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The Cast-Off Kids
by Trisha MerryOne hot summer's afternoon, two abandoned infants are brought to Trisha and Mike Merry's door, forlorn and afraid. Their mother walked out on them. (They don't remember her.) Their grandmother tried, but couldn't manage them. And now their young father has given up on them too. These cast-off kids desperately need somewhere to live and a family to love them. They've come to the right place. Trisha and Mike welcome them into their home and their hearts. There are now ten children under five in this household, where every day is filled with cuddles, fun . . . and more than a few challenges. After ten eventful years of love and laughter, they are reclaimed by their jealous mother, a stranger, who sets fire to their memories and sends them to a succession of care homes. Finally the younger one sets out on a quest to find the only two people who have ever loved him.
The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont
by Shawn LevyThe definitive—and salacious—history of the iconic hotel that Hollywood stars have called a home away from home for almost a century.&“Fascinating, dishy, and glimmering with insight.... This is the definitive book about Hollywood&’s most storied hotel.&” —Cheryl Strayed, bestselling author of WildSince 1929, Hollywood&’s brightest stars have flocked to the Chateau Marmont as if it were a second home. An apartment building-turned-hotel, the Chateau has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: where director Nicholas Ray slept with his sixteen-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose; and Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. But despite its mythic reputation, much of what has happened inside the Chateau&’s walls has eluded the public eye—until now. With wit and insight, Shawn Levy recounts the wild revelries and scandalous liaisons, the creative breakthroughs and marital breakdowns, the births and deaths to which the hotel has been a party. Vivid, salacious, and richly informed, The Castle on Sunset is a glittering tribute to Hollywood as seen from inside the walls of its most hallowed hotel.
The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival
by Laura L. Sullivan Amra Sabic-El-RayessIn 1992, Amra was a teen in Bihac, Bosnia, when her best friend said they couldn't speak anymore. Her friend didn't say why, but Amra knew the reason: Amra was Muslim. It was the first sign her world was changing. Then Muslim refugees from other Bosnian cities started arriving, fleeing Serbian persecution. When the tanks rolled into Bihac, bringing her own city under seige, Amra's happy life in her peaceful city vanished. But there is light even in the darkest of times, and she discovered that light in the warm, bonfire eyes of a stray cat. <p><p>The little calico had followed the refugees into the city and lost her own family. At first, Amra doesn't want to bother with a stray; her family doesn't have the money to keep a pet. But with gentle charm this kitty finds her way into everyone's heart, and after a few near miracles when she seems to save the family, how could they turn her away? <p><p>Here is the stunning true story of a teen who, even in the brutality of war, never wavered in her determination to obtain an education, maintain friendships, and even find a first love and the cat who gave comfort, hope, and maybe even served as the family's guardian spirit.
The Cat Is My Grief Today and Other Poems
by P. P. Raveendran Kadammanitta RamakrishnanLife and works (including poems) of Malayalam novelist K. Ramakrishnan. Selected, and translated into English from Malayalam, by P.P. Raveendran.
The Cat Lover's Bundle: Homer's Odyssey and Love Saves the Day (2-Book Bundle)
by Gwen CooperAs an acclaimed writer of both fiction and nonfiction, Gwen Cooper touches readers with heartwarming and often surprising insights into the bond between humans and their animal companions. Featuring Cooper's inspiring memoir, Homer's Odyssey, and her cat-narrated novel, Love Saves the Day, this eBook bundle is perfect for readers who've ever known unswerving feline devotion, fallen asleep with a purring kitten nestled in their arms, or wondered what their cat was really thinking. HOMER'S ODYSSEY A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat "Touching . . . one not to miss."--USA Today The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention an underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen's vet called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who'd been abandoned. It was love at first sight. Everyone warned that Homer would be an "underachiever," but the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo who scaled seven-foot bookcases, survived alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen's life when he chased off a home intruder. By the time Gwen met the man she would marry, Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn't something you see with your eyes. LOVE SAVES THE DAY A Novel "Prudence [is a] sassy but sensitive feline heroine."--Time When five-week-old Prudence meets a woman named Sarah in a deserted construction site on Manhattan's Lower East Side, she knows she's found the human she was meant to adopt. For three years their lives are filled with laughter, tuna, catnaps, music, and the unchanging routines Prudence craves. Then one day Sarah doesn't come home. When Sarah's estranged daughter and her husband arrive with boxes, Prudence knows that her life has changed forever. Poignant, insightful, and laugh-out-loud funny, Love Saves the Day is the story of a mother, a daughter, and the irrepressible feline who becomes the bridge between them. Prudence, a cat like no other, is sure to steal your heart. Praise for Gwen Cooper Homer's Odyssey "Moving, insightful, and often hilarious, Homer's Odyssey is about a blind cat with a spirit of epic proportions. Read and rejoice!"--Sy Montgomery, author of The Good Good Pig "Cooper is a genial writer with both a sense of humor and a gift for conveying the inner essence of an animal. . . . The indefatigable feline should be an inspiration to us all."--The Christian Science Monitor "A wonderful book for animal lovers."--Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation Love Saves the Day "[A] poignant tale . . . [Gwen Cooper] once again demonstrates her compassionate fluency in felinespeak and proves equally adept at conveying complex human emotions with flair and sensitivity."--Booklist "A reason to stand up and cheer . . . Once again Gwen Cooper shines her light on the territory that defines the human/animal bond."--Jackson Galaxy, star of My Cat from Hell and author of Cat Daddy "A charming story of love lost and found . . . Love Saves the Day eloquently explains why so many of us would do anything at all for our pets."--Barbara Delinsky, New York Times bestselling author of Escape
The Cat Man of Aleppo
by Irene Latham Karim Shamsi-BashaThe Caldecott Honor-winning true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats. Aleppo's city center no longer echoes with the rich, exciting sounds of copper-pot pounding and traditional sword sharpening. His neighborhood is empty--except for the many cats left behind.Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay--he can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe.
The Cat Who Came Back for Christmas: How a Cat Brought a Family the Gift of Love
by Julia RompThe heart-warming true story of a little boy and the cat that changed his life. Julia’s nine-year-old son George was autistic. Quiet and withdrawn, he appeared lost in his own world. Then one day a small black-and-white stray cat appeared in her garden and George’s face lit up. George bonded with Ben and began to open up to his mother as well. For three happy years, the trio was inseparable and George made remarkable progress. But then disaster struck-Ben went missing and George regressed. The weeks turned into months, and Christmas was fast approaching, but on December 21, Julia got a call from a family more than fifty miles away, which finally offered a ray of hope . . . Genuinely touching, The Cat Who Came Back for Christmas is a story about devotion, love, and a holiday miracle, and is perfect for fans of Lil Bub, I Am Pusheen the Cat, and A Street Cat Named Bob. .
The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books: Christopher Columbus, His Son, and the Quest to Build the World's Greatest Library
by Edward Wilson-LeeNamed a Best Book of the Year by: * Financial Times * New Statesman * History Today * The Spectator * “Like a Renaissance wonder cabinet, full of surprises and opening up into a lost world.” —Stephen Greenblatt The impeccably researched and vividly rendered account of the forgotten quest by Christopher Columbus’s son to create the greatest library in the world—“a perfectly pitched poetic drama” (Financial Times) and an amazing tour through sixteenth-century Europe.In this innovative work of history, Edward Wilson-Lee tells the extraordinary story of Hernando Colón, a singular visionary of the printing press-age who also happened to be Christopher Columbus’s illegitimate son. At the peak of the Age of Exploration, Hernando traveled with Columbus on his final voyage to the New World, a journey that ended in disaster, bloody mutiny, and shipwreck. After Columbus’s death in 1506, the eighteen-year-old Hernando sought to continue—and surpass—his father’s campaign to explore the boundaries of the known world by building a library that would collect everything ever printed: a vast holding organized by summaries and catalogues, the first ever search engine for the exploding diversity of written matter as the printing press proliferated across Europe. Hernando restlessly and obsessively amassed his collection based on the groundbreaking conviction that a library of universal knowledge should include “all books, in all languages and on all subjects,” even material often dismissed as ephemeral trash: ballads, erotica, newsletters, popular images, romances, fables. The loss of part of his collection to another maritime disaster in 1522—documented in his poignant Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books—set off the final scramble to complete this sublime project, a race against time to realize a vision of near-impossible perfection. Edward Wilson-Lee’s account of Hernando’s life is a testimony to the beautiful madness of booklovers, a plunge into sixteenth-century Europe’s information revolution, and a reflection of the passion and intrigues that lie beneath our own attempts to bring order to the world today.
The Catastrophe Hour: Selected Essays
by Meghan DaumFrom the New York Times–bestselling author of The Unspeakable and The Problem with Everything comes a new collection of unputdownable essays.&“For the last five or six years, on many afternoons around 4 or 5 p.m., I&’ve been overcome with the sensation that my life is effectively over. Note the personal touch here. This is not a sensation of the world ending, which has been in vogue for quite some time now, and maybe for good reason. It&’s a distinct feeling of being at the end of my days. My time, while technically not &‘up,&’ is disappearing in the rearview mirror. The fact that this feeling of ambient doom tends to coincide with the blue-tinged, pre-gloaming light of the late afternoon lends to the whole thing a cosmic beauty, as devastating as it is awe-inspiring. As such, I&’ve dubbed this the catastrophe hour.&”Written between 2016 and 2023, these essays are classic Daum, showcasing the author&’s wit, her intellect, and her uncanny ability to throw new light on even the most ubiquitous of subjects. Delving into divorce, dating, music, friendship, beauty, aging, death and money, Daum&’s unflinching honesty and exacting observations secure her reputation as one of our most important and enduring essayists.
The Catastrophe: Kerensky’s Own Story of the Russian Revolution
by Aleksandr F. KerenskyIn this book written in exile, Aleksandr Fyodorovich Kerensky, recounts his fascinating eyewitness account of the Russian Revolution and the victory of the extreme Bolshevik faction in 1917.Aleksandr Fyodorovich Kerensky (4 May 1881 - 11 June 1970) was a Russian lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Justice in the newly formed Russian Provisional Government, as Minister of War, and second Minister-Chairman of the between July and November 1917.A leader of the moderate-socialist Trudoviks faction of the Socialist Revolutionary Party, Kerensky was a key political figure in the Russian Revolution of 1917. On 7 November, his government was overthrown by the Vladimir Lenin-led Bolsheviks in the October Revolution.
The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World
by Jessica NabongoIn this inspiring travelogue, celebrated traveler and photographer Jessica Nabongo—the first Black woman on record to visit all 195 countries in the world—shares her journey around the globe with fascinating stories of adventure, culture, travel musts, and human connections. It was a daunting task. But Jessica Nabongo, the beloved voice behind the popular website The Catch Me if You Can, made it happen, completing her journey to all 195 UN-recognized countries in the world in October 2019. Now, in this one-of-a-kind memoir, she reveals her top 100 destinations from her global adventure. Beautifully illustrated with Nabongo's own photography, the book documents her remarkable experiences in each country, including: A harrowing scooter accident in Nauru, the world&’s least visited country,Seeing the life and community swarming around the Hazrat Ali Mazar mosque in Afghanistan, Horseback riding and learning to lasso with Black cowboys in Oklahoma, Playing dominoes with men on the streets of Havana, Learning to make traditional takoyaki (octopus balls) from locals in Japan, Dog sledding in Norway and swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, A late night adventure with strangers to cross a border in Guinea Bissau, And sunbathing on the sandy shores of Los Roques in Venezuela. Along with beloved destinations like Peru and South Africa, you'll also find tales from far-flung corners and seldom visited destinations, including Tuvalu, North Korea, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Nabongo's stories are love letters to diversity, beauty, and culture—and most of all, to the people she meets along the way. Throughout, she offers bucket-list experiences for other traveler-lovers looking to follow in her footsteps. For armchair travelers or readers planning a trip around the globe, this arresting collection will awe and inspire!
The Catch of a Lifetime: Moments of Flyfishing Glory
by Peter KaminskyA gorgeously illustrated collection of first-person stories on the sublime joy of flyfishing Every fly fisher has one: that moment—that ineffable, transcendent moment—they can point to and say, That&’s it. That was when time seemed to stop and I felt fully alive. That&’s why I fish. Collected and framed by the award-winning writer Peter Kaminsky, The Catch of a Lifetime presents the moving first-person stories of more than seventy anglers recounting their catch of a lifetime. With its tales of brown trout in Montana and bluefish at Montauk Point, smallmouth in Minnesota&’s Boundary Waters and unforgettable adventures with giant taimen on the steppes of central Asia, bonefish in New Caledonia, white marlin in the Baja, and golden dorado in the tribal lands along the Amazon&’s headwaters, this gorgeously illustrated anthology is a transporting testament to the call that all anglers heed—to get out there and be one with the water. It distills perfectly the magic of the sport; you can&’t read it and not want to go fishing. The contributor list is a diverse who&’s who of writers, artists, sportspeople, and others who&’ve made flyfishing a singular passion, including Carl Hiaasen, Joan Wulff, Tom Colicchio, Charles Gaines, Rachel Maddow, Mark Kurlansky, Brittany Howard, John McPhee, Verlyn Klinkenborg, and Jared Zissu. Their encounters, their memories, the words they use to describe, say, a forty-pound salmon leaping into the air or the sight of a great blue heron soaring down the creek to steal a catch make this the book of a lifetime for any fly fisher.
The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg
by Nicholas DawidoffThe only Major League ballplayer whose baseball card is on display at the headquarters of the CIA, Moe Berg has the singular distinction of having both a 15-year career as a catcher for such teams as the New York Robins and the Chicago White Sox and that of a spy for the OSS during World War II. <P><P>Here, Dawidoff provides "a careful and sympathetic biography" (Chicago Sun-Times) of this enigmatic man. Photos.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Cathedral of the World: A Universalist Theology
by Forrest ChurchOn September 24, 2009, Forrest Church succumbed to a three-year battle against esophageal cancer. As his final gift, the beloved minister and acclaimed author wrote one last book, leaving behind a clear statement of his universalist theology and liberal faith. The Cathedral of the World draws from the entire span of Church's life's work, recasting public addresses and adapted book chapters, articles, and several previously unpublished pieces into a single argument. Giving new voice to the power of liberal religion, Church invites all seekers to enter the Cathedral of the World, home to many windows but only one light. "An essential read for anyone interested in liberal religion." -Publishers Weekly
The Cats of Moon Cottage
by Marilyn Edwards'My all-time favourite cat book' Jacqueline WilsonIndependent Septi is very much his own cat, established as lord of his domain within Moon Cottage. When Otto, a tiny delicate tortoiseshell kitten, joins the household, she must set out to win Septi over - in her own unique way. Written with unending humour and warmth, Marilyn Edwards' Moon Cottage cat memoirs perfectly capture the highs and lows of living with cats, and pay a touching tribute to the joyous and loving relationship we share with our feline companions. The books are also beautifully illustrated throughout by Peter Warner, the designer of the world-famous Whiskas cat.**Fully illustrated throughout**'At once engaging and uplifting - a colourful series that celebrates the many ways animals enrich our relationships and our lives' Karin Slaughter'Cat lovers will adore this book . . . A tender story of love between the author and her cats' Celia Haddon'All the many delights and a few of the heartaches of a life with cats are told with charm and wit. A vivid, honest, observant and involving book' Desmond Morris
The Cats of Moon Cottage
by Marilyn Edwards'My all-time favourite cat book' Jacqueline WilsonIndependent Septi is very much his own cat, established as lord of his domain within Moon Cottage. When Otto, a tiny delicate tortoiseshell kitten, joins the household, she must set out to win Septi over - in her own unique way. Written with unending humour and warmth, Marilyn Edwards' Moon Cottage cat memoirs perfectly capture the highs and lows of living with cats, and pay a touching tribute to the joyous and loving relationship we share with our feline companions. The books are also beautifully illustrated throughout by Peter Warner, the designer of the world-famous Whiskas cat.**Fully illustrated throughout**'At once engaging and uplifting - a colourful series that celebrates the many ways animals enrich our relationships and our lives' Karin Slaughter'Cat lovers will adore this book . . . A tender story of love between the author and her cats' Celia Haddon'All the many delights and a few of the heartaches of a life with cats are told with charm and wit. A vivid, honest, observant and involving book' Desmond Morris
The Cats on Hutton Roof
by Marilyn Edwards'A colourful series that celebrates the many ways animals enrich our relationships and our lives' Karin SlaughterMarilyn and husband Michael have known many happy years at Moon Cottage, with their cats Fannie, Titus and Pushkin. However, the time has come to make a dream come true, and for the family to move to beautiful Cumbria.However, as all cat-lovers will know, the feline companions in our lives do not always share our dreams, and getting Fannie, Titus and Pushkin on board with the change will be its very own challenge. . .Capturing the highs and the lows which come with living with cats, The Moon Cottage cat series is a testimony and a tribute to that unique and rewarding relationship which exists between humans and their feline companions in which cats, in their splendid complexity, remain among us, but not of us.**Fully illustrated throughout**Praise for the Moon Cottage cat series:'My all-time favourite cat book' Jacqueline Wilson'Cat lovers will adore this book . . . A tender story of love between the author and her cats' Celia Haddon'All the many delights and a few of the heartaches of a life with cats are told with charm and wit. A vivid, honest, observant and involving book' Desmond Morris
The Cats on Hutton Roof
by Marilyn Edwards'Acolourful series that celebrates the many ways animals enrich our relationships and our lives' Karin SlaughterMarilyn and husband Michael have known many happy years at Moon Cottage, with their cats Fannie, Titus and Pushkin. However, the time has come to make a dream come true, and for the family to move to beautiful Cumbria.However, as all cat-lovers will know, the feline companions in our lives do not always share our dreams, and getting Fannie, Titus and Pushkin on board with the change will be its very own challenge. . .Capturing the highs and the lows which come with living with cats, The Moon Cottage cat series is a testimony and a tribute to that unique and rewarding relationship which exists between humans and their feline companions in which cats, in their splendid complexity, remain among us, but not of us.**Fully illustrated throughout**Praise for the Moon Cottage cat series:'My all-time favourite cat book' Jacqueline Wilson'Cat lovers will adore this book . . . A tender story of love between the author and her cats' Celia Haddon'All the many delights and a few of the heartaches of a life with cats are told with charm and wit. A vivid, honest, observant and involving book' Desmond Morris
The Cauliflower: A Novel
by Nicola Barker“Maddening, funny, playful and beautiful…Barker has once again invigorated an old form -- the historical biographical novel -- through electric wit and sheer bedazzlement.”--The Washington PostTo the world, he is Sri Ramakrishna--godly avatar, esteemed spiritual master, beloved guru. To Rani Rashmoni, she of low caste and large inheritance, he is the brahmin fated to defy tradition. But to Hriday, his nephew and longtime caretaker, he is just Uncle--maddening, bewildering Uncle, prone to entering trances at the most inconvenient of times, known to sneak out to the forest at midnight to perform dangerous acts of self-effacement, who must be vigilantly safeguarded not only against jealous enemies and devotees with ulterior motives, but also against that most treasured yet insidious of sulfur-rich vegetables: the cauliflower. Rather than puzzling the shards of history and legend together, Barker shatters the mirror again and rearranges the pieces. The result is a biographical novel viewed through a kaleidoscope. Dazzlingly inventive and brilliantly comic, irreverent and mischievous, The Cauliflower delivers us into the divine playfulness of a twenty-first-century literary master.
The Cavalry Charges: Writings on Books, Film, and Music, Revised Edition
by Barry GiffordThe Cavalry Charges: Writings on Books, Film, and Music, Revised Edition is a collection of anecdotal reflections that relate many of the experiences that shaped Barry Gifford as a writer. Representative of Gifford’s body of work, this volume is divided into three sections: books, film and television, and music. Within these sections, Gifford’s best work is showcased, including a nine-part dossier on Marlon Brando’s One-Eyed Jacks in which Gifford examines the public and private lives of those involved in the film. New to the collection are four previously published essays: a brief look at the novels of Álvaro Mutis; a reflection on Gifford’s schooling under Nebraska poet John Neihardt; an essay on Elliot Chaze and his novel Black Wings Has My Angel; and a short piece on Sailor and Lula.
The Cavalry Maid: The Memoirs of a Woman Soldier of 1812
by Nadezhda DurovaNadezhda Andreyevna Durova, by order of the Emperor Alexander--cornet Alexandrov, Knight of military order. Moved by love of her motherland, she entered the ranks of the Lithuanian Uhlan Regiment. She rescued an officer and was awarded the George Cross. She served 10 years in the regiment, was promoted to cornet and achieved the rank of captain of cavalry. Born 1783. Died 1866. Peace to her ashes! May her valorous spirit serve eternally as an exemplar to posterity.
The Cecils: The Dynasty & Legacy of Lord Burghley
by David LeeThe Cecils: The Dynasty and Legacy of Lord Burghley looks at the lives of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Elizabeth I’s Chief Minister and Secretary of State and that of his son, Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury. Lord Burghley served three Tudor Monarchs in an unparalleled rise to power during the reign of Elizabeth I and his political influence on state matters, his remarkable close bond to the queen, and the self-sacrifice in his service to the state and crown, are closely examined in this unprecedented work. The life and career of William’s youngest son Robert, Earl of Salisbury, who also became Elizabeth’s Chief Minister as heir to his father’s political mantle, will also be discussed. Robert served his queen equally to, if not more ruthlessly than his father. His powerful position remained intact during the transition of the crown from the House of Tudor to the House of Stuart upon Elizabeth’s death in 1603. Robert’s loyalties and his relationship with his father remain a topic of discussion and debate. This book will also explore the transition of power from one Cecil to another, and how both men created a powerful dynasty and legacy that continues to fascinate readers today. The book is based on a close examination of William and Robert Cecil’s correspondence, personal papers, state papers, legal documents, and memoranda. By closely examining these sources, the author has gained a clearer insight into the lives and careers of the Cecil’s, the true powerhouse behind the throne.
The Ceiling Outside: The Science and Experience of the Disrupted Mind
by Noga ArikhaAs her mother slips into the fog of dementia, a philosopher grapples with the unbreakable links between our bodies and our sense of self. A diabetic woman awakens from a coma having forgotten the last ten years of her life. A Haitian immigrant has nightmares that begin bleeding into his waking hours. A retired teacher loses the use of her right hand due to pain of no known origin. Noga Arikha began studying these patients and their confounding symptoms in order to explore how our physical experiences inform our identities. Soon after she initiated her work, the question took on unexpected urgency, as Arikha&’s own mother began to show signs of Alzheimer&’s disease. Weaving together stories of her subjects&’ troubles and her mother&’s decline, Arikha searches for some meaning in the science she has set out to study. The result is an unforgettable journey across the ever-shifting boundaries between ourselves and each other.
The Celebrity Monarch: Empress Elisabeth and the Modern Female Portrait (Performing Celebrity)
by Olivia Gruber FlorekEmpress Elisabeth of Austria (1837-1898), wife of Habsburg Emperor Francis Joseph I, was celebrated as the most beautiful woman in Europe. Glamorous painted portraits by Franz Xaver Winterhalter and widely collected photographs spread news of her beauty, and the twentieth-century German-language film trilogy Sissi (1955-57) cemented this legacy. Despite the enduring fascination with the empress, art historians have never considered Elisabeth’s role in producing her public portraiture or the influence of her creation. The Celebrity Monarch reveals how portraits of Elisabeth transformed monarchs from divinely appointed sovereigns to public personalities whose daily lives were consumed by spectators. With resources ranging from the paintings of Gustav Klimt and Elisabeth’s private collection of celebrity photography to twenty-first century collages and films by T. J. Wilcox, this book positions Elisabeth herself as the primary engineer of her public image and argues for the widespread influence of her construction on both modern art and the emerging phenomenon of celebrity.
The Cello Suites: J. S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece
by Eric SiblinOne autumn evening, shortly after ending a ten-year stint as a pop-music columnist for the Montreal Gazette, Eric Siblin attended a concert at Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music. There, something unlikely happened: he fell in love with a piece of classical music -- Bach's cello suites. Part biography, part music history, and part literary mystery, The Cello Suites weaves together three dramatic stories: The first features Johann Sebastian Bach and the missing manuscript of his suites from the eighteenth century; the second is that of Pablo Casals and his incredible discovery of the manuscript in Spain in the early twentieth century; and the third is Eric Siblin's own infatuation with the suites in the twenty-first century. This love affair leads Siblin to the back streets of Barcelona, a Belgian mansion, and a bombed out German palace; to interviews with cellists Mischa Maisky, Anner Bylsma, and Pieter Wispelwey; to archives, festivals, conferences, and cemeteries; and even to cello lessons -- all in pursuit of answers to the mysteries that continue to haunt this piece of music more than 250 years after its composer's death. The Cello Suites is an incomparable, beautifully written, true-life journey of passion, imagination, and discovery, fuelled by the transcendent power of a musical masterpiece.