- Table View
- List View
Scarred: She was a slave to her father. Pain was her only escape.
by Sophie AndrewsGrowing up, Sophie carried a terrible secret. She was her fathers slave, in the most horrific ways imaginable. At just a few months old she was adopted by a couple that seemed comfortably off and perfectly respectable to the outside world. But behind closed doors, Sophies childhood was a living hell. Her father spent the next decade grooming her for abuse and when Sophies mother left for good, that very night, he told Sophie that from now on she would sleep in his bed. Unable to cope, Sophie spiralled into suicidal misery. She began to self-harm to try and escape the agony. But one day she went too far and at 16, ended up in a psychiatric unit. It was here that she finally confronted the horrors of home and began the painful journey of rebuilding her life. A phenomenally courageous woman, Sophie now works for the Samaritans and helps other young people in need. Harrowing yet compelling, this is a searing and truly inspirational account of overcoming the worst abuse and self-harm.
Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life
by Sarah EdmondsonAs seen in the HBO docuseries THE VOW: The shocking and subversive memoir of a 12-year-NXIVM-member-turned-whistleblower, and her inspiring true story of abuse, escape, and redemption."'Master, would you brand me? It would be an honor.' From the second I climb onto the table, acutely aware that I am lying in the sweat of my sisters, I will have blocked that out. Lying there completely naked, I am at my most vulnerable but determined to prove my strength. I try to keep my legs closed as my body wills itself to protect my most private area. . . . I tell myself: I am a warrior. I birthed a human. I can handle pain. But nothing could have ever prepared me for the feel of this fire on my skin."Scarred is Sarah Edmondson's compelling memoir of her recruitment into the NXIVM cult, the 12 years she spent within the organization (during which she enrolled over 2,000 members and entered DOS—NXIVM's "secret sisterhood"), her breaking point, and her harrowing fight to get out, to expose Keith Raniere and the leadership, to help others, and to heal. Complete with personal photographs, Scarred is also an eye-opening story about abuses of power, female trust and friendship, and how sometimes the search to be "better" can override everything else.• In the tradition of Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman, Escape by Carolyn Jessop, and Troublemaker by Leah Remini• This tell-all follows Sarah from the moment she takes her first NXIVM seminar, to the invitation she accepts from her best friend, Lauren Salzman, into DOS, to her journey toward become a key witness in the federal case against its founders• Evokes questions about friendship, ethics, good and evil, making it a brilliant selection for book clubsAudio edition read by the author.
Scars Don't Hurt: A Story of Triumph Over Sexual Abuse
by Blake DavidsonBased on the author&’s compelling true story of being freed from years of sexual abuse by her brother and forgiving him, Scars Don&’t Hurt chronicles Davidson&’s battle and ultimate victory over tragic circumstances. Born into a Mennonite family and defiled from the ages of 4 to 13, Davidson writes: &“The greatest gift God has ever given me in my life is a healing so perfect, so miraculous and so complete, that I can rejoice that my abuser&’s been forgiven…There are many people in the world who would wish someone like him a spot in the hottest of hell, but I am glad to know a God who will forgive sins as grave as this.&” Written in an easy-to-read style, Scars Don&’t Hurt is not only the author&’s story of redemption from sexual abuse, it also tells the stories of three generations&’ victory through faith in Jesus Christ over broken relationships, financial ruin, and emotional upheaval. Scars Don&’t Hurt is a must-read for anyone who has faced sexual abuse, childhood trauma or insurmountable odds and looked to overcome them through the power of forgiveness and redemption. About the author: Margaret Davidson lives in St. Catharines, Ontario. Married since 1963, she and her husband, Bill, have three children. Her message is one of love and total forgiveness.
Scars and Memories: The Story of a Life
by Odie HawkinsThe deeply personal story of Odie Hawkins's journey, from "the poorest of the poor" childhood in Chicago to Hollywood screenwriter--and the people who deeply mattered. A tough, touching autobiography.
Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself
by Tim Kennedy Nick PalmiscianoFrom decorated Green Beret sniper, UFC headliner, and all around badass, Tim Kennedy, a rollicking, inspirational New York Times bestselling memoir offering lessons in how to embrace failure and weather storms, in order to unlock the strongest version of yourself.Tim Kennedy has a problem; he only feels alive right before he&’s about to die. Kennedy, a Green Beret, decorated Army sniper, and UFC headliner, has tackled a bull with his bare hands, jumped out of airplanes, dove to the depths of the ocean, and traveled the world hunting poachers, human traffickers, and the Taliban. But he&’s also the same man who got kicked out of the police department, fire department, and as an EMT, before getting two women pregnant four days apart, and finally, been beaten up by his Special Forces colleagues for, quite simply, &“being a selfish asshole.&” With his vivid and stirring voice, Scars and Stripes &“is an authentic gut punch of a life lived with grit, resiliency, and a never-quit attitude in the face of heartbreaking failures and incredible success that every American can learn from&” (Patrick Murphy, veteran and former United States Under Secretary of the Army). Kennedy reveals that failure isn&’t the end—rather it&’s the first step towards unearthing the best version of yourself and finding success, no matter how overwhelming the setbacks may feel.
Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin
by Alice EcholsJanis Joplin was the skyrocket chick of the sixties, the woman who broke into the boys' club of rock and out of the stifling good-girl femininity of postwar America. With her incredible wall-of-sound vocals, Joplin was the voice of a generation.
Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin
by Alice EcholsJanis Joplin was the skyrocket chick of the sixties, the woman who broke into the boys' club of rock and out of the stifling good-girl femininity of postwar America. With her incredible wall-of-sound vocals, Joplin was the voice of a generation, and when she OD'd on heroin in October 1970, a generation's dreams crashed and burned with her. Alice Echols pushes past the legary Joplin-the red-hot mama of her own invention-as well as the familiar portrait of the screwed-up star victimized by the era she symbolized, to examine the roots of Joplin's muscianship and explore a generation's experiment with high-risk living and the terrible price it exacted.A deeply affecting biography of one of America's most brilliant and tormented stars, Scars of Sweet Paradise is also a vivid and incisive cultural history of an era that changed the world for us all.
Scars that Run Deep: Sometimes the Nightmares Don't End
by Patrick TouherLeaving his abusive Irish boarding school after eight long years, Patrick Touher thought his troubles were over. But the adult world was a dangerous place for a naïve adolescent. From the Dublin Catholic boys' home to arriving alone in London, again Patrick is seen as easy prey. Yet Patrick's strength, honesty and sense of humour never left him. The boy they couldn't break fought back and eventually found love and a family. But the shadow of his early years was always with him. With the encouragement of his wife - a constant witness to his traumatic nightmares - Patrick set about taking the Christian Brother to task.The eagerly awaited sequel to bestseller Fear of the Collar that doesn't disappoint, Scars that Run Deep is a deeply moving and ultimately triumphant true story.
Scars to Pearls: A Medical Healing and Spiritual Journey Through the Phases of Malignant Melanoma Stage IIIA Skin Cancer with Micro-Metastasis.
by Lita M. WorthingtonSo when facing a life threatening trial, how do you refuel the transformation needed to replenish the balance in life itself? What do you lean on, trust on, or hope on? I am a recently retired OB-GYN-Infertility nurse practitioner of almost thirty years in the field, and I experienced delivering a spectrum of diagnoses in my area of expertise. There were the ‘good news’ moments with joy, success, and cure. But there will be moments we witness overwhelming pain and the devastating news of death. The shoe is on the other foot now for me. I am the patient with metastatic melanoma skin cancer and not the provider, a very uncomfortable and humbling place for me. <P><P> Sometimes the biggest battle fought isn’t the cancer, but the emotional battle we suddenly find ourselves in. We are not prepared for this emotional turmoil or how to deal with it. The journey I experienced and now share with you had its difficulties, filled with approximately fifty appointments, two surgeries, hospitalization and therapies, but life continues. If you have recently been diagnosed with cancer, I know you are scared; I certainly was. Because in the beginning when you first hear the news, you immediately wonder: ‘How is this all going to end?’ The journey has only just begun and we are already wondering: ‘How it’s all going to play out?’ I know all the questions you are asking yourself, for I am the patient now and my perspective has changed. I can feel the uncertainty of your courage and strength to proceed through the demands of appointments, diagnostic testing, surgeries, pain, and treatments. I know the tears you will wipe quietly away from your cheek in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep or when you are simply all alone, afraid, in pain, or discouraged. I can feel your heart pounding so loud that certainly anyone standing next to you must hear it also. Your mind is spinning with worry from all the ‘what ifs.’ What will help me ‘succeed’ at alleviating the fear that is ever present and now sprinkled into my daily life?As a lifelong believer in Christ, a foundation of faith was laid long ago. I was just a believer, as some years were more inclusive of Christ Jesus than others. But I never doubted there was a God. I would learn how to respect, love and nurture this new found relationship in the months ahead. I chose to lean on, trust on, and hope on my faith and I began introducing a spiritual element into my new daily routine. In the months of pain and challenges, reaching for spiritual encouragement and journaling as the days, weeks, and months would pass, I found myself in a relationship with my Creator. <P>He sat with me, walked with me and became my companion when I was alone and tired. Experiencing the joy with this new relationship was a gift to me, from God. But, of course, the medical provider in me led me to bring an educational element to my book. It is not the number one cancer killer, but it is the universally number one diagnosed cancer. I had recognized the lack of awareness amongst my friends and family, in regards to skin cancers and the serious threat they pose. So I include many Medical Pearls, which may be facts, or a helpful hint to pay additional attention to. For those who want to read about an amazing spiritual journey I include several Holy Spirit Moments which could be visions or occurrences in which only God could provide and explain. And, I share Spiritual Pearls which are my spiritual thoughts on scripture, visions or dreams that occurred both past and present, as it contributes to who I am. In my most vulnerable moments, my trust needed to lie somewhere other than myself. I am very good at taking care of myself, thank you very much. Suddenly my life takes a turn, and I better get ready for the unchartered course it will take. One day at a time. We all have a story within us. This shall be my story.
Scatter Brain: How I finally got off the ADHD rollercoaster and became the owner of a very tidy sock drawer
by Shaparak KhorsandiSome brains, through no fault of their own, pack a bag, turn the lights off and run away to the seaside the moment they are meant to be doing homework, paying bills or not putting the cat in the fridge. These are ADHD brains. I have one and believe they are as common as being left-handed, flat footed or genuinely enjoying anchovies on a pizza. Undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder made my life a frustrating, maddening rollercoaster. I had very little focus except when I was hyper-focusing (and then it would always be on the wrong things), I made the same mistakes over and over again, regularly burning myself out until I was sobbing. When I finally was diagnosed in my 40s it felt like the lights had been turned on after a lifetime in the dark. Join much-loved comedian Shappi Khorsandi as she looks back on her life through the lens of ADHD and finally makes sense of the chaos. From discovering the joys of shoplifting through to finally understanding her attraction to toxic men, Scatter Brain will have you laughing (and crying) as you find out what it's really like to live a life out of control. Whether you suspect you might have ADHD or you're here to enjoy the ride, let Shappi take you on her hilarious journey of self-discovery where you just might learn something useful about yourself too!
Scattered Pearls
by Sohila Zanjani David BrewsterFrom Tehran to Melbourne,a powerful memoir of survival Scattered Pearls opens in pre-revolutionary Iran, where Sohila Zanjani grew up under the threat of violence, intimidation and control at the hands of her father. Resolving never to tread in the footsteps of her mother and her grandmother, both survivors of domestic abuse, Sohila tried to find a new life for herself on the other side of the world. But to her horror she discovered that living with her father had been gentle in comparison to the reality of her new married life. Spanning more than a hundred years, Scattered Pearls tells the true stories of Sohila, her mother and her grandmother, and the injustice and abuse meted out by the men in their lives. It is a story of cultural misogyny in both Iran and Australia, and of an ongoing search for a loving, equal relationship. Along the way the book provides a glimpse into the lives of 'ordinary' Iranians and the power of the Persian culture. It's also a confronting insight into what can go on behind closed doors - even in an 'advanced' society. But at its heart, Scattered Pearls is a story of resilience and personal growth, and of allowing the future to blossom in spite of the damage of the past. It is one of optimism, courage, and love and hope. This is the story of three women,but it carries with it the stories of an entire culture. Praise for the Persian edition of Scattered Pearls 'After I read Scattered Pearls, I believed in myself' -- Maryam Ahmadi 'Your book has become a source of inspiration for me' -- Maryam Yaghmaee 'Breaks the cultural rules to undress the truth which teaches all women from similar situations to believe in themselves' -- Mahaz Ali
Scattered Shadows: A Memoir of Blindness and Vision
by John Howard GriffinThis extraordinary chronicle from the author of "Black Like Me" about his loss of sight is a powerful testament to the human spirit. Edited and introduced by Robert Bonazzi
Scattered Under the Rising Sun: The Gordon Highlanders in the Far East, 1941–1945
by Stewart MitchellThe harrowing true story of the Scottish battalion that spent over three years in Japanese captivity during World War II. Posted to Singapore in 1937 with their families, the members of the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders found themselves fighting bravely when the Japanese invaded Malaya in December 1941. But by mid-February came the surrender of Singapore, and those who were not killed became POWs. After initial incarceration in Singapore, the Gordons were dispersed to work on the famous Thai-Burma railway, in the mines of Taiwan and Japan, and on other slave labor projects. The conditions they existed under defy modern comprehension. Others died trapped in hell-ships torpedoed by allied submarines. Of the thousand men involved initially, over four hundred had died before liberation in summer 1945. Despite their diverse backgrounds, all the men had been bound by close regimental spirit, and all suffered hard labor, starvation, brutality, and tropical diseases. Rank was no protection from death. The author of this history has researched the plight of these extraordinary men, so many of whom never saw their native Scotland again. Despite the grim conditions, he captures the strong collective regimental spirit and the humor and cooperation that saved so many who would otherwise have perished. This is an inspiring tale of courage and survival against appalling odds.
Scattering Ashes: A Memoir of Letting Go
by Joan Z. RoughWhen her alcoholic and emotionally abusive mother&’s health declines, Joan Rough invites her to move in with her. Rough longs to be the &“good daughter,&” helping her narcissistic mother face the reality of her coming death. But when repressed memories of childhood abuse by her mother arise, Rough is filled with deep resentment and hatred toward the woman who birthed her, and her dream of mending their tattered relationship shatters. Seven years later, when her mother dies, she is left with a plastic bag of her mother&’s ashes and a diagnosis of PTSD. What will she do with them? Courageous and unflinchingly honest, Scattering Ashes is a powerful chronicle of letting go of a loved one, a painful past, and fear―a journey that will bring hope to others who grapple with the pain and repercussions of abuse.
Scattershot
by David LovelaceAn memoir of mental illness in the tradition of the bestselling An Unquiet Mind Scattershot is David Lovelace?s poignant, humorous, and vivid account of bipolar disorder?s effects on his family, and his gripping exploits as he spent his life running from? and finally learning to embrace?the madness imprinted on his genes. Four out of five people in David Lovelace?s immediate family have experienced bipolar disorder? including David himself. In 1986, his father, his brother, and David himself were all committed in quick succession. Only his sister has escaped the disease. A coming-of-age story punctuated by truly harrowing experiences, this devastating and empathetic portrait of the Lovelace family strips away the shame associated with bipolar disorder?a disease that affects approximately 5. 7 million adult Americans?and celebrates the profound creative gifts that come with it. .
Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me
by Bernie Taupin'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John'Orgasmic. Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down.' -Pete Townshend'In Bernie Taupin's miraculous memoir Scattershot you'll meet legends, cowboys, geniuses, unforgettable faces in the night, shady purveyors of outrageous fortune, warriors of the heart, and most of all, Taupin himself. Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again.' -Cameron Crowe'Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice.' -Gary Oldman'Eloquent and inspiring, Scattershot is a freewheeling memoir that is as warm and evocative as Bernie Taupin's most memorable lyrics. A born storyteller, Taupin gives us the life of an artist whose outlook was shaped by a rare but fascinating blend of lifelong innocence and endless intellectual curiosity.' -Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The Life"I loved writing, I loved chronicling life and every moment I was cogent, sober, or blitzed, I was forever feeding off my surroundings, making copious notes as ammunition for future compositions. . . . The thing is good, bad or indifferent I never stopped writing, it was as addictive as any drug."This is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now.Written with honesty and candour, Scatterhot allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter's prose could offer. From his childhood in the East Midlands of England whose imagination was sparked and forever informed by the distinctly American mythopoetics of country music and cowboys, to the glittering, star-studded fishbowl of '70s and '80s Beverly Hills, Scattershot is simultaneously a Tom Jones-like picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other and one man's experience at the core of it.An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We visit New York with him and Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend time with him in Australia almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' roll hotel in an endless blizzard of drugs. And we spend late, late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra. And beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, known and unknown. Even if they're not famous in their own right, they are stars on the page, and we discover how they inspired the indelible lyrics to songs such as "Tiny Dancer," "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and The Jets," and so many more.Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader across the decades and around the globe, along the way meeting some of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century, and in
Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me
by Bernie Taupin'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John'Orgasmic. Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down.' -Pete Townshend'In Bernie Taupin's miraculous memoir Scattershot you'll meet legends, cowboys, geniuses, unforgettable faces in the night, shady purveyors of outrageous fortune, warriors of the heart, and most of all, Taupin himself. Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again.' -Cameron Crowe'Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice.' -Gary Oldman'Eloquent and inspiring, Scattershot is a freewheeling memoir that is as warm and evocative as Bernie Taupin's most memorable lyrics. A born storyteller, Taupin gives us the life of an artist whose outlook was shaped by a rare but fascinating blend of lifelong innocence and endless intellectual curiosity.' -Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The LifeThis is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now.Written with honesty and candour, Scatterhot allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter's prose could offer. From his childhood in the East Midlands of England whose imagination was sparked and forever informed by the distinctly American mythopoetics of country music and cowboys, to the glittering, star-studded fishbowl of '70s and '80s Beverly Hills, Scattershot is simultaneously a Tom Jones-like picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other and one man's experience at the core of it.An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We visit New York with him and Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend time with him in Australia almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' roll hotel in an endless blizzard of drugs. And we spend late, late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra. And beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, known and unknown. Even if they're not famous in their own right, they are stars on the page, and we discover how they inspired the indelible lyrics to songs such as "Tiny Dancer," "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and The Jets," and so many more.Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader across the decades and around the globe, along the way meeting some of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century, and into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists.
Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me
by Bernie Taupin**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** An evocative, clear-eyed, and revealing memoir by Bernie Taupin, the lyrical master and long-time collaborator of Elton John&“I loved writing, I loved chronicling life and every moment I was cogent, sober, or blitzed, I was forever feeding off my surroundings, making copious notes as ammunition for future compositions. . . . The thing is good, bad, or indifferent I never stopped writing, it was as addictive as any drug.&” This is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now. Written with honesty and candor, Scattershot allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter's prose could offer. From his childhood in the East Midlands of England whose imagination was sparked and forever informed by the distinctly American mythopoetics of country music and cowboy culture, to the glittering, star-studded fishbowl of &’70s and &’80s Beverly Hills, Scattershot is simultaneously a Tom Jones-like picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other and one man&’s experience at the core of it. An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind told in a non-linear yet grounded narrative, Scattershot whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We visit Los Angeles with him and Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend time with him in Australia almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' roll hotel in an endless blizzard of drugs. And we spend late, late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra. And beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, known and unknown. Even if they're not famous in their own right, they are stars on the page, and we discover how they inspired the indelible lyrics to songs such as &“Tiny Dancer,&” &“Candle in the Wind,&” &“Bennie and The Jets,&” and so many more. Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader across the decades and around the globe, along the way meeting some of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century, and into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists.
Scenes from My Life: A Memoir
by Jon Sternfeld Michael K. WilliamsA moving, unflinching memoir of hard-won success, struggles with addiction, and a lifelong mission to give back—from the late iconic actor beloved for his roles in The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Lovecraft CountryWhen Michael K. Williams died on September 6, 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmy-nominated roles in HBO&’s The Night Of and Lovecraft Country, Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen. Beyond the nominations and acclaim, Williams played characters who connected, whose humanity couldn&’t be denied, whose stories were too often left out of the main narrative.At the time of his death, Williams had nearly finished a memoir that tells the story of his past while looking to the future, a book that merges his life and his life&’s work. Mike, as his friends knew him, was so much more than an actor. In Scenes from My Life, he traces his life in whole, from his childhood in East Flatbush and his early years as a dancer to his battles with addiction and the bar fight that left his face with his distinguishing scar. He was a committed Brooklyn resident and activist who dedicated his life to working with social justice organizations and his community, especially in helping at-risk youth find their voice and carve out their future. Williams worked to keep the spotlight on those he fought for and with, whom he believed in with his whole heart.Imbued with poignance and raw honesty, Scenes from My Life is the story of a performer who gave his all to everything he did—in his own voice, in his own words, as only he could.
Scenes from Provincial Life
by J. M. CoetzeeThe Nobel Prize-winning author's brilliant trilogy of fictionalized memoirs--now available in one volume for the first timeFew writers have won as much critical acclaim and as many admirers in the literary world as J. M. Coetzee. Yet the celebrated author rarely spoke of himself until the 1997 arrival of Boyhood, a masterly and evocative tale of a young writer's beginnings. Continuing with the fiercely tender Youth and the innovative Summertime, Scenes from Provincial Life is a heartbreaking and often very funny portrait of the artist by one of the world's greatest writers.
Scenes from the High Desert: Julian Steward's Life and Theory
by Virginia KernsJulian Steward (1902-72) is best remembered in American anthropology as the creator of cultural ecology, a theoretical approach that has influenced generations of archaeologists and cultural anthropologists. Virginia Kerns considers the intellectual and emotional influences of Steward's remarkable career, exploring his early life in the American West, his continued attachments to western landscapes and inhabitants, his research with Native Americans, and the writing of his classic work, Theory of Culture Change. With fluid prose and rich detail, the book captures the essence and breadth of Steward's career while carefully measuring the ways he reinforced the male-centered structure of mid-twentieth-century American anthropology.
Scenes from the Underground
by Gabriel CholetteI have just heard for the first time the expression “to make soup”: it means to mix the bottom-of-the-pocket drugs of everyone huddled in the club toilet stall, opened MD, ketamine, old dry speed, crushed e pills, to make big lines that will let us forget the past forty-eight hours that have been so difficult. In Instagram-style vignettes that span Montreal, New York, and Berlin, our narrator — a doctoral student in medieval studies — leads us through the bathrooms and back rooms of clubs and raves as he explores the sex, drugs, and music that define queer nightlife. Accompanied by Jacob Pyne’s full-colour illustrations, which perfectly punctuate the narrator’s occasional self-destructive melancholy, Scenes from the Underground delivers the fully uninhibited field notes of the club scene.
Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman
by Sarah H. BradfordAraminta "Harriet" Ross Tubman Davis (1822-1913), best known as Harriet Tubman, was a fugitive slave whose work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad made her a legend. Born in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849 and supported herself by working in Philadelphia hotels before relocating in Canada and, later, New York. Tubman first returned to Maryland in 1850, when she helped a niece escape from Baltimore, and over the next ten years, she frequently risked her life to liberate family members and other slaves in the area. During the Civil War, Tubman worked as a nurse and a spy for the Union army in South Carolina, where she was known as General Tubman. After the war, Tubman established a retirement home for indigent African Americans and spoke at women's suffrage meetings. Sarah Hopkins Bradford (1818-1912) met Tubman's parents in a Sunday School class while visiting her brother in Auburn, New York, during the Civil War. When Tubman and her friends decided to publish Tubman's life story, Bradford was a logical choice to author the volume: she lived in nearby Geneva, New York, and had already written biographies of Peter the Great and Columbus. But Bradford moved to Germany in 1868--before she had finished writing the book--leaving her printer, William J. Moses, to compile and edit Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman (1869). As a result, Scenes is disjointed, skipping from anecdote to anecdote with little regard for chronology. Moreover, fewer than half of Scenes' pages were written by Bradford; the book republishes a variety of newspaper articles, letters and documents related to Tubman's life, including the earliest substantive biographical sketch of Tubman by Boston abolitionist Franklin Sanborn. Bradford later revised Scenes and published a more cohesive version of the biography as Harriet, the Moses of Her People (1886). Bradford presents Tubman's biography as a "plain and unvarnished account of some scenes in the life of a woman," but her narrative makes Tubman into a mythic figure, a woman with the courage of Joan of Arc, the compassion of Florence Nightingale and the spiritual insight of Moses. Tubman repeatedly risks torture by returning to slave states, volunteers as a nurse during the Civil War, and also receives spiritual guidance in dreams and visions, when "her 'spirit' leaves her body, and visits other scenes and places, not only in this world but in the world of spirits".
Scenes of Childhood
by Sylvia Townsend WarnerIn the course of her brilliant career Sylvia Townsend Warner wrote superbly in many and diverse forms but never penned a memoir, properly speaking. However, from the 1930s to the 1970s she did contribute a series of short reminiscences to the New Yorker. Scenes of Childhood collects and orders those reminiscences, thus forming a volume that reads as a joyous, wry and moving testament to the experience of being alive. The collection evokes a recognisably English world of nannies, butlers, pet podles, public schools, 'good works' and country churches, but the resonances of these stories are universal - funny and touching by turns.
Scenes of Instruction: A Memoir
by Michael AwkwardScenes of Instruction is the memoir of noted scholar of African American literature Michael Awkward. Structured around the commencement ceremonies that marked his graduations from various schools, it presents Awkward's coming-of-age as a bookish black male in the projects of 1970s Philadelphia. His relationships with his family and peers, their struggles with poverty and addiction, and his eventual move from underfunded urban schools to a prestigious private school all become parts of a memorable script.With a recurring focus on how his mother's tragic weaknesses and her compelling strengths affected his development, Awkward intersperses the chronologically arranged autobiographical sections with ruminations on his own interests in literary and cultural criticism. As a male scholar who has come under fire for describing himself as a feminist critic, he reflects on such issues as identity politics and the politics of academia, affirmative action, and the Million Man March.By connecting his personal experiences with larger political, cultural, and professional questions, Awkward uses his life as a palette on which to blend equations of race and reading, urbanity and mutilation, alcoholism, pain, gender, learning, sex, literature, and love.