- Table View
- List View
The Accidental Soldier: Dispatches from Quite Near the Front Line
by Owain MulliganThis book is absolutely incredible. It made me laugh more than any book in so many years. I found the writing just so unbelievably brilliant and hilarious and affecting . . . I am crazy about it! - Marina HydeI loved it . . . relentlessly funny and really well written - John OliverAuthentic and compulsive - Richard E. GrantA fascinating insight into the often farcical chaos and catastrophe of war. Reads like a non-fiction Catch-22. Compelling, enlightening and bleakly funny. A jaw-dropping read. - Matt HaigAn instant classic - a deeply funny and mordant book about war. - Richard CurtisOwain Mulligan was never what you'd call a career soldier. Nor even a particularly good one. At weekends he trained with the Territorial Army and dreamt of swapping the mayhem of teaching in a tough school for the adventure of service in Iraq. At least they'd let him wear a helmet in Iraq.But when the job in headquarters he's been expecting doesn't materialise, he finds himself on the streets of Basra during one of the most violent periods of the conflict. Between homicidal militias, a chain of command who seem determined to get him killed, and equipment which might well do it for them, he and his men have their work cut out. It certainly puts double geography with 9E into perspective.The Accidental Soldier is a searingly honest and darkly funny account of what it was really like being in the British Army in Iraq (including all the bits they probably hoped you'd never find out). We share all the hardships, fears, and occasional lunacy of military life as Owain and his men try to navigate a war gone badly wrong. One thing's for sure; you'll never look at the phrase 'military precision' in quite the same way again...------100% of the author's royalty earnings (expected to be at least £20,000) from sales of the book in the UK & Commonwealth will be given to War Child (a registered charity, charity number 1071659) and its wholly owned subsidiary War Child Trading Limited (a registered company, company number 05100189).
The Accidental Soldier: Dispatches from Quite Near the Front Line
by Owain MulliganThis book is absolutely incredible. It made me laugh more than any book in so many years. I found the writing just so unbelievably brilliant and hilarious and affecting . . . I am crazy about it! - Marina HydeI loved it . . . relentlessly funny and really well written - John OliverAuthentic and compulsive - Richard E. GrantA fascinating insight into the often farcical chaos and catastrophe of war. Reads like a non-fiction Catch-22. Compelling, enlightening and bleakly funny. A jaw-dropping read. - Matt HaigAn instant classic - a deeply funny and mordant book about war. - Richard CurtisOwain Mulligan was never what you'd call a career soldier. Nor even a particularly good one. At weekends he trained with the Territorial Army and dreamt of swapping the mayhem of teaching in a tough school for the adventure of service in Iraq. At least they'd let him wear a helmet in Iraq.But when the job in headquarters he's been expecting doesn't materialise, he finds himself on the streets of Basra during one of the most violent periods of the conflict. Between homicidal militias, a chain of command who seem determined to get him killed, and equipment which might well do it for them, he and his men have their work cut out. It certainly puts double geography with 9E into perspective.The Accidental Soldier is a searingly honest and darkly funny account of what it was really like being in the British Army in Iraq (including all the bits they probably hoped you'd never find out). We share all the hardships, fears, and occasional lunacy of military life as Owain and his men try to navigate a war gone badly wrong. One thing's for sure; you'll never look at the phrase 'military precision' in quite the same way again...------100% of the author's royalty earnings (expected to be at least £20,000) from sales of the book in the UK & Commonwealth will be given to War Child (a registered charity, charity number 1071659) and its wholly owned subsidiary War Child Trading Limited (a registered company, company number 05100189).
The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son
by Annie Lubliner LehmannA mother's honest, unvarnished, and touching memoir about the life lessons she learned from a son with autism
The Accidental Tour Guide
by Mary MoodyThe Year of Magical Thinking meets Salvation Creek in a powerful memoir of love, loss and discovery – the third act in an extraordinary life. Mary Moody’s bestselling memoirs about her adventures in France, Au Revoir and Last Tango in Toulouse, inspired thousands of women. The Accidental Tour Guide completes the circle by sharing another major turning point in her life. When Mary loses her beloved husband, her world is turned upside down. Part of her journey to reignite her passion for living is to boldly go where she has never been before – in her travels and in her everyday life. A powerful, moving and inspiring true story about how to rebuild your life without the people who matter most.
The Accidental Truth: What My Mother's Murder Taught Me About Life
by Lauri Taylor Candice DelongLauri Taylor was just your average suburban PTA mom and marketing exec. Then tragedy struck. When her mother is found dead in Mexico, Lauri finds herself embarking on a journey to uncover the identity of her mother's murderer-but what she finds isn't what she was expecting. With the help of famed FBI profiler Candice DeLong, Lauri works to unearth the secrets buried in her mother's death. Key evidence comes to light-and a shocking revelation unfolds. Lauri Taylor's memoir The Accidental Truth: What My Mother's Murder Investigation Taught Me About Life is a profound narrative of true crime, family bonds, and the grief of sudden death. Achingly intimate, The Accidental Truth chronicles Lauri's personal journey as she empowers herself with truth, finds the courage and compassion to forgive herself and her mother, and eventually learns to let go.
The Accidental Veterinarian: Tales from a Pet Practice
by Philipp Schott&“For all animal lovers ... Few books ... approach the combination of fine writing, radical honesty, and endless optimism found [in these] veterinary tales.&” (Booklist, starred review) With insight and humor, Dr. Philipp Schott shares tales from the unlikely path he took into his career as a veterinarian and anecdotes from his successful small-animal clinic. Dr. Schott brings to his writing the benefit of many years of expertise. Wisdom he imparts on readers includes the best way to give your cat a pill, how to prevent your very handy dog from opening a fridge, and how to handle your fish when it has half-swallowed another. Through these and other experiences, Dr. Schott also learned that veterinary medicine is as much, if not more, about the people as it is the animals. And he will have you laughing and crying as you embark on this journey of discovery with him. &“Filled with heartwarming stories any animal lover will enjoy. It&’s informative and entertaining, much like our pets themselves!&” ― eresa Rhyne, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Dog Lived (and So Will I) &“Who amongst us animal lovers hasn&’t fantasized being a vet? Well, read Philipp Schott&’s highly entertaining and informative book and learn exactly what you&’d be in for―all the poignancy, hilarity, and plain hard work. You may decide to keep your day job, but you&’ll be a much better animal companion for having picked up the many insider tips Schott imparts.&” ―Barbara Gowdy, award-winning author of The White Bone and Helpless
The Accompanist: An Autobiography of Andre Benoist
by Andre Benoist John Anthony MalteseBenoist moved from France to the US and became the accompanist of musicians such as Jascha Heifetz and Albert Spalding, with many tours, recordings, concerts and broadcasts over decades.
The Account of Fray Juan Pobre's Residence in the Maríanas 1602
by Marjorie G. DriverIt was not whim or impulse that prompted the Franciscan Fray Juan Pobre de Zamora to jump ship in the Ladrones, or Maríana Islands, in 1602. Though not yet colonized, the islands had been known to the western world from the time of Ferdinand Magellan's visit in 1521, and they had been claimed for Spain by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi during his stopover at Guam while en route to the Philippines in 1565.
The Accountant's Story: Inside the Violent World of the Medellín Cartel
by David Fisher Roberto Escobar"I have many scars. Some of them are physical, but many more are scars on my soul. A bomb sent to kill me while I was in a maximum security prison has made me blind, yet now I see the world more clearly than I have ever seen it before. I have lived an incredible adventure. I watched as my brother, Pablo Escobar, became the most successful criminal in history, but also a hero to many of the people of Colombia. My brother was loved and he was feared. Hundreds of thousands of people marched in his funeral procession, and certainly as many people celebrated his death." These are the words of Roberto Escobar-the top accountant for the notorious and deadly Medellín Cartel, and brother of Pablo Escobar, the most famous drug lord in history. At the height of his reign, Pablo's multibillion-dollar operation smuggled tons of cocaine each week into countries all over the world. Roberto and his ten accountants kept track of all the money. Only Pablo and Roberto knew where it was stashed-and what it bought. And the amounts of money were simply staggering. According to Roberto, it cost $2,500 every month just to purchase the rubber bands needed to wrap the stacks of cash. The biggest problem was finding a place to store it: from secret compartments in walls and beneath swimming pools to banks and warehouses everywhere. There was so much money that Roberto would sometimes write off ten percent as "spoilage," meaning either rats had chewed up the bills or dampness had ruined the cash. Roberto writes about the incredible violence of the cartel, but he also writes of the humanitarian side of his brother. Pablo built entire towns, gave away thousands of houses, paid people's medical expenses, and built schools and hospitals. Yet he was responsible for the horrible deaths of thousands of people. In short, this is the story of a world of riches almost beyond mortal imagination, and in his own words, Roberto Escobar tells all: building a magnificent zoo at Pablo's opulent home, the brothers' many escapes into the jungles of Colombia, devising ingenious methods to smuggle tons of cocaine into the United States, bribing officials with literally millions of dollars-and building a personal army to protect the Escobar family against an array of enemies sworn to kill them. Few men in history have been more beloved-or despised-than Pablo Escobar. Now, for the first time, his story is told by the man who knew him best: his brother, Roberto.
The Acid Bath Murders: The Trials and Liquidations of John George Haigh
by Gordon LoweJohn George Haigh committed five perfect murders – by dissolving his wealthy victims in sulphuric acid. Then he tipped away the resultant soup to avoid detection on a ‘no body, no murder’ principle and used his victims’ property to fund his luxury lifestyle of silk ties and flashy cars. Murder number six was less than perfect. When a guest in Haigh’s hotel disappeared, the police found half-dissolved body parts carelessly thrown into the yard outside his secluded workshop. But was the urbane Mr Haigh, the man brought up by strict Plymouth Brethren parents in Yorkshire and dressed like a city stockbroker, really the monster he said he was? Did he really kill six innocent people just so he could drink their blood? Using unpublished archive papers, including recently released letters Haigh wrote from prison while awaiting execution, author Gordon Lowe sheds light on whether Haigh’s claims were a cynical ploy for a ticket into Broadmoor Hospital, or if he was a psychopathic vampire with a penchant for disposing of his victims in acid.
The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary
by Susannah Cahalan&“Shines a light on one of the twentieth century&’s most amazing untold life stories. ... An essential read—and an unforgettable trip.&” —Robert Kolker, author of Hidden Valley Road &“Cahalan details a piece of lost but fascinating history, the story of a woman who embodied an era of freedom, experimentation, and psychedelic adventure. Meticulously reported and beautifully crafted.&” —Susan OrleanThe untold story of the woman who played a critical role in bringing psychedelics into the mainstream—until her audacious exploits forced her into the shadows—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Brain on FireRosemary Woodruff Leary has been known only as the wife of Timothy Leary, the Harvard professor-turned-psychedelic high priest, whose jailbreak captivated the counterculture and whose life on the run with Rosemary inflamed the government. But Rosemary was more than a mere accessory. She was a beatnik, a psychonaut, and a true believer who tested the limits of her mind and the expectations for women of her time.Long overlooked by those who have venerated her husband, Rosemary spent her life on the forefront of the counterculture, working with Leary on his books and speeches, sewing his clothing, and shaping—for better and for worse—the media&’s narrative about LSD. Ultimately, Rosemary sacrificed everything for the safety of her fellow psychedelic pioneers and the preservation of her husband&’s legacy.Drawing from a wealth of interviews, diaries, archives, and unpublished sources, Susannah Cahalan writes the definitive portrait of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, reclaiming her narrative and her voice from those who dismissed her. Page-turning, revelatory, and utterly compelling, The Acid Queen shines an overdue spotlight on a pioneering psychedelic seeker.
The Action Bible Christmas: 25 Stories about Jesus' Arrival (Action Bible Series)
by Sergio CarielloThis unique, family-friendly Christmas addition to the bestselling Action Bible line tells the story of Jesus&’ birth from 25 &“eyewitnesses&”—such as the young student in the East who first saw the star, Zechariah, the innkeeper, the dove in the stable rafters—and includes fun discussion prompts for great conversations throughout Advent and the holiday season. Stunning illustrations and intriguing original accounts of Jesus&’ birth make this a thought-provoking and fun new way to celebrate the season as a family.The Action Bible Christmas includes: Stories about Jesus&’ birth told from the viewpoints of 25 &“eyewitnesses,&” including a shepherd boy, his lamb, Simeon, Mary, an angel, and a donkeyQuestions to initiate family discussion about a variety of story-related topics Unlike any other book on the market, The Action Bible Christmas combines the ongoing appeal of Sergio Cariello&’s award-winning illustrations with a family-friendly format to invite children, parents, and grandparents to create a delightful new holiday tradition.
The Action Bible: Heroes and Villains (Action Bible Series)
by Sergio CarielloThis extensive, full-color guide to Bible characters includes fascinating facts and figures about the Bible&’s most curious but sometimes relatable people. Including all-new illustrations from graphic artist Sergio Cariello, The Action Bible Heroes and Villains draws in young readers with: Colorful info about the crazy origins, amazing occupations, and strengths and failings of more than 75 Bible characters.Historical background and &“Where Is It Now?&” guides to ancient and modern-day locations.Diagrams, stories, and fun facts about food, clothing, traditions, individual quirks, and miraculous interventions. From Adam and Eve&’s most embarrassing moment to the details of a Roman soldier&’s armor to Zechariah&’s hometown, the unique insights and dynamic illustrations in this jam-packed guide jump off the pages and into kids&’ minds and hearts as they meet people just like them whom God used in His redemptive story.
The Activist's Media Handbook
by David FentonA Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.
The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide
by Jenna FischerJenna Fischer's Hollywood journey began at the age of 22 when she moved to Los Angeles from her hometown of St. Louis. With a theater degree in hand, she was determined, she was confident, she was ready to work hard. So, what could go wrong? Uh, basically everything. The path to being a professional actor was so much more vast and competitive than she'd imagined. It would be eight long years before she landed her iconic role on The Office, nearly a decade of frustration, struggle, rejection and doubt. If only she'd had a handbook for the aspiring actor. Or, better yet, someone to show her the way—an established actor who could educate her about the business, manage her expectations, and reassure her in those moments of despair. Jenna wants to be that person for you. With amusing candor and wit, Fischer spells out the nuts and bolts of getting established in the profession, based on her own memorable and hilarious experiences. She tells you how to get the right headshot, what to look for in representation, and the importance of joining forces with other like-minded artists and creating your own work—invaluable advice personally acquired from her many years of struggle. She provides helpful hints on how to be gutsy and take risks, the tricks to good auditioning and callbacks, and how not to fall for certain scams (auditions in a guy's apartment are probably not legit—or at least not for the kind of part you're looking for!). Her inspiring, helpful guidance feels like a trusted friend who's made the journey, and has now returned to walk beside you, pointing out the pitfalls as you blaze your own path towards the life of a professional actor.
The Acts of My Mother
by Andras ForgachAn intensely personal exposé of what happens when family and politics collide during the collapse of the Hungarian Communist regime--for fans of The Lives of Others and The Reader.Thirty years after the fall of communism in Hungary, as András Forgách investigated his family's past, he uncovered a horrifying truth. His mother, whom he deeply loved, had been an informant for the Kádár regime. She had informed not only on acquaintances but on family, friends and even her children. In a work of heartbreaking intensity and nuance, Forgách must confront the truth about the woman who was simultaneously an informant as well as a tender and loveable parent, a victim and a perpetrator. In The Acts of My Mother, Forgách gives voice to his deceased mother, holding her responsible for her deeds while defending the memories he cherished of her as a son.
The Actual One: How I Tried, And Failed, To Avoid Adulthood Forever
by Isy Suttie‘Isy Suttie turns the painful process of growing-up into something laugh-out-loud funny, and for that I could kiss her’ – Bryony Gordon, author of THE WRONG KNICKERS
The Actual One: How I Tried, and Failed, to Avoid Adulthood Forever
by Isy SuttieA hilarious, razor-sharp debut memoir about the moment when you realize that your friends have all grown up and left you behind, for readers of Caitlin Moran’s How To Be A Woman, Jenny Lawson’s Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, and Kelly Williams Brown’s Adulting.Isy Suttie wakes up one day in her late twenties to discover that the deal she’d struck with her friends, to put off growing up for as long as possible, had been entirely in her head. Everyone around her is suddenly into mortgages, farmers’ markets, and going off the Pill, rather than running naked into the sea or getting hammered in a country pub with eighty-year-old men.After a particularly crushing breakup precipitated by Isy’s gifting of a human-size papier-mâché penguin to her boyfriend, her dearest friend advises Isy not to worry: the next guy she meets will be The Actual One.Heartened by this promise, Isy decides to keep delaying the onset of adulthood, whether that means standing on the side of a highway in nothing but an old fur coat and sneakers, dating a man who speaks only in rhyme, or conquering her fears of Alpine skiing by wildly overestimating her athletic ability. Insightful and laugh-out-loud funny, The Actual One is an ode to the confusing wilderness of your late twenties, alongside a quest for a genuinely good relationship . . . or at the very least, a good story to tell.
The Actual One: How I tried, and failed, to remain twenty-something for ever
by Isy SuttieIsy woke up one day in her late twenties to discover that the invisible deal she'd done with her best mates - that they'd prolong growing up for as long as possible - had all been in her head. Everyone around her is suddenly into mortgages, farmers' markets and nappies, rather than the idea of running naked into the sea or getting hammered in Plymouth with eighty-year-old men. When her dearest friend advises her that the next guy Isy meets will be The Actual One, Isy decides to keep delaying the onset of adulthood - until a bet with her mother results in a mad scramble to find a boyfriend within a month.From papier-mâché penguins to being stranded on a dual carriageway in nothing but a fur coat and trainers, THE ACTUAL ONE is an ode to the confusing wilderness of your late twenties, alongside a quest for a genuinely good relationship with a man who doesn't use moisturiser.
The Actual One: How I tried, and failed, to remain twenty-something for ever
by Isy SuttieIsy woke up one day in her late twenties to discover that the invisible deal she'd done with her best mates - that they'd prolong growing up for as long as possible - had all been in her head. Everyone around her is suddenly into mortgages, farmers' markets and nappies, rather than the idea of running naked into the sea or getting hammered in Plymouth with eighty-year-old men. When her dearest friend advises her that the next guy Isy meets will be The Actual One, Isy decides to keep delaying the onset of adulthood - until a bet with her mother results in a mad scramble to find a boyfriend within a month.From papier-mâché penguins to being stranded on a dual carriageway in nothing but a fur coat and trainers, THE ACTUAL ONE is an ode to the confusing wilderness of your late twenties, alongside a quest for a genuinely good relationship with a man who doesn't use moisturiser.Performed by Isy Suttie, and featuring three songs from the book. This audio edition also includes an exclusive extra song and a unique introduction.(p) 2016 Orion Publishing Group
The Adam Quest: Eleven Scientists Explore the Divine Mystery of Human Origins
by Tim StaffordScience and faith should be allies, not opponents, in the search for truth.But when it comes to understanding the very beginnings of life, it is no easy task to reconcile the history taught in the Bible with the discoveries of the scientific community.Author Tim Stafford watched the tension between the beliefs of Darwin and the teaching of Genesis shake the faith of his family, ruin friendships, and leave Christians in the field of science feeling as though the doors of the church were closed to their profession.He believes this civil war can stop. The scientific record and the truth of the Bible aren&’t mutually exclusive. The Adam Quest offers a compelling new look at the beginnings of life as Stafford puts questions of dinosaurs, genealogy, and the age of the earth to eleven world-class scientists.A sweeping book—touching everything from advances in genetics to a particle physicist striving to become Anglican priest—Stafford uses the stories and journeys of these remarkable men and women to provide a new diversity of answers. Scientific progress is carefully detailed, while the struggle toward truth and toward God is humanized.A deeply informative look at Christians working in science, this book is for both believers and those who harbor doubts—an intersection of faith and science, and a safe place for questions. Whether you believe in a young earth, intelligent design, evolutionary creationism, or something else, The Adam Quest offers a chance to strengthen your faith, deepen your knowledge, and bring science back into the church.Praise for The Adam Quest&“To a debate that usually provokes accusations, name-calling, and polarization, Tim Stafford offers a wise, mediating overview. For some, this book may well be a faith-saver.&”—Philip Yancey, author of What Good Is God?&“If you&’ve ever been troubled by the relationship between science, the Bible, and human origins—this book is for you. Tim is thoughtful of mind and generous of spirit—two qualities much needed in this discussion.&”—John Ortberg, Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, and author of Who Is This Man?&“Tim Stafford provides a glimpse into the lives of eleven scientists with a strong commitment to Christian faith who are involved in the creation/evolution controversies, representing different perspectives. He goes beyond the technical details of the debates to reveal the personal experiences that underlie each of their convictions. Everyone interested in science and faith would benefit from this insightful perspective of the human sentiment behind the wide range of positions.&”—Randy Isaac, Executive Director, American Scientific Affiliation&“The importance of Stafford&’s book is that it brings together the top advocates of the various creation positions and lets them speak for themselves. The personal stories put a human face on a debate that has split Christians from Christians, as well as Christians from non-Christians. I found the discussion of the personal histories of each author as important as the technical positions they defend. This is as much a book about the sociology of science as the details of creation. It lays out how science advances, how Christians practice their faith in their discipline, and how the science establishment responds to propositions that are not in the mainstream.&”—Robert K. Prud'homme, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Director, Program in Engineering Biology at Princeton University
The Adams-Jefferson Letters
by Lester J. CapponAn intellectual dialogue of the highest plane achieved in America, the correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson spanned half a century and embraced government, philosophy, religion, quotidiana, and family griefs and joys. First meeting as delegates to the Continental Congress in 1775, they initiated correspondence in 1777, negotiated jointly as ministers in Europe in the 1780s, and served the early Republic--each, ultimately, in its highest office. At Jefferson's defeat of Adams for the presidency in 1800, they became estranged, and the correspondence lapses from 1801 to 1812, then is renewed until the death of both in 1826, fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence.Lester J. Cappon's edition, first published in 1959 in two volumes, provides the complete correspondence between these two men and includes the correspondence between Abigail Adams and Jefferson. Many of these letters have been published in no other modern edition, nor does any other edition devote itself exclusively to the exchange between Jefferson and the Adamses. Introduction, headnotes, and footnotes inform the reader without interrupting the speakers. This reissue of The Adams-Jefferson Letters in a one-volume unabridged edition brings to a broader audience one of the monuments of American scholarship and, to quote C. Vann Woodward, 'a major treasure of national literature.'
The Adderall Diaries: A Memoir of Moods, Masochism, and Murder
by Stephen ElliottIn this groundbreaking memoir, Stephen Elliott pursues parallel investigations: a gripping account of a notorious San Francisco murder trial, and an electric exploration of the self. Destined to be a classic, The Adderall Diaries was described by The Washington Post as "a serious literary work designed to make you see the world as you've never quite seen it before."
The Adderall Empire: A Life With ADHD and the Millennials' Drug of Choice
by Andrew K. SmithIs there life after Adderall?Andrew K. Smith’s hooligan pranks and social impulsiveness paints a picture of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) before medication, and it would seem that the little orange pills could cure his mischief. But readers will furrow their brows as they enter The Adderall Empire, traveling with the author through the chemically conflicting mind states. Is working-memory training a feasible alternative? Readers will beg for the answer, hoping Andrew stops getting into trouble before his parents disown him or he winds up in jail. Again.Everyone is curious about Adderall. Young people abuse it, adults are addicted to it, teachers wish their students would take it, and parents consider prescriptions for their children. The Adderall Empire gives honest evidence of how working-memory training can change the life of a person with ADHD and provides readers with information about an alternative to ADHD prescriptions.Find out what it’s like to exit the Empire!
The Addiction of Mary Todd Lincoln
by Anne E. BeidlerMary Todd Lincoln, wife of the president we have immortalized, has always been difficult for us to understand. She could appear poised and brilliant one moment yet rude and ugly the next. Sometimes competent and strong, able to entertain dignitaries from around the world, at other times she appeared dependent and weak. At times she seemed utterly beside herself with sobbing and screaming. Historians have mostly avoided saying very much about Mary Todd Lincoln except in reference to her husband, Abraham. To many it would seem that Mary Todd Lincoln is still an embarrassment in the tragic story of her martyred husband. But Mary Todd Lincoln lived her own tragic story even before Abraham was murdered. She was an addict, addicted to the opiates she needed for her migraine headaches. Seeing Mary Todd Lincoln as an addict helps us understand her and give her the compassion and admiration she deserves. In her time there had been no courageous First Lady like Betty Ford to help people understand the power of addiction. There was no treatment center. In Mary Todd Lincoln's time there were many addicts at all levels of society, as there are now, but it was a more socially acceptable condition for men to have than for women. More importantly, addiction was not very well understood, and it was often mistreated. Because Mary Todd Lincoln's only surviving son, Robert Lincoln, made a great effort to protect his mother and his family from journalists and historians, he intentionally destroyed most of Mary Todd Lincoln's medical records and many of her letters. What he could not destroy, however, is the record of Mary Todd Lincoln's pain and the record of how she behaved while living with this pain. In The Addiction of Mary Todd Lincoln, we can see clearly, for the first time, what Mary Todd Lincoln had to live with and the courage it took for her to carry on.