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Rasputin: Neither Devil Nor Saint
by Elizabeth JudasElizabeth Judas was the widow of an officer who served in the Imperial Secret Police. She knew Rasputin since childhood. She tells a different story from that usually told of him and a different story of the Imperial Family from that usually believed.
Rat Bastards: The Life and Times of South Boston's Most Honorable Irish Mobster, A Memoir
by John "Red" SheaIn this true crime memoir, a former member of the Irish mob under Whitey Bulger details his criminal exploits in 1980s and ‘90s Boston.An ice-cold enforcer with a red-hot temper, John “Red” Shea was already a top lieutenant in the South Boston Irish mob at the young age of twenty-one, a protégé of the notorious Irish godfather James “Whitey” Bulger. Brutal and ruthlessly ambitious—a loan shark, money launderer, and multimillion-dollar narcotics kingpin—Shea was at the pinnacle of his power when the feds came knocking and obliterated the mob in a well-orchestrated sweep of arrests. Bulger’s other top men turned informant to save their own hides, but Shea alone held to his code of honor and kept his mouth shut—earning a dozen years of hard time as his reward. Even Bulger, the man She was protecting, turned out to be a rat who had been tipping off the feds for decades while continuing to operate one of the most murderous and profitable organized crime outfits in America.Harrowing and unflinching, Rat Bastards brings the gritty world of the Irish mob into sharp focus—the no-holds barred memoir of a former gangster who makes no excuses for the life he chose. Intense, compelling, and in your face, it is a remarkable story from a dying breed: a true stand-up guy.
Rat Girl
by Kristin HershThe founder of a cult rock band shares her outrageous tale of growing up much faster than planned. In 1985, Kristin Hersh was just starting to find her place in the world. After leaving home at the age of fifteen, the precocious child of unconventional hippies had enrolled in college while her band, Throwing Muses, was getting off the ground amid rumors of a major label deal. Then everything changed: she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and found herself in an emotional tailspin; she started medication, but then discovered she was pregnant. An intensely personal and moving account of that pivotal year, Rat Girl is sure to be greeted eagerly by Hersh's many fans.
Rat Pack Confidential: Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey and the Last Great Show Biz Party
by Shawn LevyFor the first time, the full story of what happened when Frank brought his best pals to party in a land called VegasJanuary 1960. Las Vegas is at its smooth, cool peak. The Strip is a jet-age theme park, and the greatest singer in the history of American popular music summons a group of friends there to make a movie. One is an insouciant singer of Italian songs, ex-partner to the most popular film comedian of the day. One is a short, black, Jewish, one-eyed, singing, dancing wonder. One is an upper-crust British pretty boy turned degenerate B-movie star actor, brother-in-law to an ascendant politician. And one is a stiff-shouldered comic with the quintessential Borscht Belt emcee&’s knack for needling one-liners. The architectonically sleek marquee of the Sands Hotel announces their presence simply by listing their names: FRANK SINATRA. DEAN MARTIN. SAMMY DAVIS, JR. PETER LAWFORD. JOEY BISHOP. Around them an entire cast gathers: actors, comics, singers, songwriters, gangsters, politicians, and women, as well as thousands of starstruck everyday folks who fork over pocketfuls of money for the privilege of basking in their presence. They call themselves The Clan. But to an awed world, they are known as The Rat Pack.They had it all. Fame. Gorgeous women. A fabulouse playground of a city and all the money in the world. The backing of fearsome crime lords and the blessing of the President of the United States. But the dark side–over the thin line between pleasure and debauchery, between swinging self-confidence and brutal arrogance–took its toll. In four years, their great ride was over, and showbiz was never the same. Acclaimed Jerry Lewis biographer Shawn Levy has written a dazzling portrait of a time when neon brightness cast sordid shadows. It was Frank&’s World, and we just lived in it.
RatSnakes: Cheating Death by Living A Lie: Inside the Explosive World of ATF's Undercover Agents and How We Changed the Game
by Vincent A. CefaluGet ready to infiltrate the dangerous, secret world of criminals and cover identities by way of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)—where the world's greatest undercover agents are known as RatSnakes. RatSnakes are rarely, if ever, visible to the public they move among and risk their lives to protect. In fact, thanks to their cover personas, they're often assumed to be members of the clandestine criminal world they investigate. Real-life undercover work is a far cry from the sexy, candy-colored world you've seen in Hollywood movies. Only those strong and clever enough get inside and survive. Vincent A. Cefalu would know. He spent 30 years as an ATF undercover operative, in assignments ranging from the Symbionese Liberation Army to Asian organized crime. He has infiltrated notorious outlaw motorcycle gangs as well as splinter groups of the Ku Klux Klan, and in RatSnakes he provides a transparent look at the organization and the operatives with whom he risked his life. Part field guide, part heart-pounding thrill-ride, Cefalu takes readers on a tour of what it's like to confront death on a daily basis. En route, he gives us a look at the on-the-job techniques of kicking in doors, orchestrating "street theater" to ensnare criminals, and making high-stakes gun buys. His irreverent, explicit stories from the inside are a mix of danger and unexpected hilarity that will have readers laughing one minute and then biting their nails when things break bad. Immersive and brutal, RatSnakes offers an in-depth and eye-opening look into the lives of an elite group of men and women who volunteer to do things most couldn't and wouldn't stomach. Civilians with common sense and good judgment run from danger, while RatSnakes sprint toward it—smiling.
Ratanbai: A sketch of a Bombay high caste hindu young wife
by Shevantibai M. NikambeLife of Ratanbai, a high caste hindu young wife.
Rate of Climb: Thrilling Personal Reminiscences from a Fighter Pilot and Leader
by Air Commodore Rick Peacock-EdwardsA veteran RAF fighter pilot reflects on his service in the sky during the Cold War, the Gulf War, and more in this exciting memoir.Rick Peacock-Edwards has led different lives at different times, but through it all, he has consistently enjoyed himself. One of three sons of outstanding South African Battle of Britain pilot F/O S R “Teddy” Peacock-Edwards, Rick has a compassionate regard for a generation of wartime aircrew: “As the proud son of one of the “Few,” their selfless daring has inspired me throughout my life. Importantly, they influenced my decision to become an airman in the Royal Air Force, to become a fighter pilot like my father, and to live life with spirit as they had lived their lives. It is essential that their experiences live on.” Rate of Climb, his original and entertaining biography, drawing on previously unpublished family and archival material, shows Rick in complete command of his primary subject: flying. A leading ex-RAF fighter pilot to his fingertips, he flew the Lightning, Phantom, Tornado F2/3 and other high-performance aircraft, and served in senior-ranking positions in the UK, Germany and the US. During a varied and distinguished career, he was closely associated with the Eurofighter Typhoon programme and was appointed as the Royal Air Force Inspector of Flight Safety. He ably demonstrated his uncommon skill and determined leadership during the Cold War era, first Gulf War and elsewhere. A past master of The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, he is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the immediate past vice chairman of the Royal Air Force Club in London. He is equally as engaged in his post-RAF career as he was when a serving officer. This is an action-packed account of a foremost flyer’s life with endless good stories, and a colourful cast of characters to match. Rick’s compelling recollections in Rate of Climb reveal a life of considerable achievement, in a very personal book capturing the ties of airmanship that the author has been privileged to share. A must for all lovers of derring-do in the air.
Rated X: How Porn Liberated Me from Hollywood
by Maitland WardA celebrity memoir unlike any other, this is an empowering, sex-positive, behind-the-scenes look at both Hollywood and the porn industry. Perfect for fans of Pleasure Activism and How to Make Love Like a Porn Star.Maitland Ward got her start in acting as a teenager when she was cast in The Bold and the Beautiful, but it wasn&’t until she joined the later seasons of the sitcom Boy Meets World that she got her first taste of fame. As the loveable co-ed Rachel McGuire, Ward soon found herself being typecast as the good girl next door and was repeatedly denied darker, more intriguing roles. So she made a career change—one that required her to turn away from the Disney universe—and eventually established herself as one of the most-respected actresses in the porn industry today. Now, Ward reveals the ups and downs of her fascinating career, including personal stories from her time on one of the most beloved shows of the 1990s, in this anything but a run-of-the-mill memoir. By showing Hollywood and triple-X stardom in a whole new light, she offers a fresh and stirring perspective on the sex industry and &“champions the discovery of freedom in sexuality&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Ultimately a story of hope and triumph, this is a sharp and provocative look at a former Disney princess who found her fairy tale in porn.
Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News
by Dan Rather Digby DiehlThis memoir by Dan Rather -- one of the most pre-eminent journalists of our time -- is told in a straightforward and conversational manner so that you hear his distinctive voice on every page. Rather, -- who has won every prestigious journalism award in his distinguished career -- discusses all the big stories from his decades of reporting. This very personal accounting includes (but is certainly not limited to) his dismissal from CBS, the Abu Ghraib story, the George W. Bush Air National Guard controversy, his coverage of the JFK assassination, the origin of "Hurricane Dan" as well as inside stories about all the top personalities Dan has either interviewed or worked with over his remarkable career. The book will also include Dan's thoughts and reflections on the state of journalism today and what he sees for its future, as well as never-before-revealed personal observations and commentary.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy: It Works for Me - It Can Work for You
by Albert EllisEllis points out that when one is faced with a problem, we had better realize that we have a choice to think rationally or irrationally about the problem.
Rattled!: A Memoir
by Christine CoppaWarm, honest, funny, and empowering, Rattled! is an unforgettable memoir of a life that takes an unexpected turn,and a brave young woman who decides to follow where the road leads. Everything in twenty-six-year-old Christine's life was going as planned -- great friends, a promising job as a magazine assistant, New York City at her feet . . . even a cute guy. Until the fateful day she realizes she's pregnant by said cute guy, whom she'd only been dating for a few months. The next thing you know, he bails and Christine is left to wonder, What now? Trading Manhattan for the suburbs, skinny jeans for sweatpants, and all-nighters with the girls for 3 a.m. feedings with a restless infant, Christine chooses to live a life that honors what's important to her -- and finds strength she didn't know she had in the process.
Rav Chaim The Life and Legacy of the Sar HaTorah Rav Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky
by Naftali WeinbergerRav Chaim Kanievsky was the Sar HaTorah, master of every area of Torah knowledge and author of dozens of Torah works on topics ranging from the basic to the arcane. He was a fount of guidance, comfort, and blessing to tens of thousands. His diligence in Torah was legendary, yet he opened his home and his heart to all who sought him. But despite all the stories we have heard, there is so much more. And Rabbi Naftali Weinberger is the perfect person to give us the rest of the story. Rabbi Weinberger has had a uniquely close relationship with Rav Chaim Kanievsky and his family for nearly thirty years — so much so that Rav Chaim authorized him to write the bestselling biography Rebbetzin Kanievsky. His unparalleled access to Rav Chaim and his family enabled him to produce this fascinating biography, giving us an insider’s view of the Sar HaTorah’s remarkable life and achievements, including warm and personal stories heard directly from the family and rare photographs appearing in print for the very first time. In these pages, we will come know the Torah aristocracy that was Rav Chaim’s family — the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, Rav Elyashiv, and others — from the family’s unique perspective. We will encounter the Torah giants and “simple” Jews who were part of Rav Chaim’s life, and see how he interacted with them. The Prince of Torah gave our People so much in his lifetime, and through this extraordinary volume his memory and example will continue to inspire us. We will aspire to emulate his diligence and love for Torah, his shalom bayis, and the chinuch he instilled in his family. We will learn to care for and welcome every Jew. And we will see how a Torah giant who valued every moment of Torah study freely gave of his time for others.
Rav Gifter: The Vision, Fire and Impact of an American Born Gadol
by Yechiel SperoBorn in Portsmouth, Virginia. Attended public school in Baltimore. Knew only one blatt Gemara at his bar mitzvah. Was this a Jewishly deprived American youngster? Not at all. It was the world renowned gaon and rosh yeshiva Harav Mordechai Gifter, Rosh Yeshivah of Telz and one of the world's greatest Torah scholars and revered leaders! In this warm and anecdote-filled biography, Rabbi Yechiel Spero introduces us to one of the most fascinating Torah giants of recent times. Rabbi Spero's best-selling "Touched by . . . " series has earned him many thousands of admiring readers. In this, his first biography, he outdoes himself. To Rav Gifter, every minute of Torah was a precious gift. His intense and successful effort to master the Torah was phenomenal. All his life he carried with him - and personified -- the memories of his mentors and his years in the Telz Yeshivah in Lithuania. He was a peerless orator, who moved listeners to tears and inspired them to scale heights. He had an awesome sense of responsibility to the yeshivah, the community, and even to the youngest talmid and most humble petitioner -he made time for everyone. Most of all, he loved Torah. It was his life's goal - and his contagious zeal for learning created legions of talmidei chachamim in his image. He interacted with the greatest sages of the era and was a fearless champion in the intellectual battles for the truth of Torah. And he was tender and understanding with the Jewishly unlearned US Navy veteran who stumbled into Telz, and the college girl searching for an Orthodox prayer experience. Students were awed by his intensity, but warmed by his tender and loving embrace. He described himself as a "simple melamed" a teacher. His mission was to master Torah and transmit it in all its grandeur. He succeeded. The book is lavishly illustrated , including many never-before published photographs. And it is filled with Rav Gifter's ideals, teachings, perspectives, and classic orations, in his own words. When he was a teenager, his wall was adorned with pictures of Torah giants - and there was one empty frame with the words "What about you?" The youngster from Portsmouth answered the question with his own magnificent life. Read about him. You'll be thrilled and your aspirations will be elevated.
Rav Kook
by Yehudah MirskyRav Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935) was one of the most influential--and controversial--rabbis of the twentieth century. A visionary writer and outstanding rabbinic leader, Kook was a philosopher, mystic, poet, jurist, communal leader, and veritable saint. The first chief rabbi of Jewish Palestine and the founding theologian of religious Zionism, he struggled to understand and shape his revolutionary times. His life and writings resonate with the defining tensions of Jewish life and thought.A powerfully original thinker, Rav Kook combined strict traditionalism and an embrace of modernity, Orthodoxy and tolerance, piety and audacity, scholasticism and ecstasy, and passionate nationalism with profound universalism. Though little known in the English-speaking world, his life and teachings are essential to understanding current Israeli politics, contemporary Jewish spirituality, and modern Jewish thought. This biography, the first in English in more than half a century, offers a rich and insightful portrait of the man and his complex legacy. Yehudah Mirsky clears away widespread misunderstandings of Kook's ideas and provides fresh insights into his personality and worldview. Mirsky demonstrates how Kook's richly erudite, dazzlingly poetic writings convey a breathtaking vision in which "the old will become new, and the new will become holy."
Ravel: A Novel
by Jean Echenoz&“A tiny miracle of a biographical novel&” inspired by the life of the brilliant French composer (Booklist). Shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award This beguiling and original evocation of the last ten years in the life of a musical genius opens in 1927 as Maurice Ravel—dandy, eccentric, curmudgeon—crosses the Atlantic aboard the luxury liner the SS France to begin his triumphant grand tour of the United States. With flashes of sly, quirky humor, this novel captures the folly of the era as well as its genius, and the personal and professional life of the sartorially and socially splendid ravel over the course of a decade. From a winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt, Ravel is a touching literary portrait of a dignified and lonely man going reluctantly into the night. &“A beautifully musical little novel.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“The most distinctive voice of his generation.&” —The Washington Post
Raven's Mantle: Fighting the Betrayal of America
by Raven HarrisonThe radio personality and political candidate chronicles her journey on the road to becoming the Conservative Warrior. Raven Harrison is a firebrand with an incredible military, business, and academic pedigree. As a scholar who left for college at age sixteen and the daughter of two retired United States Air Force lieutenant colonels, she recounts her awe-inspiring journey through communism, the Cold War, racism, and modern-day politics in a powerful story.Raven&’s Mantle is the striking firsthand account of her rise through some of the most pivotal moments in modern history. Raven details growing up in war zones, having a parent in the Pentagon on 9/11, and being injured in the 2017 Las Vegas Massacre. Raven&’s journey culminated in a life-changing event which catapulted her to the forefront of the fight for the soul of this nation and inspired her to run for Congress in her home state of Texas. Raven, a Native American black woman, was raised by fighters who instilled in her that &“Freedom is never free.&” Now, she&’s taking on the ills of society for a better America. Raised by patriots. Called by God. Deterred by nothing. Raven Harrison is the Conservative Warrior!&“Today [Harrison] is fast becoming one of the most respected conservative voices in America. Whether through her regular appearances on FOX News, radio stations across the country, her podcast, her speaking engagements, her social media outreach that touches millions or this book . . . Raven is someone who says what she means, does what she says and gets things done. I am proud to call her my friend, and I can&’t wait to see what she does next.&” —Sid Miller, Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture and Former Member of the Texas House of Representatives
Ravenous: A Food Lover's Journey From Obsession To Freedom
by Dayna MacyWhat should I eat? How much should I eat? What does it mean to be nourished? How can I, a food lover and lifelong overeater, learn to be satisfied? These are the questions Dayna Macy asks in her debut memoir, Ravenous. Like many of us, Macy has had a complicated relationship with food. In order to transform this relationship, Macy embarks on a year-long journey to uncover the origins of her food obsessions. From her childhood home in upstate New York, and back up the California coast, Macy travels across the country, meeting with farmers, food artisans, butchers, a Zen chef, a forager, a chocolatier, and others—to understand where her meals come from, why she craves certain foods, and what food means to her. She looks at how nostalgia is deeply embedded in food, and how the powerful forces of family and tradition shape our food choices. Rather than head straight for the diet manuals, she chooses to change her relationship with food from the inside out. She delves deeper into the spiritual underpinnings of eating, examines what it means to be satisfied, and ultimately forges her own path to balance and freedom.
Ravens in the Storm: A Personal History of the1960s Antiwar Movement
by Carl OglesbyIn 1964, Carl Oglesby, a young copywriter for a Michigan-based defense contractor, was asked by a local Democratic congressman to draft a campaign paper on the Vietnam War. Oglesby's report argued that the conflict was misplaced and unwinnable. He had little idea that its subsequent publication would put him on a fast track to becoming the president of the now-legendary protest movement Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). In this book, Oglesby shares the triumphs and tribulations of an organization that burgeoned across America, only to collapse in the face of surveillance by the U.S. government and infighting. As an SDS leader, Oglesby spoke on the same platform as Coretta Scott King and Benjamin Spock at the storied 1965 antiwar demonstration in Washington, D.C. He traveled to war-ravaged Vietnam and to the international war crimes tribunal in Scandinavia, where he met with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. He helped initiate the Venceremos Brigade, which dispatched thousands of American students to bring in the Cuban sugar harvest. He reluctantly participated in the protest outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention and was a witness for the defense at the trial of the Chicago Seven the following year. Eventually, after extensive battles with those in SDS who saw its future more as a vanguard guerrilla group than as an open mass movement, Oglesby was drummed out of the organization. Shortly after, it collapsed when key members of its leadership quit to set up the Weather Underground. This beautifully written and elegiac memoir is rich in contemporary echoes as America once again must come to terms with an ill-conceived military adventure abroad. Carl Oglesby warns of the destructive frustrations of a peace campaign unable to achieve its goals. But above all, he captures the joyful liberation of joining together to take a stand for what is right and just -- the soaring and swooping of a protest movement in full flight, like ravens in a storm.
Raver Girl: Coming of Age in the 90s
by Samantha DurbinA PopSugar Best New Books of 2021 Selection Weed inspires her. Acid shows her another dimension. Ecstasy releases her. Nitrous fills her with bliss. Cocaine makes her fabulous. Mushrooms make everything magical. Special K numbs her. Crystal meth makes her mean. Sixteen-year-old Samantha, raver extraordinaire, puts the “high” in high school. A ’90s time capsule buried inside a coming-of-age memoir set against the neon backdrop of the San Francisco Bay Area's rave scene, Raver Girl chronicles Samantha’s double life as she teeters between hedonism and sobriety, chaos and calm, all while sneaking under the radar of her entrepreneur father—a man who happened to drop acid with LSD impresario Owsley Stanley in the ’60s. Samantha keeps a list of every rave she goes to—a total of 104 over four years. During that time, what started as trippy fun morphs into a self-destructive roller coaster ride. Samantha opens the doors of her mind, but she's left with traumas her acid-fried brain won't let her escape; and when meth becomes her drug of choice, things get progressively darker. Through euphoric highs and dangerous lows, Samantha discovers she’s someone who lives life to the fullest and learns best through alternative experience rather than mainstream ideals. She’s a creative whose mind is limitless, whose quirks are charms, whose passion is inspirational. She’s an independent woman whose inner strength is rooted in unwavering family ties. And if she can survive high school, she just might be okay.
Ravindranath Tagore
by Shishir Kumar GhoseThis book is a brief account on life of Ravindranath Tagore. He was not just a man of literary presence but he was also a cultural hero. The book deals about his life in a very methodical way.
Ravished Armenia and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian
by Anthony Slide"Ravished Armenia" and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian is the real-life tale of a teenage Armenian girl who was caught up in the 1915 Armenian genocide, the first genocide in modern history. Mardiganian (1901-1994) witnessed the murder of her family and the suffering of her people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Forced to march over fourteen hundred miles, she was sold into slavery. When she escaped to the United States, Mardiganian was then exploited by the very individuals whom she believed might help. Her story was published in book form and then used as the basis for a 1918 feature film, in which she herself starred. The film Ravished Armenia, also known as Auction of Souls, is a graphic retelling of Aurora Mardiganian's story, with the teenager in the central role, supported by Anna Q. Nilsson and Irving Cummings and directed by Oscar Apfel. Only twenty minutes of the film--the first to deal with the Armenian genocide--is known to survive, but it proves to be a stunning production, presenting its story in newsreel style. This revised edition of Anthony Slide's "Ravished Armenia" and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian also contains an annotated reprint of Mardiganian's original narrative and, for the first time, the full screenplay. In his introduction, Slide recounts the making of the film and Mardiganian's life in the United States, involving a cast of characters including Henry Morgenthau, Mrs. George W. Vanderbilt, Mrs. Oliver Harriman, and film pioneer William Selig. The introduction also includes original comments by Aurora Mardiganian, whom Slide interviewed before her death. Acclaimed Armenian Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, who created a video art installation about Mardiganian in 2007, provides a foreword.
Raw
by Colin CowherdIn his no-holds-barred, unapologetically controversial voice, New York Times bestselling author and ESPN radio show host Colin Cowherd gives an insider's look into all things sports, including behind-the-scenes scandals, inter-team rivalries, and players' lives on and off the field.There's a lot you don't see or hear sitting high up in the stands. But Colin Cowherd knows what really goes on--and he's not afraid to share the vivid details of everything we don't see on ESPN. From hotel parties for athletes and other industry professionals, to gossip from the road between games, to what happens at ESPN behind closed doors, Cowherd draws on personal experiences to offer you an exclusive look into the rarefied, outrageous, ego-stuffed sphere of the professional sports world. If you want honest, unvarnished opinions on current sports rivalries, scandals, and statistics, it's all in Raw--from one of America's most outspoken sports broadcasters on air today.
Raw Deal: The Untold Story of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop"
by Brian Whitney Gil Valle&“One of the most twisted tales you will ever read . . . a story of cannibal fetishes, a terrified wife, lying FBI agents, a false conviction.&”—Patrick Quinlan, Los Angeles Times bestselling author *Optioned in February 2019 for a motion picture*Raw Deal is the untold story of former New York City police officer Gil Valle, who in 2012 became known throughout the world as &“The Cannibal Cop.&” It is part the controversial saga of a man who was imprisoned for &“thought crimes,&” and a look into a world of dark sexuality and violence that most readers don&’t know exists, except maybe in their nightmares.After Valle&’s arrest, media coverage exploded in a frenzy of lurid tabloid headlines and stories about the cop charged with planning to kidnap, torture, rape . . . and eat . . . women, including his own wife. But here&’s the fascinating part; there was no such plan in reality. Valle faced life in prison for his charges and served 21 months for nothing more than having online chats about his fantasies. He was finally exonerated of all charges.Raw Deal raises the question of when does thought become a crime? A question that goes beyond his perverse sexuality to answers society must deal with in order to meet the challenge of terrorism. It will challenge the reader&’s beliefs about free speech, the right to privacy, and government&’s role in watching over us.WARNING: This book contains graphic fantasy material of a sexual and violent nature. It is intended for Mature Audiences. &“A big part of what makes this book fascinating is seeing the contrast between Valle&’s extreme interests and his normal life.&”—Cultured Vultures
Raw Life: Cameos of 1890s Justice from a Magistrate's Bench Book
by Edward L. Greenspan Roy Mcmurtry J. Patrick BoyerJustices of the peace, constables, and game wardens from the late 19th century are brought to vivid life interacting with a variety of accused citizens. Rare views of human lives in turmoil are revealed in several hundred trials conducted in 1890s Muskoka by Magistrate James Boyer of Bracebridge. The charges and evidence show how raw life really was in Canada’s frontier towns, with cases ranging from nostalgic and humorous to pitiable and deeply disturbing. While dispensing speedy justice, Boyer, who was also town clerk and editor of the Northern Advocate, the first newspaper in Ontario’s northern districts, kept a careful record in his handwritten "bench book" of all these cases. That bench book, recently found by his great-grandson, lawyer J. Patrick Boyer, provides the raw material for Raw Life. This first-time publication of the these cases demonstrates how, in Canadian society, some things haven’t changed much over the years – from early road rage to the plight of abused women, from environmental contamination to punitive treatment of the poor.
Raw Material: A Family Biography
by Alan SillitoeThis fusion of novel and memoir from a bestselling British author chronicles the destructive effects of WWI on two working-class families in Nottingham. An advocate for ordinary people, Alan Sillitoe combines family memoir with exhaustive research on military records, and fuses them with artistic speculation in this inventive and political historical novel. Central to the story are the author&’s grandfather, the blacksmith Ernest Burton, and his uncle Edgar, a World War I deserter. The launching point for this narrative family album is a legless match-seller from Sillitoe&’s childhood who &“walked&” on the streets of Nottingham with his hands. When the young Sillitoe asked his family about the reasons behind this man&’s deformity, he heard a series of different accounts: His mother said it was a train accident, his father claimed it was an explosion during the Battle of the Somme, his grandmother was convinced it was a birth defect, and his grandfather declared it was a way of dodging work. Thus Sillitoe sets the tone for a tale in which &“anything which is not scientific or mathematical thought is colored by the human imagination and feeble opinion.&” In order to rediscover the fictional truth behind his own spirit, Sillitoe then delves into his heritage. He paints a telling portrait of his maternal grandfather, a blacksmith who hated dogs, despised the people who loved him, and was blinded in one eye by a shred of steel. Separated from society by his illiteracy, and both feared and respected for his instinctual cunning, Ernest was a tyrant to his wife and eight children, a hardworking provider, and a talented craftsman. On his father&’s side of the family, Sillitoe explores the life of his uncle Edgar, &“the darling of the family&” who enlisted in the British army when the Great War began in 1914. However, when the young man discovered that his service consisted of dysentery, haircuts, and taking orders, he &“sensibly&” deserts. To avoid the military police, he leaves Nottingham and bicycles furiously on the back roads to his sister&’s house in Hinkley, but is caught a few days later in a pub and sent back to his battalion. A persistent man, Edgar deserts a second time and hides out in the forest, but again he is captured and sent just in time to join the Sherwood Foresters on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Raw Material spans a century of family history and legends, interweaving personal memories with collected facts and hearsay. The &“kitchen-sink realism&” Sillitoe is known for takes on a more philosophical and transparent approach in this innovative self-portrait that explores the base matter and inspirations of the esteemed British novelist&’s life work.