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Risking the Rapids: How My Wilderness Adventure Healed My Childhood
by Irene O'GardenA memoir of a dysfunctional, grieving family reuniting for a turbulent rafting trip, from an author with a “captivating talent for wonder and marvel.”?Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, LoveAfter the sudden death of Irene O’Garden’s older brother, she and her family decide to seek closure together by taking a journey through the remotest spot in Montana. The story of their harrowing trip on the river is intertwined here with the author’s account of growing up with her six siblings in a clashing Catholic family under the shadow of alcoholism.O’Garden’s father, a local TV personality in Minnesota, leaves his cheery public persona behind when he comes home and starts drinking martinis with his undemonstrative, icy-hearted wife. The children vary in their responses to profound anxiety sown in an atmosphere of neglect, psychological abuse, and rigid religiosity: One brother bites his fingers to gangrene. One relentlessly bullies the author, who begins overeating compulsively. One severs all ties with the family. Meanwhile, in the present, danger mounts as well on the raft trip, when unusual river conditions swell and speed the waters. Both stories build with escalating intensity to excruciating climaxes.Some memoirs shock. Some entertain. Some take us places we’re afraid to go. A rare few move us. Once in a blue moon, a book does it all. This is Risking the Rapids.“Enthralling.” —Malachy McCourt, author of A Monk Swimming“A deep and powerful memoir.” —Martha Beck, author of Finding Your Own North Star“Breathtaking . . . O’Garden adds a thoroughly welcome voice to the rich vein of American literature on the singular healing powers of wilderness.”? Florence Williams, award-winning author of The Nature Fix
Risks and Returns: Creating Success in Business and Life
by Wilbur RossLessons from A Wall Street Legend Turned Secretary of Commerce Before being named President Trump&’s Secretary of Commerce in 2017, Wilbur Ross had already earned a reputation as the &“King of Bankruptcy&” over his 55-year career on Wall Street. Often working on high-profile bankruptcies such as Pan Am and Texaco, Ross helped restructure more than $400 billion in assets, and was named among Bloomberg&’s 50 most influential people in global finance. After coming to Washington, Ross faced equally tough challenges, yet survived in his post for all four years.Risks and Returns: Creating Success in Business and Life explains how Ross got to the top and stayed there. Rising from humble beginnings in North Bergen, New Jersey, Ross applied simple principles with strict discipline—something readers can apply in their own quest for success. Ultimately, Ross&’s strategies and dealmaking skills led to relationships with King Charles, Warren Buffett, Carl Icahn, the Rothschild family, Steve Wynn, Lakshmi Mittal, Mike Milken, and many other famous personalities. Ross also documents his experiences with President Trump in the Oval Office. Whether you&’re interested in Ross&’s experiences as a neighbor of John Lennon in the legendary Dakota apartment building, celebrating with Sir Richard Branson on his private island, or his tumultuous time in Washington, you will find Risks and Returns to be a candid reflection of a life lived at the pinnacle of Wall Street, New York, and Palm Beach society, and the Trump administration. Above all, anyone driven to find career success will learn from Ross&’s life the strategies and mentality to achieve it.
Risky Living: Interviews with the Brave Men and Women who Work the World's Most Dangerous Jobs
by Tom JonesRisky Living is a fascinating collection of candid and intimate conversations with forty-five men and women who describe, in gripping detail, how physical risk is a familiar companion in their working lives, and how they deal with it. This is the first work of oral history to focus solely on people who work dangerous jobs. In the great tradition of books revealing the real lives of working men and women pioneered by Studs Terkel, Risky Living takes readers: Inside Antron Brown's car as he launches his top fuel drag racer from zero to over 300 miles per hour Alongside world champion bull rider Justin McBride as he attempts to stay atop a 1,600-pound beast Next to storm chasing videographer Jeff Gammons as he painfully remembers the screams of Hurricane Katrina drowning victims Right behind Cameron Begbie as he recalls fighting hand-to-hand against insurgents in Iraq Inside the huddle with two-time Pro Bowl NFL player Kassim Osgood In the back of the jeep with National Geographic wildlife photographer Andy Casagrande Down the shaft with coal miner Jeff Shiner Into the swamp with alligator trapper Tredale Boudreaux 100 stories up with high-rise window washer Walter Diaz Risky Living reveals who these daring people are, what they endure for a paycheck, and how they feel about their jobs. They speak for themselves, in their words, and what they have to say reveals much about who they are, what they do, and why they do it.
Risotto With Nettles: A Memoir with Food
by Anna Del ConteA wonderful, evocative memoir by the woman who first brought Italian cooking to Britain and fuelled a culinary revolution.'Anyone who cooks should have Anna's books, it is the simple truth' Nigella LawsonBorn in Milan, Anna del Conte grew up in Italy in a gentler time. When war came to Italy everything changed: her family had to abandon their apartment and the city for the countryside, where the peasants still ate well, but life was dangerous... As a teenager, Anna became used to throwing herself into a ditch as the strafing planes flew over, and was imprisoned, twice. Her story is informed and enlivened by the food and memories of her native land - from lemon granita to wartime risotto with nettles, from vitello tonnato to horsemeat roll, from pastas to porcini. Anna arrived in England in 1949 to a culinary wasteland. She married an Englishman and stayed on, and while bringing up her children, she wrote books which inspired a new generation of cooks. This is a memoir of a life seen through food - each chapter rounded off with mouthwatering recipes.
Risë Stevens: A Life in Music (Great Voices #10)
by John PenninoRisë Stevens (1913-2013) was a force of nature on the stage. From her humble beginnings in New York, Stevens'talent, determination and heart helped her rise up to perform on the greatest stages all over the world. Whether she was on the radio, up on the screen, or stunning audiences at the Met, her vocal presence was unforgettable. But in Carmen, Risë Stevens ascended to the level of legendary performers. The author, John Pennino, documents her amazing life, struggles and achievements. He also includes a detailed chronology and discography, and a CD of rare recordings. This book deals briefly with her post-operatic career.
Rita Moreno
by Rita MorenoIn this New York Times bestselling memoir, Rita Moreno shares her remarkable journey from a young girl with simple beginnings in Puerto Rico to Hollywood legend--and one of the few performers, and the only Hispanic, to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and two Emmys. Born Rosita Dolores Alverio in the idyll of Puerto Rico, Moreno, at age five, embarked on a harrowing sea voyage with her mother and wound up in the harsh barrios of the Bronx, where she discovered dancing, singing, and acting as ways to escape a tumultuous childhood. Making her Broadway debut by age thirteen--and moving on to Hollywood in its Golden Age just a few years later--she worked alongside such stars as Gary Cooper, Yul Brynner, and Ann Miller. When discovered by Louis B. Mayer of MGM, the wizard himself declared: "She looks like a Spanish Elizabeth Taylor." Cast by Gene Kelly as Zelda Zanders in Singin' in the Rain and then on to her Oscar-winning performance in West Side Story, she catapulted to fame--yet found herself repeatedly typecast as the "utility ethnic," a role she found almost impossible to elude. Here, for the first time, Rita reflects on her struggles to break through Hollywood's racial and sexual barriers. She explores the wounded little girl behind the glamorous façade--and what it took to find her place in the world. She talks candidly about her relationship with Elvis Presley, her encounters with Howard Hughes, and the passionate romance with Marlon Brando that nearly killed her. And she shares the illusiveness of a "perfect" marriage and the incomparable joys of motherhood. Infused with Rita Moreno's quick wit and deep insight, this memoir is the dazzling portrait of a stage and screen star who longed to become who she really is--and triumphed.
Rita Moreno: A Little Golden Book Biography (Little Golden Book)
by Maria CorreaHelp your little one dream big with a Little Golden Book biographyabout EGOT-winning actor, singer, and dancer, Rita Moreno. Little Golden Book biographies are the perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers!This Little Golden Book about Rita Moreno—Puerto Rican-born star of West Side Story and the first Latina to win an Oscar—is an inspiring read-aloud for young children, as well as their parents and grandparents who are fans.Look for more Little Golden Book biographies: • Betty White • Carol Burnett • Lucille Ball • Harry Belafonte • Julie Andrews • Dwayne Johnson
Rita Moreno: Memorias
by Rita MorenoEn esta lúcida autobiografía, Rita Moreno nos hace partícipes de su extraordinario periplo desde los sencillos inicios de su temprana niñez en Puerto Rico hasta que se convirtió en una leyenda de Hollywood y en una de las pocas artistas, y la única hispana, que ha ganado un Oscar, un Grammy, un Tony, y dos Emmy. A la edad de cinco años, Rosita Dolores Alverio, nacida en la idílica isla de Puerto Rico, se embarcó en una borrascosa travesía por mar con su madre, que la llevó hasta los turbulentos barrios del Bronx, donde descubrió que la danza, el canto y la actuación serían el escape de su accidentada niñez. A sus trece años, debutó en Broadway y poco después, en los años dorados de la meca del cine, se trasladó a Hollywood donde trabajó junto a estrellas de la talla de Gary Cooper, Yul Brynner, y Ann Miller. Cuando fue descubierta por Louis B. Mayer de MGM, el propio magnate declaró: "Ella parece una Elizabeth Taylor hispana”. Gene Kelly la eligió para interpretar el papel de Zelda Zanders en Singin’ in the Rain, que la lanzó a la fama y a su actuación ganadora del Oscar, en West Side Story. Pero durante mucho tiempo Moreno fue encasillada en el estereotipo de "versátil nativa” un rol que le fue casi imposible eludir. Aquí, por primera vez Rita reflexiona sobre su prolongada lucha por superar las barreras raciales y sexuales de Hollywood. Estudia a fondo la vulnerable jovencita que ocultaba su glamorosa fachada y cuánto le costó encontrar su lugar en el mundo. Habla con franqueza de su relación con Elvis Presley, de sus encuentros con Howard Hughes, y del apasionado romance con Marlon Brando que la llevó hasta un intento de suicidio. Y nos enseña los bemoles de un matrimonio "perfecto” y las incomparables alegrías de la maternidad. Impregnada del brillante desparpajo y la profunda perspicacia de Rita Moreno, esta autobiografía es el deslumbrante retrato de una estrella del teatro y el cine que anhelaba convertirse en lo que realmente es ella. . . y lo logró. .
Rita Will
by Rita Mae BrownWhen Rita Mae Brown writes, people often end up laughing out loud. So naturally, when the bestselling author of Rubyfruit Jungle, Venus Envy, and the Mrs. Murphy mystery series writes about her own life, it's a hoot, a rollicking ride with an independent, opinionated woman who changed literary history--the first openly lesbian writer to break into the mainstream. Now, in Rita Will, she tells all...and tells it hilariously.It is often said that the best comedy springs from hard times. And Rita Mae Brown has seen plenty of those. In this irresistibly readable memoir, she recounts the drama of her birth as the illegitimate daughter of a flighty blue blood who left her in an orphanage. The sickly baby was quickly rescued by relatives eager to adopt her but afraid she would not survive the long journey home. Her determination to live, and shock everyone by doing it, has become a metaphor for her entire life.Though raised by these loving adoptive parents and a wacky host of other interfering kin, Rita Mae Brown learned early on to be tough and to speak her mind. It was her refusal to be anything but herself that often brought her the most trouble. Here she tells of her tempestuous relationship with her adoptive mother, the mythic Juts of the novels Six of One and Bingo, who called her "the ill," for illegitimate, whenever she lost her temper, and who swore she'd introduce Rita Mae to the social graces, including the dreaded cotillion, even if it killed them both.Here, too, Rita Mae reveals how her headstrong support of social causes almost cost her a hard-earned education and her outspokenness in the early days of the women's movement got her drummed out of NOW, and how the release of her first novel, the scandalous classic Rubyfruit Jungle, made her an overnight phenomenon--the most famous openly gay person in America--and took her from the heights of the New York Times bestseller list to the surreal playhouse that is Hollywood.Through it all, Rita Mae has drawn strength from her profound bond with animals, from her abiding affection for the South and its native tongue, and from the great passions of her life. She writes with close-to-the-bone honesty about woman-woman love...including her love-at-first-sight relationship with a popular actor and her headline-making romance with tennis great Martina Navratilova. With her trademark humor, she unflinchingly bares her own flaws, flouting public opinion yet displaying the unflappable good sense that shows through everything she writes.A look into a woman's mind and a writer's irrepressible spirit, Rita Will is quintessential Rita Mae Brown--a book that feels like a kick-your-shoes-off visit with an old friend.From the Hardcover edition.
Ritmo Al Exito
by Emilio Estefan Karelia BaezDe uno de los empresarios más dinámicos del país: una doctrina de motivación para aquellos que quieren que sus sueños más ambiciosos se hagan realidad. ? Emilio Estefan -esposo de la cantante Gloria Estefan y fundador del legendario grupo latino Miami Sound Machina- personifica el Sueño Americano. Llegó a los Estados Unidos como refugiado cubano y se convirtió en un empresario y uno de los productores más exitosos de la historia de la música . Con la actitud optimista y la inquebrantable confianza que tiene en sí mismo y en su intuición, Emilio ha alcanzado el éxito a su manera. Ahora, en Ritmo al éxito, revela los pasos que usted deberá seguir para empezar y hacer prosperar su propio negocio, o para ascender en el mundo corporativo. Emilio comparte aquí los consejos prácticos que usted necesita saber para identificar sus valores, creer en sus propias ideas, y hacer planes que duren para toda la vida.
Ritz and Escoffier: The Hotelier, The Chef, and the Rise of the Leisure Class
by Luke BarrIn a tale replete with scandal and opulence, Luke Barr, author of the New York Times bestselling Provence, 1970, transports readers to turn-of-the-century London and Paris to discover how celebrated hotelier César Ritz and famed chef Auguste Escoffier joined forces at the Savoy Hotel to spawn the modern luxury hotel and restaurant, where women and American Jews mingled with British high society, signaling a new social order and the rise of the middle class.In early August 1889, César Ritz, a Swiss hotelier highly regarded for his exquisite taste, found himself at the Savoy Hotel in London. He had come at the request of Richard D'Oyly Carte, the financier of Gilbert & Sullivan's comic operas, who had modernized theater and was now looking to create the world's best hotel. D'Oyly Carte soon seduced Ritz to move to London with his team, which included Auguste Escoffier, the chef de cuisine known for his elevated, original dishes. The result was a hotel and restaurant like no one had ever experienced, run in often mysterious and always extravagant ways--which created quite a scandal once exposed. Barr deftly re-creates the thrilling Belle Epoque era just before World War I, when British aristocracy was at its peak, women began dining out unaccompanied by men, and American nouveaux riches and gauche industrialists convened in London to show off their wealth. In their collaboration at the still celebrated Savoy Hotel, where they welcomed loyal and sometimes salacious clients, such as Oscar Wilde and Sarah Bernhardt, Escoffier created the modern kitchen brigade and codified French cuisine for the ages in his seminal Le Guide culinaire, which remains in print today, and Ritz, whose name continues to grace the finest hotels across the world, created the world's first luxury hotel. The pair also ruffled more than a few feathers in the process. Fine dining would never be the same--or more intriguing.
Rival to the Queen: A Novel
by Carolly Erickson“An exquisitely realistic portrait of Tudor England” sets the stage for royal romantic rivalry in this “compelling” novel from a New York Times bestseller (Library Journal).From the New York Times–bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a novel about the rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin, Lettice Knollys, for the love of one extraordinary man.Powerful, dramatic and full of the rich history that has made Carolly Erickson’s novels perennial bestsellers, this is the story of the only woman to ever stand up to the Virgin Queen—her own cousin, Lettie Knollys. Far more attractive than the queen, Lettie soon won the attention of the handsome and ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a man so enamored of the queen and determined to share her throne that it was rumored he had murdered his own wife in order to become her royal consort. The enigmatic Elizabeth allowed Dudley into her heart, and relied on his devoted service, but shied away from the personal and political risks of marriage.When Elizabeth discovered that he had married her cousin Lettie in secret, Lettie would pay a terrible price, fighting to keep her husband’s love and ultimately losing her beloved son, the Earl of Essex, to the queen’s headsman.This is the unforgettable story of two women related by blood, yet destined to clash over one of Tudor England’s most charismatic men.“Rival to the Queen gives this forgotten woman a place in history.” —RT Book Reviews“If you are a fan of Carolly Erickson or historical fiction, this book is for you.” —Affaire de Coeur“Erickson writes gracefully.” —Publishers Weekly
Rivals Unto Death: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr
by Rick BeyerFrom the bestselling author of The Greatest Stories Never Told series, the epic history of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr's illustrious and eccentric political careers and their fateful rivalry. The famous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr was the culmination of a story three decades in the making. Rivals unto Death vividly traces their rivalry back to the earliest days of the American Revolution, when Hamilton and Burr--both brilliant, restless, and barely twenty years old--elbowed their way onto the staff of General George Washington. The fast-moving account traces their intricate tug-of war, uncovering surprising details that led to their deadly encounter through battlefields, courtrooms, bedrooms, and the wildest presidential election in history, counting down the years to their fateful rendezvous on the dueling ground. This is politics made personal: shrill accusations, bruising collisions, and a parade of flesh and blood founders struggling--and often failing--to keep their tempers and jealousies in check. Smoldering in the background was a fundamental political divide that threatened to tear the new nation in two, and still persists to this day. The Burr and Hamilton that leap out of these pages are passionate, engaging, and utterly human characters inextricably linked together as Rivals unto Death.
Rivals in the Tudor Court
by D.L. BogdanAs Queen Catherine's maid and daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, the future seems bright for Elizabeth Stafford. But when her father gives her hand to Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, the spirited young woman must sacrifice all for duty. Yet Elizabeth is surprised by her passion for her powerful new husband. And when he takes on a mistress, she is determined to fight for her love and her honor. . .Naïve and vulnerable, Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke of Norfolk, doing his bidding in exchange for gifts and adoration. For years, she and Elizabeth compete for his affections. But they are mere spectators to an obsession neither can rival: Norfolk's quest to weave the Howard name into the royal bloodline. The women's loyalties are tested as his schemes unfold-among them the litigious marriage of his niece, Anne Boleyn, to King Henry the VIII. But in an age of ruthless beheadings, no self-serving motive goes unpunished-and Elizabeth and Bess will have to fight a force more sinister than the executioner's axe. . . Praise for Secrets of the Tudor Court"A beautifully written story with wonderful attention to detail. I loved the book." -Diane Haeger, author of The Queen's Mistake"Throbs with intensity as it lays bare the secret delights of Tudor court life and the sudden, lethal terrors. A tale of innocence and ruthless ambition locked in a love-hate embrace." -Barbara Kyle, author of The King's Daughter
River House
by M.S. Sarahlee LawrenceRiver House is one young woman's story about returning home to her family's ranch and, with the help of her father, building a log house on the property. Sarahlee Lawrence grew up in remote central Oregon and spent her days dreaming about leaving her small town for world adventures. An avid river rafter through adolescence, by the age of twenty-one, Lawrence had rafted some of the most dangerous rivers of the world as an accomplished river guide. But living her dream as guide and advocate, riding and cleaning the arteries of the world, led her back to the place she least expected - to her dusty beginnings and her family's home. River House is a beautiful story about a daughter's return and her relationship with her father, whom she enlists to help brave the cold winter and build a log house by hand. Lawrence's father, landlocked on the ranch for decades, is a surfer who longs for the sea. Lawrence, a reformed river rat, has forsaken the water for a spell, determined to build a home. Together, they work through the harsh winter, father helping daughter every step of the way to achieve her dream. The surprise comes when Lawrence sees how she has helped him live his.
River House: A Memoir
by Sarahlee LawrenceAn exquisite blend of memoir and nature writing, River House is one young woman's story about returning home. An exquisite blend of memoir and nature writing, River House is the story of a young woman returning home to her family's ranch and building a log house with the help of her father. An avid river rafter, Sarahlee Lawrence grew up in remote central Oregon and, by the age of twenty-one, had rafted some of the most dangerous rivers of the world as an accomplished river guide. But living her dream led her back to the place she least expected--her dusty beginnings and her family's home. River House is a beautiful story about a daughter's return and her relationship with her father, whom she enlists to help brave the cold winter and build a log house by hand. Together, they work through the harsh winter, father helping daughter every step of the way.
River House: A Memoir
by Sarahlee LawrenceAn exquisite blend of memoir and nature writing, River House is one young woman's story about returning home. An exquisite blend of memoir and nature writing, River House is the story of a young woman returning home to her family's ranch and building a log house with the help of her father. An avid river rafter, Sarahlee Lawrence grew up in remote central Oregon and, by the age of twenty-one, had rafted some of the most dangerous rivers of the world as an accomplished river guide. But living her dream led her back to the place she least expected--her dusty beginnings and her family's home. River House is a beautiful story about a daughter's return and her relationship with her father, whom she enlists to help brave the cold winter and build a log house by hand. Together, they work through the harsh winter, father helping daughter every step of the way.
River Phoenix: The Biography
by John Glatt<P>On 31 October 1993, River Phoenix, the gifted young star of Stand By Me, Mosquito Coast , My Own Private Idaho , Running on Empty, Dogfight and Sneakers , collapsed and died of a lethal speedball of drugs on a cold pavement outside a Hollywood nightclub. <P>His death shocked millions of people worldwide. This first serious biography of River Phoenix is based on a year's meticulous research and more than 65 interviews with members of his family, close friends, fellow actors and directors, members of the Children of God cult and fellow rock band members.
River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
by Peter HesslerA New York Times Notable book, this memoir by a journalist who lived in a small city in China is “a vivid and touching tribute to a place and its people” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). In the heart of China's Sichuan province, amid the terraced hills of the Yangtze River valley, lies the remote town of Fuling. Like many other small cities in this ever-evolving country, Fuling is heading down a new path of change and growth, which came into remarkably sharp focus when Peter Hessler arrived as a Peace Corps volunteer, marking the first time in more than half a century that the city had an American resident. Hessler taught English and American literature at the local college, but it was his students who taught him about the complex processes of understanding that take place when one is immersed in a radically different society.Poignant, thoughtful, funny, and enormously compelling, River Town is an unforgettable portrait of a city that is seeking to understand both what it was and what it someday will be.“This touching memoir of an American dropped into the center of China transcends the boundaries of the travel genre and will appeal to anyone wanting to learn more about the heart and soul of the Chinese people. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal“This is a colorful memoir from a Peace Corps volunteer who came away with more understanding of the Chinese than any foreign traveler has a right to expect.” —Booklist
River in a Dry Land
by Trevor HerriotA landscape holds many stories, and in River in a Dry Land, Trevor Harriot's evocative book on Saskatchewan's Qu'Appelle Basin, the author-naturalist is determined to tell them all. In the summer of 1996, Herriot travelled the length and breadth of this 20,000-square-mile basin at the northeastern limits of North America's Great Plains. Though European settlers are new to this watershed, Herriot makes the point that this is not some place where nature was long "untouched by man" and recently ruined. Instead, he is more interested in the intricate relationship between people and the land that gives them life.
River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana and the Deadly First Voyage through the Amazon
by Buddy LevyThe acclaimed author of Labyrinth of Ice charts the legendary sixteenth-century adventurer’s death-defying navigation of the Amazon River.In 1541, Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Pizarro and his lieutenant Francisco Orellana searched for La Canela, South America’s rumored Land of Cinnamon, and the fabled El Dorado, “the golden man.” Quickly, the enormous expedition of mercenaries, enslaved natives, horses, and hunting dogs were decimated through disease, starvation, and attacks in the jungle. Hopelessly lost in the swampy labyrinth, Pizarro and Orellana made the fateful decision to separate. While Pizarro eventually returned home in rags, Orellana and fifty-seven men continued into the unknown reaches of the mighty Amazon jungle and river. Theirs would be the greater glory.Interweaving historical accounts with newly uncovered details, Levy reconstructs Orellana’s journey as the first European to navigate the world’s largest river. Every twist and turn of the powerful Amazon holds new wonders and the risk of death.Levy gives a long-overdue account of the Amazon’s people—some offering sustenance and guidance, others hostile, subjecting the invaders to gauntlets of unremitting attacks and signs of terrifying rituals.Violent and beautiful, noble and tragic, River of Darkness is riveting history and breathtaking adventure that will sweep readers on a voyage unlike any other.Praise for Buddy Levy and River of Darkness“In River of Darkness, Buddy Levy recounts Orellana’s headlong dash down the Amazon. Like Mr. Levy’s last book, Conquistador, about the conquest of Mexico, River of Darkness presents a fast-moving tale of triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds. . . . Though impromptu, the expedition was one of the most amazing adventures of all time.” —Wall Street Journal“An exciting, well-plotted excursion down the Amazon River with the early Spanish conquistador. . . . [A] richly textured account of the rogue, rebel and visionary whose discovery still resonates today.” —Kirkus Reviews“A rollicking adventure . . . Levy successfully conveys the Amazon’s power and majesty, while shedding light on the futility of humanity’s attempt to tame it.” —The A.V. Club
River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey
by Helen Prejean“River of Fire is Sister Helen’s story leading up to her acclaimed book Dead Man Walking—it is thought-provoking, informative, and inspiring. Read it and it will set your heart ablaze!”—Mark Shriver, author of Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis The nation’s foremost leader in efforts to abolish the death penalty shares the story of her growth as a spiritual leader, speaks out about the challenges of the Catholic Church, and shows that joy and religion are not mutually exclusive. Sister Helen Prejean’s work as an activist nun, campaigning to educate Americans about the inhumanity of the death penalty, is known to millions worldwide. Less widely known is the evolution of her spiritual journey from praying for God to solve the world’s problems to engaging full-tilt in working to transform societal injustices. Sister Helen grew up in a well-off Baton Rouge family that still employed black servants. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph at the age of eighteen and was in her forties when she had an awakening that her life’s work was to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people forced to live on the margins of society. Sister Helen writes about the relationships with friends, fellow nuns, and mentors who have shaped her over the years. In this honest and fiercely open account, she writes about her close friendship with a priest, intent on marrying her, that challenged her vocation in the “new territory of the heart.” The final page of River of Fire ends with the opening page of Dead Man Walking, when she was first invited to correspond with a man on Louisiana’s death row. River of Fire is a book for anyone interested in journeys of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief, and “catching on fire” to purpose and passion. It is a book, written in accessible, luminous prose, about how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.“Prejean chronicles the compelling, sometimes-difficult journey to the heart of her soul and faith with wit, honesty, and intelligence. A refreshingly intimate memoir of a life in faith.”—Kirkus Reviews
River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey
by Helen Prejean'Riveting ... Providing a window into the upheaval in the church during the 1960s and 70s, Prejean's engrossing memoir also fleshes out how she rose to be an influential voice within the church before becoming a renowned proponent of abolishing the death penalty. Informing and entertaining, Prejean's exceptional memoir will be of special interest to social justice advocates. Publishers WeeklyIn this revelatory, intimate memoir from the author of Dead Man Walking, America's foremost leader in efforts to abolish the death penalty shares the story of her growth as a spiritual leader, speaks out about the challenges of the Catholic Church and shows that joy and religion are not mutually exclusive. Sister Helen Prejean's work as an activist nun, campaigning to educate Americans about the inhumanity of the death penalty, is known to millions worldwide. Less widely known is the evolution of her spiritual journey from praying for God to solve the world's problems to engaging full-tilt in working to transform societal injustices. Sister Helen grew up in a well-off Baton Rouge family that still employed black servants. She joined the Sisters of St Joseph at the age of eighteen and was in her forties when she had an awakening that her life's work was to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people forced to live on the margins of society. In this honest and fiercely open account, Sister Helen writes about the relationships with friends, fellow nuns and mentors who have shaped her over the years, as well as the close friendship with a priest that challenged her vocation in the 'new territory of the heart'. The final page of River of Fire ends with the opening page of Dead Man Walking, when she was first invited to correspond with a man on Louisiana's death row.River of Fire is a book for anyone interested in journeys of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief and 'catching on fire' to purpose and passion. Written in accessible, luminous prose, it is a book about how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.
River of No Reprieve: Descending Siberia's Waterway of Exile, Death, and Destiny
by Jeffrey TaylerThe author of In Putin’s Footsteps chronicles a deadly trek through the icy Russian region known for gulags and isolation.In a custom-built boat, Jeffrey Tayler travels some 2,400 miles down the Lena River from near Lake Baikal to high above the Arctic Circle, recreating a journey first made by Cossack forces more than three hundred years ago. He is searching for primeval beauty and a respite from the corruption, violence, and self-destructive urges that typify modern Russian culture, but instead he finds the roots of that culture—in Cossack villages unchanged for centuries, in Soviet outposts full of listless drunks, in stark ruins of the gulag, and in grand forests hundreds of miles from the nearest hamlet.That’s how far Tayler is from help when he realizes that his guide, Vadim, a burly Soviet army veteran embittered by his experiences in Afghanistan, detests all humanity, including Tayler. Yet he needs Vadim’s superb skills if he is to survive a voyage that quickly turns hellish. They must navigate roiling whitewater in howling storms, eschewing life jackets because, as Vadim explains, the frigid water would kill them before they could swim to shore. Though Tayler has trekked by camel through the Sahara and canoed down the Congo during the revolt against Mobutu, he has never felt so threatened as he does now.Praise for River of No Reprieve“This is a fiercely evocative account of an astonishing journey, wrenched out of near-disaster.” —Colin Thubron, author of In Siberia and The Lost Heart of Asia“Nonfiction adventure at its best. A page-turner from cover to cover.” —Adventure Journey“Reads like a Dantean tour of purgatory, providing a gloomily beautiful glimpse of nature—and humanity—at its bleakest edges.” —Men’s Journal
River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge And The Technological Wild West
by Rebecca SolnitThe world as we know it today began in California in the late 1800s, and Eadweard Muybridge had a lot to do with it. This striking assertion is at the heart of Rebecca Solnit’s new book, which weaves together biography, history, and fascinating insights into art and technology to create a boldly original portrait of America on the threshold of modernity. The story of Muybridge—who in 1872 succeeded in capturing high-speed motion photographically—becomes a lens for a larger story about the acceleration and industrialization of everyday life. Solnit shows how the peculiar freedoms and opportunities of post–Civil War California led directly to the two industries—Hollywood and Silicon Valley—that have most powerfully defined contemporary society. .