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The Creators of Batman: Bob, Bill & The Dark Knight
by Rik WorthFrom an Eisner Award nominee: The story of Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and the real origins of the legendary crimefighter.In the early twentieth century, the emerging medium of comics was beginning to grab the attention of children and adults alike. Then, in the 1930s, superheroes revolutionized the entire industry—and culture as we know it. Gotham’s caped crusader, The Batman, swung into this pantheon of demi-gods in 1939 and secured his place as one of the world’s most beloved characters. This fascinating account dwells into how artist Bob Kane got all the credit for Batman’s origin while his co-creator, Bill Finger, was forced into the shadows, and how comic creators, journalists, and family members fought to have Finger credited for his work. The first prose book to focus on both Finger and Kane as well as cast of supporting characters from one of the most exciting times in comic book history, The Creators of Batman: Bob, Bill and The Dark Knight gathers everything we know about these two monumental figures and lays their stories side by side. Bringing together the story of these two creators against the exciting background of the American comic’s boom and Batman’s Golden Age, it looks at how Finger and Kane constructed the world of Gotham and its denizens, and grapples with the legacy the creators left behind.
The Cretan Runner
by Patrick Leigh Fermor George PsychoundakisGeorge Psychoundakis was a twenty-one-year-old shepherd from the village of Asi Gonia when the battle of Crete began: "It was in May 1941 that, all of a sudden, high in the sky, we heard the drone of many aeroplanes growing steadily closer." The German parachutists soon outnumbered the British troops who were forced first to retreat, then to evacuate, before Crete fell to the Germans. So began the Cretan Resistance and the young shepherd's career as a wartime runner. In this unique account of the Resistance, Psychoundakis records the daily life of his fellow Cretans, his treacherous journeys on foot from the eastern White Mountains to the western slopes of Mount Ida to transmit messages and transport goods, and his enduring friendships with British officers (like his eventual translator Patrick Leigh Fermor) whose missions he helped to carry out with unflagging courage, energy, and good humor.Includes thirty-two black-and-white photographs and a map.
The Crimes of Elagabalus: The Life and Legacy of Rome's Decadent Boy Emperor
by Martijn IcksThe four short years of Elagabalusâs rule have generated nearly two millennia of sustained attention, from salacious rumor to scholarly analysis to novels that cast him as a gay hero avant la lettre. Here, Martijn Icks succeeds in distinguishing the reality of the emperorâs brief life from the myth that clouds itâand in tracing the meaning of the myth itself to the present day. In 219 ce, when the fourteen-year-old Syrian arrived in Rome to assume the throne, he brought with him a conical black stone, which he declared was the earthly form of the sun god El-Gabal, who gave Elagabalus his name and lifelong office as high priest. Shoving Jupiter aside, the new emperor did the unthinkable, installing El-Gabal at the head of the Roman pantheon and marrying a vestal virgin. Whether for these offenses, his neglect of the empire, or weariness from watching the emperor dance at the elaborate daily sacrifices, the imperial guards murdered Elagabalus and put El-Gabal in a packing crate. Sifting through later accounts of the emperorâs outrageous behavior, Icks finds the invented Elagabalus as compelling as the historical figure. In literature, art, and music from the fifteenth century on, Elagabalus appears in many guises, from evil tyrant to anarchist rebel, from mystical androgyne to modern gay teenager, from decadent sensualist to pop star. These many reincarnations reveal as much about the ages that produced them, Icks shows, as they do about the bad-boy emperor himself.
The Criminal Child: Selected Essays
by Jean GenetThe Criminal Child offers the first English translation of a key early work by Jean Genet. In 1949, in the midst of a national debate about improving the French reform-school system, a French radio station commissioned Genet to write about his experience as a juvenile delinquent. He sent back a piece about his youth that was a paean to prison instead of the expected horrifying exposé. Revisiting the cruel hazing rituals that had accompanied his incarceration, relishing the special argot spoken behind bars, Genet wondered if regulating that strange other world wouldn&’t simply prevent future children from discovering their essentially criminal nature in the way that he had. The radio station chose not broadcast Genet&’s views. &“The Criminal Child&” appears here with a selection of Genet&’s finest essays, including his celebrated piece on the art of Alberto Giacometti.
The Criminal Conversation of Mrs. Norton: Victorian England's "Scandal of the Century" and the Fallen Socialite Who Changed Women's Lives Fore
by Diane AtkinsonA forgotten heroine of the women's rights movement is rescued from obscurity in this biography of Caroline Norton, a respected poet, songwriter, and socialite whose 1836 adultery trial rocked Victorian England. When George Norton accused his wife of having an affair with the British Prime Minister he sparked what was considered "the scandal of the century." Though she was declared innocent, the humiliated George locked Caroline out of their home, seized her manuscripts, letters, clothes, jewels, and every penny of her earnings, and refused to let her see their three sons. This detailed account of the Norton "criminal conversation" trial sheds vivid light on the desperate position of women in male-dominated Victorian society and chronicles Caroline's lifelong campaign to establish legal rights for married and divorced women, allowing them to inherit property, take court action on their own behalf, and in effect establishing them for the first time as full-fledged human beings before the law. Figuring into this fascinating story are Norton's friend and confidante Mary Shelley, longtime admirer Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, Queen Victoria, and other literary and royal heavyweights of the day.
The Criminal Mind: Gripping encounters with serial killers and true crime from Britain's leading forensic psychiatrist
by Dr Duncan HardingWHAT MAKES A MURDERER? Unraveling the Dark Psychology Behind Britain’s Most Notorious Killers From Forensic Psychiatrist, Dr Duncan HardingSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION 2025'Grips you from the start like a bestselling novel then takes you on an extraordinary journey … Riveting’ JOHN HUMPHRYS'Incisive, informative and occasionally shocking, The Criminal Mind is an engrossing book’ DR RICHARD SHEPHERD, bestselling author of Unnatural Causes'A penetrating insight into the darkest corners of the human mind. The most moving, surprising and compelling book you’ll read this year’ M.J. ARLIDGE, bestselling author of Eeny Meeny–A young girl burns down the family homeA man doesn’t remember killing his wifeA teenager’s visions and voices lead to murderOne question binds these and many others from the casebook of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrist: Why? What drives a person to commit seemingly inexplicable crimes?Dr Duncan Harding is the person the police and the courts turn to for answers – to establish a defendant’s mental state and motivation: their fitness to stand trial.It is a career that has brought him face to face with psychopaths, taken him to the limits of human compassion and to the darkest corners of his own troubled past.This then is a journey deep into the criminal mind . . .–PRAISE FOR THE CRIMINAL MIND'Not just another forensic psychiatrist’s casebook. . . . a moving account of how Harding became a child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist, caring for mentally disordered child and adolescent offenders' KEITH RIX professor of medical jurisprudence and forensic psychiatrist‘Superbly written, as tense as a thriller, this is a book that will make you miss the bus so gripping are these cases’ Daily Mail‘Harding’s riveting memoir is often very moving … it left me with a powerful respect for all the people in the health and justice systems who put their lives on the line to keep us safe’ MAIL ON SUNDAY‘A combination of medical coming-of-age tale and true crime that is particularly gripping … Harding writes with empathy and insight … each patient a mystery to unpick’ IRISH INDEPENDENT‘A fantastic read … a very accessible window into the darker recesses of human behaviour … hard to put down’ JUDGE DAVID WILLIAMS‘Not just another forensic psychiatrist’s casebook, but a moving account of how Duncan Harding became forensic psychiatrist’ KEITH RIX, PROFESSOR IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY
The Criminology of Edwin Sutherland
by Mark S. Gaylord John F. GalliherEdwin Sutherland is the acknowledged father of American criminology. This is the first full-length analysis of his work and his person. Unlike the European schools of criminology, which sought to locate deviant behaviour within the deep structures of the economy, Sutherland eschewed such explanations in favour of proximate and observable causes. He located the sources of crime in the association and interaction of specific groups of people. For Sutherland, crime as a way of life results from an individual's attachment to criminals for whom criminal acts are a measure of success no less than a way of life. In a series of publications, Sutherland expanded the horizons of the classic "Chicago School" of interactionists, and in the process founded criminology as a separate area of research while locating it firmly within sociology. As the authors show, Sutherland's work was inspired by strong moral concerns and a sense of the needs of society for social order without falling prey to either blaming the victim or pandering to sentiment about the joys of criminal life. In this sense, he is a model of the sociological tradition long deserving of the biography acknowledging his role as a master and pioneer. Yet Gaylord and Galliher have written more than an intellectual biography. They take seriously the need to fit Sutherland and his "theory of differential association" into a social and historical context. They are also aware and critically straightforward about the limitations of Sutherland's work in criminology, but place both his achievements and their limitations in a fully developed analytical context.
The Crippler: Cage Fighting and My Life on the Edge
by Chris Leben Daniel J. PatinkinIt takes a certain kind of person to do whatever is necessary to make a living as a mixed martial arts fighter. And it takes another kind of person to stand out from all the rest as both a wild man and a rock star. Chris Leben, otherwise known as "The Crippler,” is that kind of person. Leben’s reputation started when he appeared on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter, a reality show and competition where hopeful fighters live together and vie for a UFC contract and a path to greatness. He quickly made a name for himself with his controversial and abrasive behavior. During his subsequent ten-year career in ultimate fighting, Leben became one of the most recognized figures in the sport, enthralling audiences around the world with his wild, head-first style of fighting as he took on some of the world’s best fighters, including Anderson Silva, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Wanderlei Silva. But Leben’s success in the ring and international fame hid a troubled background. Abandoned by his father at a young age, Leben’s mother worked long hours to raise him and his two siblings, and Leben learned early he had to be tough to fend for himself. For most of his life, Leben struggled with alcohol and narcotics, and he was suspended by the UFC for nine months for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The Crippler is not just an exciting account of his rise to prominence within the UFC; it’s the incredible story of a renowned wild man dealing with his personal demons and learning that the toughest opponent is always yourself.
The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960–1963
by Michael BeschlossThe groundbreaking and revelatory tale of the most dangerous years of the Cold War and the two leaders who held the fate of the world in their hands. This bestselling history takes us into the tumultuous period from 1960 through 1963 when the Berlin Wall was built and the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the United States and Soviet Union to the abyss. In this compelling narrative, author Michael Beschloss, praised by Newsweek as &“the nation&’s leading Presidential historian,&” draws on declassified American documents and interviews with Kennedy aides and Soviet sources to reveal the inner workings of the CIA, Pentagon, White House, KGB, and politburo, and show us the complex private relationship between President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Beschloss discards previous myths to show how the miscalculations and conflicting ambitions of those leaders caused a nuclear confrontation that could have killed tens of millions of people. Among the cast of characters are Robert Kennedy, Robert McNamara, Adlai Stevenson, Fidel Castro, Willy Brandt, Leonid Brezhnev, and Andrei Gromyko. The Bay of Pigs invasion, the Vienna Summit, the Berlin Crisis, and what followed are rendered with urgency and intimacy as the author puts these dangerous years in the context of world history. &“Impressively researched and engrossingly narrated&” (Los Angeles Times), The Crisis Years brings to vivid life a crucial epoch in a book that David Remnick of the New Yorker has called the &“definitive&” history of John F. Kennedy and the Cold War.
The Crisis of Russian Democracy
by Richard SakwaThe view that Russia has taken a decisive shift towards authoritarianism may be premature, but there is no doubt that its democracy is in crisis. In this original and dynamic analysis of the fundamental processes shaping contemporary Russian politics, Richard Sakwa applies a new model based on the concept of Russia as a dual state. Russia's constitutional state is challenged by an administrative regime that subverts the rule of law and genuine electoral competitiveness. This has created a situation of permanent stalemate: the country is unable to move towards genuine pluralist democracy but, equally, its shift towards full-scale authoritarianism is inhibited. Sakwa argues that the dual state could be transcended either by strengthening the democratic state or by the consolidation of the arbitrary power of the administrative system. The future of the country remains open.
The Crisis of the Old Order 1919–1933: The Age of Roosevelt, 1919–1933 (The\age Of Roosevelt Ser. #1)
by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.A prize–winning historian looks at FDR in the years from the Great War to the Great Depression: &“Full of personalities and anecdotes and humor and drama.&” —The New York Times The Crisis of the Old Order, 1919-1933, volume one of Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning historian and biographer Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.&’s Age of Roosevelt series, is the first of three books that interpret the political, economic, social, and intellectual history of the early twentieth century in terms of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the spokesman and symbol of the period. Portraying the United States from the Great War to the Great Depression, The Crisis of the Old Order covers the Jazz Age and the rise and fall of the cult of business. For a season, prosperity seemed permanent, but the illusion came to an end when Wall Street crashed in October 1929. Public trust in the wisdom of business leadership crashed too. With a dramatist&’s eye for vivid detail and a scholar&’s respect for accuracy, Schlesinger brings to life the era that gave rise to FDR and his New Deal and changed the public face of the United States forever. &“While a lot of ink has been spilled profiling FDR, Schlesinger's three-volume work remains among the best efforts.&” —Library Journal &“Probably no more thoughtful or surgical or compassionate study of the period in the United States has ever been written.&” —The New Yorker
The Critic's Daughter: A Memoir
by Priscilla Gilman“Beautiful: honest, raw, careful, soulful, brave, and incredibly readable.” —Nick Hornby An exquisitely rendered portrait of a unique father-daughter relationship and a moving memoir of family and identity. Growing up on the Upper West Side of New York City in the 1970s, in an apartment filled with dazzling literary and artistic characters, Priscilla Gilman worshiped her brilliant, adoring, and mercurial father, the writer, theater critic, and Yale School of Drama professor Richard Gilman. But when Priscilla was ten years old, her mother, renowned literary agent Lynn Nesbit, abruptly announced that she was ending the marriage. The resulting cascade of disturbing revelations—about her parents’ hollow marriage, her father’s double life and tortured sexual identity—fundamentally changed Priscilla’s perception of her father, as she attempted to protect him from the depression that had long shadowed him. A wrenching story about what it means to be the daughter of a demanding parent, a revelatory window into the impact of divorce, and a searching reflection on the nature of art and criticism, The Critic’s Daughter is an unflinching account of loss and grief—and a radiant testament of forgiveness and love.
The Crocodile Hunter
by Steve Terri IrwinWhen Terri Raines was twenty-seven years old, she took a vacation that changed her life. Leaving behind her wildlife rescue work in Oregon, Terri traveled to Australia, and there, at a small wildlife park, she met and fell in love with a tall, blond force of nature named Steve Irwin. They were married in less than a year, and Terri eagerly joined in Steve's conservation work. The footage filmed on their crocodile-trapping honeymoon became the first episode of T"he Crocodile Hunter," and together, Steve and Terri began to change the world. In "Steve & Me," Terri recounts the unforgettable adventures they shared -- wrangling venomous snakes, saving deadly crocodiles from poachers, swimming among humpback whales. A uniquely gifted naturalist, Steve was first and foremost a wildlife warrior dedicated to rescuing endangered animals -- especially his beloved crocs -- and educating everyone he could reach about the importance of conservation. In the hit TV shows that continue to be broadcast worldwide, Steve's enthusiasm lives on, bringing little-known and often-feared species to light as he reveals and revels in the wonders of our planet. With grace, wit, and candor, Terri Irwin portrays her husband as he really was -- a devoted family man, a fervently dedicated environmentalist, a modest bloke who spoke to millions on behalf of those who could not speak for themselves. "Steve & Me" is a nonstop adventure, a real-life love story, and a fitting tribute to a man adored by all those whose lives he touched, written by the woman who knew and loved him best of all.
The Crocodile by the Door: The Story of a House, a Farm and a Family
by Selina GuinnessThe Crocodile by the Door by Selina Guinness - shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award - is a remarkable, compelling and moving memoir of a farm, a family and a home.When Selina Guinness and her partner Colin, both young academics, moved in with Selina's uncle Charles, an elderly bachelor, they had no idea what the coming years held for them: a crash course in farming, tense discussions with helicopter-borne property developers, human tragedy, and the challenge of dragging a quasi-feudal estate at the edge of Dublin into the twenty-first century. The Crocodile by the Door - a dazzling debut memoir that will appeal to fans of Edmund de Waal, William Fiennes and Richard Benson's The Farm - tells this remarkable story.'Something close to a small masterpiece ... enchanting and hopeful' Miranda Seymour, Daily Telegraph (five stars)'A surprisingly entertaining primer on the travails of farming today,from ungovernable sheep to unfathomable bureaucracy; a fascinating glimpse of what had become of the Anglo-Irish by the late 20th century and into the 21st; an elegant modern pastoral and, at the same time, an astute dismantling of that genre; and a meditation on the meaning of labour, and on how hard work shapes identity as well as achievement.... A remarkable book' Belinda McKeon, Guardian'Guinness is an astute observer and stylish chronicler of landscape, architecture and human character. ... she describes her domestic setbacks and achievements with engaging candour.' Irish Times'A memoir so exceptional that it deserves to be ranked as the Irish Book of the Year' Irish Independent'A very fine writer with a lovely turn of phrase ... Stories need adversity and the overcoming of obstacles and The Crocodile by the Door has plenty' Spectator'Astutely chronicling the wider story of Ireland's downfall through the prism of the farming life, Guinness's book is the unexpected hit of the year' Sunday Business Post 'Beautifully wrought ... The book is rich in beautiful imagery ... This is the story of bringing a landscape to life, and it is glorious' Evening Herald
The Crooked Mirror: A Memoir of Polish-Jewish Reconciliation
by Louise SteinmanA lyrical literary memoir that explores the exhilarating, discomforting, and ultimately healing process of Polish-Jewish reconciliation taking place in Poland today Although an estimated 80 percent of American Jews are of Polish descent, many in the postwar generation and those born later know little about their families' connection to their ancestral home. In fact, many Jews continue to think of Poland as a bastion of anti-Semitism, since nearly the entire population of Polish Jewry was killed in the Holocaust. The reality is more complex: although German-occupied Poland was the site of great persecution towards Jews, it was also the epicenter of European Jewish life for centuries. Louise Steinman sets out to examine the burgeoning Polish-Jewish reconciliation movement through the lens of her own family's history, joining the ranks of Jews of Polish descent who are confronting both Poland's heroism and occupation-afflicted atrocities, and who are seeking to reconnect with their families' Polish roots
The Cross At The Front; Fragments From The Trenches
by Reverend Thomas Tiplady"THE letters on life and thought at the Front contained in this volume were all written in tents and billets within range, or sound, of the guns. They were written quickly in odd moments and at the bidding of passing impulses. Under such circumstances literary finish was impossible, but it is hoped that they have captured something of the freshness of feeling which one has while passing through unusual experiences, and which is apt to evaporate with the lapse of time. I have attempted no battle picture nor description of military operations, well knowing that such things are beyond me. I have merely gathered up some of the fragments that remained-fragments which might have been lost if not picked up at once. These I have attempted to sketch for the benefit of those at home. I trust they will reveal something of the spirit in which our soldiers lived and fought, suffered and died."As the author states in his preface his memoirs are the little snapshots and vignettes of his time as chaplain in the British Army during the First World War. He was a chaplain with the Queen's Westminster Rifles in the Somme and Arras campaigns in France. There he caught trench fever, which laid him up for some time; after recovery, he was stationed at Abbeville until the war's end.
The Cross Timbers: Memories of a North Texas Boyhood (Personal Narratives of the West)
by Edward Everett DaleThe activities of a young boy on a small farm in the Texas Cross Timbers during the 1880s seem especially distant today. No one can remember the adventure of a sixteen-and-a-half-mile journey, which consumed the greater part of a day; or hurried predawn dressing in a frosty cold loft while the fragrance of a hearty breakfast wafted upward through the floor cracks; or a two-room schoolhouse, where the last half of Friday afternoon was given over to &“speaking pieces&” or to spelling and ciphering matches. Through the recollections of Edward Everett Dale we are able to view a pattern of life in rural America now gone forever. For The Cross Timbers is a story which, with but a few minor variations, could have been told about a vast number of small boys on farms cleared from the virgin forests in the timbered regions of many states. After presenting a brief introduction to the members of the Dale family and the plant, animal, and bird life of the Lower Cross Timbers countryside, the author describes his boyhood of a past century. He tells of his home, its furnishings, and the food served there, as well as the neighbors and relatives who come to visit. We learn of the superstitions, the humorous homespun expressions, the mores of early rural Texans. We hunt and fish with young Master Dale in the thick woods and along the clear creeks. Pioneer life demanded much hard work, but not to the exclusion of a diverting social life—both of which included the youngsters, as the author so graphically relates. Dale tells us also of the religious and secular education of the era, showing the significance of the home in supplementing these two influences. Anyone reading this volume must be impressed by the great differences in the lifeways of rural children today and of those of the end of the nineteenth century.
The Cross and The Scalpel: The Untold Story
by Gwen WilkersonAs her husband, David, grew in prominence in public ministry, Gwen Wilkerson found herself waging war with formidable enemies on the home front. Readers who have been inspired by David's bestselling book, The Cross and the Switchblade, will be touched by the inside story Gwen presents-her struggles with depression, the ravages of cancer, and marital strife. Gwen takes readers on a journey of faith as she discovers firsthand that the power of God can conquer pain, disease, and heartache. In this expanded version of an earlier book, she gives hope to anyone confronting a difficult passage in life. As a tool for women in crisis, as well as for pastors, intercessors, and church leaders, this book offers more than coping skills; it teaches by experience how to abide in God's strength and actually see miracles take place. With simplicity, candor, and vulnerability, Gwen shows readers how to use suffering as a springboard for spiritual growth. No situation is so hopeless, no relationship so lost that the answer cannot be found by trusting in God's strength.
The Crossing
by Kathy Watson*Now a Major Film*On the night of 24 August 1875 Matthew Webb, a 27-year-old British Navy captain, launched himself into the English Channel at Dover. Twenty-one hours and 45 minutes later he became the first man to swim the English Channel. In this acclaimed biography, Kathy Watson shows how Captain Webb was instrumental in bringing the sport of swimming into the modern era. It is also a study of the Victorian drive to push back the boundaries of endurance. In THE CROSSING, Watson uses this great British eccentric's extraordinary life as a springboard to explore themes of obsession and failure and the emerging force of the media, and swimming's place in our psyche.
The Crossing
by Kathy Watson*Now a Major Film*On the night of 24 August 1875 Matthew Webb, a 27-year-old British Navy captain, launched himself into the English Channel at Dover. Twenty-one hours and 45 minutes later he became the first man to swim the English Channel. In this acclaimed biography, Kathy Watson shows how Captain Webb was instrumental in bringing the sport of swimming into the modern era. It is also a study of the Victorian drive to push back the boundaries of endurance. In THE CROSSING, Watson uses this great British eccentric's extraordinary life as a springboard to explore themes of obsession and failure and the emerging force of the media, and swimming's place in our psyche.
The Crossing: A Novel
by Howard FastA novel about George Washington&’s trip across the Delaware River and the Battle of Trenton by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Spartacus. Immortalized on canvas by Emanuel Leutze, Washington&’s journey across the Delaware River is one of the most celebrated moments in American history. But the true story of the crossing, and of what came after, is often lost in the legend. In The Crossing, Howard Fast, author of The Immigrants and April Morning, writes with striking historical detail and relentless narrative drive about Washington&’s surprise attack, leading the Continental Army to its Revolutionary War victory against the one thousand Hessian mercenaries in Trenton, New Jersey—a momentous occasion in American history. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
The Crossing: Conquering the Atlantic in the World's Toughest Rowing Race
by Ben Fogle James CracknellWhen James Cracknell and Ben Fogle decided to compete in the Atlantic Rowing Race, they thought they knew what awaited them: nearly three thousand miles of empty ocean, stormy weather and colossal physical stress. But their epic journey would become at times, a living hell that tested the strength of every fibre of their being. Yet, forty-seven days later, James and Ben were the first pair to cross the finishing line - overtaking one of the four-man teams in the process - becoming the first British pair ever to win the race. They pushed themselves physically, psychologically and emotionally to the limit. They survived without water rations for two days, lost the few clothes they had in a freak wave, capsized, hallucinated, wept, fought, played games, grew beards, nursed blisters and rowed 2,930 miles. They will never be the same again.
The Crossing: My journey to the shattered heart of Syria
by Samar Yazbek'ONE OF THE FIRST POLITICAL CLASSICS OF THE 21st CENTURY'- Observer'EXTRAORDINARILY POWERFUL, POIGNANT AND AFFECTING. I WAS GREATLY MOVED' Michael PalinFOREWORD BY CHRISTINA LAMBJournalist Samar Yazbek was forced into exile by Assad's regime. When the uprising in Syria turned to bloodshed, she was determined to take action and secretly returned several times. The Crossing is her rare, powerful and courageous testament to what she found inside the borders of her homeland.From the first peaceful protests for democracy to the arrival of ISIS, she bears witness to those struggling to survive, to the humanity that can flower amidst annihilation, and why so many are now desperate to flee.
The Crosswicks Journals: A Circle of Quiet, The Summer of the Great-Grandmother, The Irrational Season, and Two-Part Invention (The Crosswicks Journals #3)
by Madeleine L'EngleThe New York Times–bestselling author of A Wrinkle in Time takes an introspective look at her life and muses on creativity in these four memoirs. Set against the lush backdrop of Crosswicks, Madeleine L&’Engle&’s family farmhouse in rural Connecticut, this series of memoirs reveals the complexity behind the beloved author whose works have long been cherished by children and adults alike. A Circle of Quiet: In a deeply personal account, L&’Engle shares her journey to find balance between her career as an author and her responsibilities as a wife, mother, teacher, and Christian. The Summer of the Great-Grandmother: Four generations of family have gathered at Crosswicks to care for L&’Engle&’s ninety-year-old mother, whose health is rapidly declining and whose once astute mind is slipping into senility. L&’Engle takes an unflinching look at diminishment and death, all the while celebrating the wonder of life and the bonds between mothers and daughters. The Irrational Season: Exploring the intersection of science and religion, L&’Engle uncovers how her spiritual convictions inform and enrich the everyday. The memoir follows the liturgical year from one Advent to the next, with L&’Engle&’s reflections on the changing seasons in her own life as a writer, wife, mother, and global citizen. Two-Part Invention: L&’Engle beautifully evokes the life she and her husband, actor Hugh Franklin, built and the family they cherished. Beginning with their very different childhoods, their life in New York City in the 1940s, and their years spent raising their children at Crosswicks, this is L&’Engle&’s most personal work yet. Offering a new perspective into her writing and life and how the two inform each other, the National Book Award–winning author explores the meanings behind motherhood, marriage, and faith.
The Crowd Sounds Happy: A Story of Love, Madness, and Baseball
by Nicholas DawidoffGrowing up in a doomed hometown with a missing father and a single mother, Nicholas Dawidoff listened to baseball every night on his bedside radio, the professional ballplayers gradually becoming the men in his life. A portrait of a childhood shaped by a stoical, enterprising mother, a disturbed, dangerous father, the private world of baseball, and the awkwardness of first love,The Crowd Sounds Happyis the moving tale of a spirited boy's coming-of-age in troubled times.