Verghese, author of The Tennis Partner
Inside the Helmet
by Michael Strahan Jay GlazerFollowing a magical season that ended in Super Bowl glory, one of the NFL's biggest stars delivers a no-holds-barred, hardhitting hitting account of life in the league. Michael Strahan is one of the NFL's most talented players, and he is also one of the game's most vocal personalities. In Inside the Helmet, Strahan exposes all of the pressure, pain, and glory of life in the NFL, venturing into territory no previous football author has had the nerve to tread. Bringing the reader right into the middle of the action, Strahan recounts exhilarating victories and reveals the hair-raising details of the ruthless grit required for every win. He gives an honest account of the brutality on the field and the myriad injuries from which he continues to suffer. He describes the relationships among teammates (including an account of his well publicized feuding with Tiki Barber), the practical jokes players use to preserve their sanity and the violent blow-ups that occur when the pressure gets too intense, and the challenges of taking orders from head coach Tom Coughlin and his squadron of assistant coaches. Strahan also writes about dealing with the relentless media coverage, rabid and demanding fans, and the struggle to live up to a multimillion-dollar salary. Finally, in two new chapters for the paperback edition, Strahan writes about the ups and downs of a truly sensational 2007 season that saw the Giants overcome the odds to win the Super Bowl. For the millions of rabid NFL fans, Inside the Helmet is an all-access pass into the huddle, the locker room, and the minds of the warriors on the field.
Inside the Hot Zone: A Soldier on the Front Lines of Biological Warfare
by Mark G. KortepeterInside the Hot Zone is an insider&’s account of one of the most dangerous workplaces on earth: the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Retired U.S. Army Col. Mark G. Kortepeter, a leading biodefense expert, recounts his journey from the lecture hall to the role of department chief, to the battlefield, to the Biosafety Level-4 maximum containment lab, and finally, to the corner office. During Kortepeter&’s seven and a half years in leadership at USAMRIID, the United States experienced some of the most serious threats in modern germ warfare, including the specter of biological weapons during the Iraq War, the anthrax letters sent after 9/11, and a little-known crisis involving a presumed botulism attack on the president of the United States. Inside the Hot Zone is a shocking, frightening eye-opener as Kortepeter describes in gripping detail how he and his USAMRIID colleagues navigated threats related to anthrax, botulism, smallpox, Lassa, and Ebola. Kortepeter crafts a rich and riveting narrative as he wrestles with life-and-death decisions managing biological weapon exposures. The stories are real, but they could just as easily serve as plotlines in popular fiction or Hollywood thrillers. He gives the reader a seat at the table as each crisis unfolds, with an unvarnished and personal perspective on the dangers, the drama, the fear, the frustrations, the irony, and the uncertainty he encountered as a physician in the role of &“Biodefender.&”
Inside the Inferno: A Firefighter's Story of the Brotherhood that Saved Fort McMurray
by Damian Asher Omar MouallemAn action-packed, on-the-ground memoir of the Fort McMurray wildfire and the courage, resilience, and sacrifice of the firefighters who saved the city.In May 2016, what began as a remote forest fire quickly became a nightmare for the ninety thousand residents of Fort McMurray. A perfect combination of weather, geography and circumstance created a raging wildfire that devoured everything in its path. Winds drove the flames towards the town, forcing the entire population to evacuate. As the fire swept through neighbourhoods, it fell to the men and women of the fire department to protect the city. Born and raised in Fort McMurray, Damian Asher was a fifteen-year veteran and captain in the city’s fire department. Day after day, Damian and his crew remained on the front lines of the burning city. As embers rained down around them, they barely slept, pushing their minds and bodies to the brink as they struggled to contain the fire. As he led his crew through the smoke and the flames, Damian had little time to worry about whether the house he had built for his family was still standing. With media unable to get into the locked-down city, the world watched in hope and fear, wondering what was happening on the fiery streets. Finally, after weeks of battling the wildfire, the firefighters managed to regain control. When the smoke cleared, much of the city had been destroyed. Would things ever be the same? How would the city reunite? What would it take to rebuild life in Fort McMurray?
Inside the Lion's Den
by Ken Shamrock Clixtro Romias Richard HannerInside the Lion's Den is the remarkable story of Ken Shamrock's ascent to the pinnacle of reality martial combat. An inspiration to thousands, Shamrock picked himself up from a troubled youth growing up in group homes to become the legendary warrior who dominated no-holds-barred martial arts competition in both America and Asia. Whether you know him as "King of Pancrase" or The Ultimate Fighting Championship's "Superfight Champion," step inside the Lion's Den for a new look at "The World's Most Dangerous Man." Here, the secrets of Shamrock's ultra-efficient submissions fighting system and his champion training regimen are revealed. With more than 150 photographs, Inside the Lion's Den will shock and amaze you."
Inside the Lion's Den
by Ken Shamrock Clixtro Romias Richard HannerInside the Lion's Den is the remarkable story of Ken Shamrock's ascent to the pinnacle of reality martial combat. An inspiration to thousands, Shamrock picked himself up from a troubled youth growing up in group homes to become the legendary warrior who dominated no-holds-barred martial arts competition in both America and Asia. Whether you know him as "King of Pancrase" or The Ultimate Fighting Championship's "Superfight Champion," step inside the Lion's Den for a new look at "The World's Most Dangerous Man." Here, the secrets of Shamrock's ultra-efficient submissions fighting system and his champion training regimen are revealed. With more than 150 photographs, Inside the Lion's Den will shock and amaze you."
Inside the Mind of BTK: The True Story Behind the Thirty-Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer
by John Douglas Johnny DoddThe FBI profiler & co-author of the #1 New York Times–bestseller Mindhunter recounts his role in catching one of America&’s most notorious serial killers.Inside the Mind of BTK tells the incredible true story of how FBI profiler John Douglas tracked and participated in the hunt for one of the most notorious serial killers in US history. For thirty-one years a man who called himself BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill) terrorized the city of Wichita, Kansas, sexually assaulting and strangling a series of victims, taunting the police with cryptic communications, and bragging about his vicious crimes to local newspapers and television stations. After disappearing for nine years, he suddenly reappeared, complaining that no one was paying enough attention to him and claiming that he had committed other crimes for which he had not been given credit. When he was finally captured, BTK was revealed to be Dennis Rader, a sixty-one-year-old churchgoing, married man with two children. As a leading serial killer profiler for the FBI, John Douglas was first called to consult about the case in 1980 and remained involved with the story and all of its principal players up to the arrest and prosecution. After Rader was arrested, Douglas was granted both an exclusive interview with the killer after his sentencing, as well as access to friends, family, and police. In this page-turning book, Douglas reveals both new information and insight into why Rader did what he did, why he stopped for a mysterious nine-year period, and his current psychological state in custody. Praise for Inside the Mind of BTK &“Legendary profiler and bestselling author Douglas (Mindhunter), who pioneered the FBI&’s systematic study of serial killers, offers his insights into one of this country&’s most chilling killers—Dennis Rader, a seemingly innocuous family man and municipal employee, whose brutal murders terrorized Wichita, Kans., for three decades. . . . While the stomach-turning story of BTK's crimes has been told by others, Douglas's unique professional experience and his exclusive personal access to Rader offers a different perspective, even as the answer to the question of how such a monster comes to be remains elusive.&” —Publishers Weekly&“Riveting! Douglas and Dodd have focused a laser sight on one of the most fascinating and disturbing serial killers of our time. Their in-depth analysis of BTK&’s early childhood, his seemingly &“normal&” everyday life, and his shockingly well-hidden &“other&” life deftly explores the nature of evil and how we can better protect ourselves from such cunning predators.&” ―Lisa Gardner, New York Times–bestselling suspense author of Hide
Inside the Mind of a Marine Drill Instructor: Real and Raw
by Kevin McDugleInside the Mind of a Marine Drill Instructor is a book that takes you inside the life of Marine Corps Drill Instructor Kevin McDugle. Many fiery moments in recruit training leave lasting impressions for years to come on both the Drill Instructor and the sloppy recruit. Kevin McDugle is just one of the many Drill Instructors who can tell stories of taking lackadaisical civilians and turning them into war-fighting Marines. Inside the Mind of a Marine Drill Instructor is a compilation of those intense and insightful stories by Kevin McDugle. Kevin McDugle served in the Marines from 1988 until 1996. Kevin served in security forces at Bangor, Washington, with 1st Battalion 8th Marines, 2nd ANGLICO and as a Drill Instructor at Paris Island, South Carolina. Kevin is an entrepreneur, inventor and family man. You can read more about Kevin McDugle by visiting kevinmcdugle.com.
Inside the NFL's First Family: My Life of Football, Faith, and Fatherhood
by James Lund Howie Long Bruce MatthewsFrom the man who has played in more NFL games than any non-kicker in the football league’s history comes a memoir about the Matthews family and how eight people over three generations have achieved success in the NFL—more than any other family in sports history.No family has qualified more of its members for the demands and rewards of the National Football League than the Matthews clan—eight and counting over three generations. They include Bruce’s father Clay, an original NFL San Francisco 49er; his brother Clay Jr., a four-time All-Pro for the Cleveland Browns; and nephew Clay III, a Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers. Bruce Matthews may be the best of them all, a fourteen-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans, holder of the all-time consecutive starts record for offensive linemen, and inductee in the NFL Hall of Fame. The enduring success of the Matthews family is no accident. Their competitive nature, passion for excellence, never-quit attitude, compassion for the disadvantaged, and love for each other has propelled them to the peak of their abilities and professions. For Bruce, the foundation of it all is his faith in God. Inside the NFL’s First Family shows how the highs and lows of Bruce’s NFL career and expanding responsibilities as a husband and father taught him the lasting significance of his commitment to Christ. This book is a fascinating peek behind the curtain of professional football, featuring the insider stories that every fan craves. It also shows how Bruce and his family successfully dealt with challenges such as depression, cancer, and Down Syndrome. Yet Inside the NFL’s First Family offers readers even more—the principles and beliefs that have enabled the Matthewses to excel in football and in life.
Inside the NRA: A Tell-All Account of Corruption, Greed, and Paranoia within the Most Powerful Political Group in America
by Joshua L. PowellA shocking exposé of rampant, decades-long incompetence at the National Rifle Association, as told by a former member of its senior leadership.Joshua L. Powell is the NRA--a lifelong gun advocate, in 2016, he began his new role as a senior strategist and chief of staff to NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre. What Powell uncovered was horrifying: "the waste and dysfunction at the NRA was staggering."INSIDE THE NRA reveals for the first time the rise and fall of the most powerful political organization in America--how the NRA became feared as the Death Star of Washington lobbies and so militant and extreme as "to create and fuel the toxicity of the gun debate until it became outright explosive."INSIDE THE NRA explains this intentional toxic messaging was wholly the product of LaPierre's leadership and the extremist branding by his longtime PR puppet master Angus McQueen. In damning detail, Powell exposes the NRA's plan to "pour gasoline" on the fire in the fight against gun control, to sow discord to fill its coffers, and to secure the presidency for Donald J. Trump.
Inside the Peloton: Riding, Winning and Losing the Tour de France
by Graeme FifeRacing cyclists all ride the same frail machine and all are equal before the demands of the road. But what is it that makes a winner? What special attributes do winners need to give them that extra edge? To find out, Fife analyses and illustrates the moral strength, intelligence, racing nous, cunning, tactical acumen and superior mental resilience of the champion racing cyclist. Drawing on exclusive interviews and personal acquaintance with some of the best riders to have raced on the continent, as well as mechanics and team-support crew, Inside the Peloton is a vivid portrait of the complex character of cycle racing. It is an unparalleled, in-depth study of ambition, the rage to win, the capacity to recover from defeat, the harrowing misery of lost morale and the hard initiation faced by every newcomer - however talented - to the unforgiving demands of professional competition. Provocative and rich in insight, this book is a very personal account by Fife. Read it to discover: What made Merckx, apparently invincible, so prey to doubt? --What rendered the massively talented Poulidor so beatable? --Why did Sean Yates, with a cardiovascular and lung capacity equal to that of Merckx, ride so contentedly as a domestique?
Inside the President's Team: Family, Service, and the Gerald Ford Presidency
by Bob BarrettAn eye-opening and exceptional view of the Ford presidency by one of his closest and most-trusted advisors. Except for his wife Betty, no one was closer to Gerald Ford during his presidency than Bob Barrett. Bob carried the &“nuclear football&”—the American nuclear codes—and could not let Ford out of his sight. This nerve-wracking job led to a deep friendship with the First Family and gave Bob an unparalleled view of Ford&’s historic and unusual presidency. In his memoir, Inside the President&’s Team, Bob takes readers into the White House and the Ford home to show the administration and the couple as few others could see them. Bob gives new insights into why Ford decided to pardon Nixon and how he responded to criticism of it; how Ford chose his own vice president (and another for his run in 1976); and what he did with potentially difficult members of the former administration, such as Al Haig and the now-infamous Michael Flynn. Bob provides a front-row view of Ford&’s meeting with Leonid Brezhnev in Russia during their famous summit on arms control, and he shows how abandoning our ally South Vietnam put a greater strain on Ford than deciding whether to pardon his predecessor. Bob reveals what happened during the two assassination attempts and reveals the flawed inner workings of the 1976 campaign. Meanwhile, he became so close to the family that he took part in Betty Ford&’s intervention and recalls scenes that show Ford to be, as Bob describes him, &“the most decent, honorable, trustworthy person I ever met.&” Ford's legacy as a reconciler and a healer of a deeply divided America during a time of strife comes alive in Inside the President's Team, and it is a celebration of the impact of living a life of service.
Inside the Reagan White House: A Front-Row Seat to Presidential Leadership with Lessons for Today
by Frank LavinAn inside look at the most successful president of modern times.What makes a good White House memoir? The right mix of personal stories, insight on the president, discussion of policy and historical events, and crazy, colorful anecdotes that capture the reader&’s attention. Inside the Reagan White House has all this—plus a vivid take on the Reagan assassination attempt, , Gorbachev and the Reykjavik summit, Ollie North and the Contras, , the 1988 Bush-Dukakis contest—and other critical moments of that era. Original insight on Ronald Reagan, as well as discussions of cabinet members and others, are interspersed with personal anecdotes, off-hand comments, and unique family details that historians and general readers will love. On the colorful side, the action moves from movie stars to Soviet spies to (literal) knife fights, neo-Nazis, plain old Nazis, intimate affairs, fights on planes, and con men chased by INTERPOL. And at the heart of the story are the thousands of dedicated, patriotic Americans who helped Ronald Reagan as he worked to push back against the Soviet Union, promote democracy, improve trade, lower taxes, and reduce the size and scope of government.
Inside the Spiral: The Passions of Robert Smithson
by Suzaan BoettgerAn expansive and revelatory study of Robert Smithson&’s life and the hidden influences on his iconic creations This first biography of the major American artist Robert Smithson, famous as the creator of the Spiral Jetty, deepens understanding of his art by addressing the potent forces in his life that were shrouded by his success, including his suppressed early history as a painter; his affiliation with Christianity, astrology, and alchemy; and his sexual fluidity. Integrating extensive investigation and acuity, Suzaan Boettger uncovers Smithson&’s story and, with it, symbolic meanings across the span of his painted and drawn images, sculptures, essays, and earthworks up to the Spiral Jetty and beyond, to the circumstances leading to what became his final work, Amarillo Ramp.While Smithson is widely known for his monumental earthwork at the edge of the Great Salt Lake, Inside the Spiral delves into the arc of his artistic production, recognizing it as a response to his family&’s history of loss, which prompted his birth and shaped his strange intelligence. Smithson configured his personal conflicts within painterly depictions of Christ&’s passion, the rhetoric of science fiction, imagery from occult systems, and the impersonal posture of conceptual sculpture. Aiming to achieve renown, he veiled his personal passions and transmuted his professional persona, becoming an acclaimed innovator and fierce voice in the New York art scene.Featuring copious illustrations never before published of early work that eluded Smithson&’s destruction, as well as photographs of Smithson and his wife, the noted sculptor Nancy Holt, and recollections from nearly all those who knew him throughout his life, Inside the Spiral offers unprecedented insight into the hidden impulses of one of modern art&’s most enigmatic figures. With great sensitivity to the experiences of loss and existential strife that defined his distinct artistic language, this biographical analysis provides an expanded view of Smithson&’s iconic art pilgrimage site and the experiences and works that brought him to its peculiar blood red water.
Inside the Stargazer's Palace: The Transformation of Science in 16th-Century Europe
by Violet MollerEnter the mysterious world of sixteenth-century science, where astronomers and alchemists shared laboratories.In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus declared the earth revolved around the Sun, overturning centuries of scholastic presumption. A new age was coming into view – one guided by observation, technology and logic. But omens and elixirs did not disappear from the sixteenth-century laboratory. Charms and potions could still be found nestled between glistening brass instruments and leather-bound tomes. The line between the natural and supernatural remained porous, yet to be defined. From the icy Danish observatory of Tycho Brahe, to the smoky, sulphur-stained workshop of John Dee, Violet Moller tours the intellectual heart of early European science. Exploring its rich, multidisciplinary culture, Inside the Stargazer&’s Palace reveals a dazzling forgotten world, where all knowledge, no matter how arcane, could be pursued in good faith.
Inside the Whimsy Works: My Life with Walt Disney Productions
by Jimmy JohnsonIn this never-before-published memoir from the files of The Walt Disney Archives, Disney Legend Jimmy Johnson (1917-1976) takes you from his beginnings as a studio gofer during the days of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the opening of Walt Disney World Resort. Johnson relates dozens of personal anecdotes with famous celebrities, beloved artists, and, of course, Walt and Roy Disney. This book, also the story of how an empire-within-an-empire is born and nurtured, traces Johnson’s innovations in merchandising, publishing, and direct marketing, to the formation of what is now Walt Disney Records. This fascinating autobiography explains how the records helped determine the course of Disney Theme Parks, television, and film through best-selling recordings by icons such as Annette Funicello, Fess Parker, Julie Andrews, Louis Armstrong, and Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Through Jimmy Johnson’s remarkable journey, the film, TV, and recording industries grow up together as changes in tastes and technologies shape the world, while the legacy of Disney is developed as well as carefully sustained for the generations who cherish its stories, characters, and music.
Inside-out Legal: The better way for Alaska’s small businesses to manage their legal risks
by Andrew MittonVellum LLC is a new kind of law firm dedicated to designing legal tools and providing legal services that help Alaska's small business owners fulfill their professional calling in life. Inside-out Legal Services is the way it accomplishes this goal.
Inside/Outside: A Physician's Journey with Breast Cancer
by Janet R. GilsdorfIn 2000, pediatrician and epidemiologist Janet Gilsdorf (U. of Michigan Medical School) learned that she had breast cancer. In this memoir, she uses a stream-of-consciousness style to recount her journey from diagnosis through various treatments and (ultimately) recovery. She also offers a vivid account of the struggle she faced in reconciling her dual identity as physician and patient. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Inside: A Top G-Man Exposes Spies, Lies, and Bureaucratic Bungling Inside the FBI
by I. C. SmithFrom a twenty-five-year career that spanned four continents, an FBI special agent gives you the inside story of the Bureau’s greatest takedowns and biggest screwups.From China to the South Pacific, from East Berlin to Arkansas, I.C. Smith is one of the FBI’s most storied figures. This intrepid G-man has seen it all.In this riveting book about the Bureau, Smith brings a fresh, insider’s perspective on the FBI’s most well-known triumphs and failures of the past three decades. Robert Hannsen. Morris and Eva Childs. Larry Wu-Tai Chin. Aldrich Ames. Smith offers unique insights into how these monumental investigations were handled, or often mishandled, in alarming detail. He also confronts head-on the string of errors inside the FBI—in management and in the field—that directly led to the attacks of September 11th.Filled with startling new information, including more than seventy never-before-published findings, Smith tracks his incredible rise from street agent in St. Louis to special agent in charge of Arkansas—where he took on the corrupt political system that produced President Bill Clinton.
Insight Pitch: My Life as a Major League Closer
by Skip Lockwood Fergie JenkinsYou're straddling the pitcher's mound in Shea Stadium. The game rests in your hands. Your heart is pounding. Big money is at stake. You feel thousands of eyes burning your jersey as they wait for a pitch. You gulp at the air trying to settle your nerves. It's go time. Insight Pitch is a sports story that spills over three decades. Retired Major League Baseball pitcher Skip Lockwood tells anecdotes from throughout his career as a ballplayer, starting with his days as a Little Leaguer through his professional tenure with the Kansas City Athletics, Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, New York Mets, and Boston Red Sox, before his retirement in 1980. Along the way, he details both the on- and off-the-field shenanigans as well as the enormous psychological process that he underwent each and every time he took the mound. Readers will find some laughs along the way and marvel as they share the locker room with legends like Jesse Owens, Satchel Paige, Catfish Hunter, and Yogi Berra. Humorous but insightful, this book makes the perfect addition to any baseball fan's shelf.
Insights into Chinese Culture
by Ye Lang Zhu LiangzhiHighlighting the pinnacle achievements of Chinese culture, this book presents the authors’ profound insights into the concepts and passions that have shaped the Chinese nation over the past 5,000 years. By exploring this rich historical legacy of remarkable creativity and innovative spirit, still evident today in living masterpieces of art, architecture and fascinating folk traditions, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the cultural identity, worldview, aesthetic pursuits, and national spirit of the Chinese people.
Insist That They Love You: Craig Rodwell and the Fight for Gay Pride
by John Van HoesenSet against the vibrant backdrop of New York and Chicago, Insist That They Love You presents a comprehensive biography of Craig Rodwell, an unheralded yet pivotal figure in the militant gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s.Award-winning journalist John Van Hoesen explores cities grappling with social change, while highlighting Craig Rodwell’s transformative impact. The book traces Rodwell’s journey from a complicated childhood in a Christian Science boarding school and turbulent teenage years to his prominent role as an activist in adulthood. Founder of the first bookstore of its kind dedicated to gay and lesbian literature – the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop – Rodwell played a crucial role in the early protests for gay rights, the Stonewall Riots, and the inaugural pride march of 1970. The book also thoughtfully considers the trajectory of Rodwell’s tumultuous personal life, including his relationship with Harvey Milk. Insist That They Love You honours Rodwell’s vital contributions to the gay rights movement, bringing to life for readers the fearless determination and hard work that built today’s freedoms. This compelling biography inspires readers to reflect on the power of truth, courage, and action to further social change.
Insisting on the Impossible: The Life of Edwin Land, Inventor of Instant Photography (Sloan Technology Series)
by Victor K. McelhenyThis fascinating biography of the great inventor and entrepreneur Edwin Land captures the very essence of technological innovation. Renowned as the inventor of instant photography, Land won 535 patents, joining Edison among the world's most prolific inventors. While still in his teens, this Magellan of modern technology invented sheet polarizers and went on to build a tiny research lab into a gigantic enterprise that turned out a vast and continuous array of innovations. McElheny draws a vivid and memorable portrait of this extraordinary man, in the lab, in the boardroom, in high-secret defense work including the spearheading of the U2 spy plane. His penetrating insight into Land's innovative genius will speak to anyone interested in business, science, photography or government.
Insomnia
by Marina Benjamin“An insomniac’s ideal sleep aid—and that’s a compliment. With her collage of ruminations about sleeplessness, [Benjamin] promises no real cure . . . Her slim book is what the doctor ordered.”—The Atlantic Insomnia is on the rise. Villainous and unforgiving, it’s the enemy o f energy and focus, the thief of our repose. But can insomnia be an ally, too, a validator of the present moment, of edginess and creativity? Marina Benjamin takes on her personal experience of the condition—her struggles with it, her insomniac highs, and her dawning awareness that states of sleeplessness grant us valuable insights into the workings of our unconscious minds. Although insomnia is rarely entirely welcome, Benjamin treats it less as an affliction than as an encounter that she engages with and plumbs. She adds new dimensions to both our understanding of sleep (and going without it) and of night, and how we perceive darkness. Along the way, Insomnia trips through illuminating material from literature, art, philosophy, psychology, pop culture, and more. Benjamin pays particular attention to the relationship between women and sleep—Penelope up all night, unraveling her day’s weaving for Odysseus; the Pre–Raphaelite artists’ depictions of deeply sleeping women; and the worries that keep contemporary females awake. Insomnia is an intense, lyrical, witty, and humane exploration of a state we too often consider only superficially. “This is the song of insomnia, and I shall sing it,” Marina Benjamin declares.