- Table View
- List View
The Devadasi and the Saint: The Life and Times of Bangalore Nagarathnamma
by V. SriramIn this book, rise and fall of the Devadasi tradition is intertwined with the life and times of Bangalore Nagarathnamma. She was an exceptional woman, a champion of the rights of Devadasis. Her devotion to the poet-composer, Tyagaraja, is legendary.
The Development Of Ethics: A Historical And Critical Study Volume 1 From Socrates to the Reformation
by Terence IrwinThe present volume begins with Socrates, the Cyrenaics and Cynics, and Plato, and then offers a fuller account of Aristotle, stressing the systematic naturalism of his position. The Stoic position is compared with the Aristotelian at some length; Epicureans and Sceptics are discussed more briefly. Chapters on early Christianity and on Augustine introduce a fuller examination of Aquinas' revision, elaboration, and defence of Aristotelian naturalism. The volume closes with an account of some criticisms of the Aristotelian outlook by Scotus, Ockham, Machiavelli, and some sixteenth-century Reformers. The emphasis of the book is not purely descriptive, narrative, or exegetical, but also philosophical. Irwin discusses the comparative merits of different views, the difficulties that they raise, and how some of the difficulties might be resolved. The book tries to present the leading moral philosophers of the past as participants in a rational discussion that is still being carried on, and tries to help the reader to participate in this discussion.
The Development of Sacramentalism (Routledge Revivals)
by J. W. WandFirst published in 1928, The Development of Sacramentalism traces the history of the fundamental presuppositions upon which the doctrine of sacraments is built from primitive religions, through the Old Testament and the Mystery Cults. This book will be of interest to students of history and religion.
The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America
by Eric CerviniFrom a young Harvard- and Cambridge-trained historian, the secret history of the fight for gay rights that began a generation before Stonewall. <p><p> In 1957, Frank Kameny, a rising astronomer working for the U.S. Defense Department in Hawaii, received a summons to report immediately to Washington, D.C. The Pentagon had reason to believe he was a homosexual, and after a series of humiliating interviews, Kameny, like countless gay men and women before him, was promptly dismissed from his government job. Unlike many others, though, Kameny fought back. <p> Based on firsthand accounts, recently declassified FBI records, and forty thousand personal documents, Eric Cervini's The Deviant's War unfolds over the course of the 1960s, as the Mattachine Society of Washington, the group Kameny founded, became the first organization to protest the systematic persecution of gay federal employees. It traces the forgotten ties that bound gay rights to the Black Freedom Movement, the New Left, lesbian activism, and trans resistance. Above all, it is a story of America (and Washington) at a cultural and sexual crossroads; of shocking, byzantine public battles with Congress; of FBI informants; murder; betrayal; sex; love; and ultimately victory. <p> <b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Devil Finds Work: An Essay (Vintage International #1)
by James BaldwinFrom "the best essayist in this country&” (The New York Times Book Review) comes an incisive book-length essay about racism in American movies that challenges the underlying assumptions in many of the films that have shaped our consciousness. Baldwin&’s personal reflections on movies gathered here in a book-length essay are also an appraisal of American racial politics. Offering a look at racism in American movies and a vision of America&’s self-delusions and deceptions, Baldwin considers such films as In the Heat of the Night, Guess Who&’s Coming to Dinner, and The Exorcist.Here are our loves and hates, biases and cruelties, fears and ignorance reflected by the films that have entertained and shaped us. And here too is the stunning prose of a writer whose passion never diminished his struggle for equality, justice, and social change.
The Devil Made the Small Town
by Dorothy LyonsOnce I said to Connie, my closest friend, "People keep saying I ought to write the story of the family, but I don't see how mine is any different from any others." She shot me a startled glance and after a moment said only, "Oh! brother!" Through the years my kin has urged me to put down some of the family anecdotes, all of which were told me by Mother whose prodigious memory gets most of the credit. Now at last in my seventy-fifth year I have done so lest they be lost with me and the young members be cheated of any feeling of family, or think that it sprang full-blown in the 20th century. In some instances I have dressed up these stories (or legends)--maybe fleshed them out is more accurate. The community where my family and I grew up could be Everytown or Anytown, U.S.A. Since those Toonerville cartoons of so long ago, the name epitomizes America's small towns and I have used it as such. I am sure there are errors and misstatements as in all works that depend on that frail instrument, the human memory, but I have kept it as accurate as I could. A few times I may have mixed names up harmlessly, and in some instances I have deliberately changed names to protect the guilty. Possibly the readers' biggest problem is that the entire work is organized by subject rather than chronology. This means sudden changes of time and place and, perforce, some shifting back and forth, but if you will just "roll with the punches" it will all blend into the whole. Bon appetit.
The Devil Rides Out: Wickedly funny and painfully honest stories from Paul O’Grady
by Paul O'GradyTHE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER'Far and away the best writer of the lot . . . his turn of phrase is a joy.' The Sunday TimesBirkenhead, 1973. The eighteen-year-old Paul O'Grady gets ready for a big Saturday night out on the town. New white T-shirt, freshly ironed jeans, looking good. As he bids farewell to his mum, who's on the phone to his auntie, and wanders off down the street in a cloud of aftershave, he hears her familiar cry: 'Oh, the devil rides out tonight, Annie. The devil rides out!'The further adventures of Paul O'Grady - following on from the million-copy-selling At My Mother's Knee - are, if anything, even more hilarious and outrageous than what has come before. To say that The Devil Rides Out is action-packed is an understatement. Its extraordinary cast of characters includes lords and ladies, the legendary Vera, a serial killer, more prostitutes than you can shake a stick at and drag queens of every shape and size. Wickedly funny, often moving, and searingly honest, Paul's tales of the unexpected will make your jaw drop and your hair stand on end. And you'll laugh like a drain. The Devil Rides Out is one hell of a read!Readers love The Devil Rides Out:'At times heart-breaking but . . . incredibly funny.' *****'A powerful story of the man behind the persona . . . the most fabulous and modest tart with a heart of gold.' *****'Very down to earth, heart-breaking at times but Paul always comes back making you laugh.' *****
The Devil Soldier: The American Soldier of Fortune Who Became a God in China
by Caleb CarrThe story of Frederick Townsend Ward, who helped win key battles for the Emperor during the Chinese Taiping Rebellion.
The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto
by Charles M. BlowINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA New York Times Editor’s Choice | A Kirkus Best Nonfiction Book of the YearThe Inspiration for the HBO Original Documentary South to Black PowerFrom journalist and New York Times bestselling author Charles Blow comes a powerful manifesto and call to action, "a must-read in the effort to dismantle deep-seated poisons of systemic racism and white supremacy" (San Francisco Chronicle).Race, as we have come to understand it, is a fiction; but, racism, as we have come to live it, is a fact. The point here is not to impose a new racial hierarchy, but to remove an existing one. After centuries of waiting for white majorities to overturn white supremacy, it seems to me that it has fallen to Black people to do it themselves.Acclaimed columnist and author Charles Blow never wanted to write a “race book.” But as violence against Black people—both physical and psychological—seemed only to increase in recent years, culminating in the historic pandemic and protests of the summer of 2020, he felt compelled to write a new story for Black Americans. He envisioned a succinct, counterintuitive, and impassioned corrective to the myths that have for too long governed our thinking about race and geography in America. Drawing on both political observations and personal experience as a Black son of the South, Charles set out to offer a call to action by which Black people can finally achieve equality, on their own terms.So what will it take to make lasting change when small steps have so frequently failed? It’s going to take an unprecedented shift in power. The Devil You Know is a groundbreaking manifesto, proposing nothing short of the most audacious power play by Black people in the history of this country. This book is a grand exhortation to generations of a people, offering a road map to true and lasting freedom.
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
by Valerie BauerleinINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • &“The definitive account of the Murdaugh murders. Forget the podcasts, the TV specials, and the documentaries—this is the version of the story you&’ll want to read. And once you pick it up, you won&’t be able to put it down.&”—John Carreyrou, Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of Bad BloodPower, privilege, and blood—this is the true story of Alex Murdaugh&’s violent downfall, from a veteran Wall Street Journal reporter who has become an authority on the case. Alex Murdaugh was a benevolent dictator—the president of the South Carolina trial lawyers&’ association, a political boss, a part-time prosecutor, and a partner in his family&’s law firm. He was always ready with a favor, a drink, and an invitation to Moselle, his family&’s 1,700-acre hunting estate. The Murdaugh name ignited respect—and fear—for a hundred miles.When he murdered his wife, Maggie, and son Paul at Moselle on a dark summer night, the fragile façade of Alex&’s world could no longer hold. His forefathers had covered up a midnight suicide at a remote railroad crossing, a bootlegging ring run from a courthouse, and the attempted murder of a pregnant lover. Alex, too, almost walked away from his unspeakable crimes with his reputation intact, but his downfall was secured by a twist of fate, some stray mistakes, and a fateful decision by an old friend who&’d finally seen enough.Why would a man who had everything kill his wife and grown son? To unwind the roots of Alex&’s ruin, award-winning journalist Valerie Bauerlein reported not just from the courthouse every day but also along the backroads and through the tidal marshes of South Carolina&’s Lowcountry. When the jurors made their pilgrimage to the crime scene, trying to envision Maggie and Paul&’s last moments, she walked right behind them, sensing the ghosts that haunt the Murdaughs&’ now-shattered legacy.Through masterful research and cinematic writing, The Devil at His Elbow is a transporting journey through Alex&’s life, the night of the murders, and the investigation that culminated in a trial that held tens of millions spellbound. With her stunning insights and fearless instinct for the truth, Bauerlein uncovers layers of the Murdaugh murder case that have not been told.
The Devil at Large: Erica Jong on Henry Miller
by Erica JongFearless, iconic poet, novelist, and feminist Erica Jong offers a fascinating in-depth appreciation of the controversial life and work of American literary giant Henry MillerHenry Miller (Tropic of Cancer) and Erica Jong (Fear of Flying) are true literary soul mates. Both authors have been, in equal measure, lauded for their creative genius and maligned for their frank treatment of human sexuality. So who better than Erica Jong to offer an expert appraisal and appreciation of Henry Miller, the man and his art?At once a critical study, a biography, a memoir of a remarkable friendship, and a celebration of the life and work of the author whom Erica Jong compares to Whitman, The Devil at Large explores the peaks and valleys of Miller&’s storied writing career. It examines his tumultuous relationships—including his doomed marriage to June Mansfield and his lifelong tenuous bond with his mother—and confirms his standing as a creative genius. Jong, a renowned feminist, courageously answers critics who accuse her subject of degrading women in his fiction, suggesting instead that he sought to demystify them by means of the &“violent verbal magic of his books.&” With grace, wit, warmth, and intelligence, Jong brings readers close to the man and his writing. There has never been a more incisive and insightful analysis of this exceptional American master.This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erica Jong including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s personal collection.
The Devil in the Kitchen: The Autobiography
by Marco Pierre White James SteenThe long-awaited autobiography of the archetypal kitchen bad boy - Marco Pierre WhiteWhen Marco Pierre White's mother died when he was just six years old, it transformed his life. Soon, his father was urging him to earn his own keep and by sixteen he was working in his first restaurant. White went on to learn from some of the best chefs in the country, such as Albert Roux, Raymond Blanc and Pierre Koffmann. He survived the intense pressure of hundred-hour weeks in the heat of the kitchen, developed his own style, and then struck out on his own.At Harveys in Wandsworth, which he opened in 1987, he developed a reputation as a stunning cook and a rock 'n' roll sex god of the kitchen. But he was also a man who might throw you out of his restaurant, and his temper was legendary, as younger chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal would find out when they worked for him. He eventually opened several more restaurants, won every honour going and then realised that it still wasn't enough. Here Marco takes the reader right into the heat of the kitchen with a sharp-edged wit and a sizzling pace that will fascinate anyone brave enough to open the pages of this book and enter his domain.
The Devil in the Kitchen: The Autobiography
by Marco Pierre White James SteenThe long-awaited autobiography of the archetypal kitchen bad boy - Marco Pierre WhiteWhen Marco Pierre White's mother died when he was just six years old, it transformed his life. Soon, his father was urging him to earn his own keep and by sixteen he was working in his first restaurant. White went on to learn from some of the best chefs in the country, such as Albert Roux, Raymond Blanc and Pierre Koffmann. He survived the intense pressure of hundred-hour weeks in the heat of the kitchen, developed his own style, and then struck out on his own.At Harveys in Wandsworth, which he opened in 1987, he developed a reputation as a stunning cook and a rock 'n' roll sex god of the kitchen. But he was also a man who might throw you out of his restaurant, and his temper was legendary, as younger chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal would find out when they worked for him. He eventually opened several more restaurants, won every honour going and then realised that it still wasn't enough. Here Marco takes the reader right into the heat of the kitchen with a sharp-edged wit and a sizzling pace that will fascinate anyone brave enough to open the pages of this book and enter his domain.
The Devil on the Doorstep
by Annabelle Forest Katy WeitzAnnabelle Forest was just seven years old when she was inducted into a twisted sex cult by her own mother. For the next few years she was brainwashed by the cult's leader, Colin Batley, who ran a harem of followers from his unassuming cul-de-sac in Kidwelly, Wales. Batley ruled the cult with an iron will, his twisted ideology based on Aleister Crowley's Book of the Law, which informed their day-to-day lives. From the age of 11, Annabelle was repeatedly raped by Batley, and threatened with going to hell if she angered 'the gods' by refusing Batley's sick demands. Annabelle's mother joined in the sessions and even filmed them. Annabelle lived a double life - a schoolgirl by day, a sex slave at night. It might have endured for years had she not fallen pregnant at 17 with Batley's baby. In February 2008 she gave birth to a daughter, Emily, who gave Annabelle a reason to live and hope. Now she knew she had to escape, especially after Batley forced her into prostitution when Emily was three months old. She contacted relatives through Facebook on a computer in the public library and found the courage to report Batley, her mother and the other cult members to the police. In 2011 her evidence helped convict 48-year-old Batley for life on 11 charges of rape and numerous other sexual offences. Annabelle's mother was also jailed, along with two others in a case that came to be known as the 'cul-de-sac cult'. But Annabelle's story was far from over - she had to adjust to a new life away from the rules and rituals of the cult. Today she lives a happy and settled life with Emily and her partner but the nightmares of her damaged past will haunt her forever. Child of Courage refers to Annabelle herself but also her daughter, the child who gave her the chance to hope, the will to fight and the courage to live again.
The Devil that Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest
by Aminatta Forna“[An] elegantly written mix of complex history, riveting memoir and damning exposé,” from this award-winning Sierra Leonean author (Publishers Weekly). As a child, Aminatta Forna was witness to the political upheaval and social unrest of post-colonial Africa. Forced to flee her home for exile in Britain, she was subject to the consequences of her dissident father’s actions. After war had abated in Sierra Leone, Aminatta’s father, Mohamed, returned to his country to be part of the fledgling democracy. But as progress gave way to dictatorships and corruption, Mohamed soon found himself caught in a dangerous political battle, imprisoned for his beliefs and facing far worse. Years later, Aminatta returns to her home country as an adult and a journalist. Searching for the truth of her father’s fate and her country’s destiny, she uncovers a harrowing web of intrigue, conspiracy, and painful revelations. The Devil That Danced on the Water is an “extremely moving” memoir of family, heritage, and innocence lost (The Guardian).
The Devil's Adjutant: Jochen Peiper, Panzer Leader
by Michael ReynoldsThe dramatic story of Nazi field commander Jochen Peiper&’s military career, war crimes trial, and 1976 murder. Jochen Peiper would likely never have been heard of outside Germany if not for the infamous massacre of US Army POWs near Malmedy, Belgium, during World War II, with which his name has been forever associated. Shunned and despised in the years following Germany&’s surrender, Peiper is nevertheless praised by many for his military acumen. This meticulously researched book explores Peiper&’s youth, his career with the SS, the now famous trial of the officers and soldiers of the Leibstandarte, who were accused of war crimes, and Peiper&’s murder in France over thirty years later. &“One of WWII&’s most interesting combat leaders . . . a fascinating story.&” —Armor Includes maps and illustrations
The Devil's Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government
by David TalbotFrom the founder of Salon and the author of the New York Times bestseller Brothers, an explosive, headline-making portrait of Allen Dulles, the man who transformed the CIA into the most powerful--and secretive--colossus in WashingtonAmerica's greatest untold story: the United States' rise to world dominance under the guile of Allen Welsh Dulles, the longest-serving director of the CIA. Drawing on revelatory new materials--including recently discovered U.S. government documents, U.S. and European intelligence sources, the personal correspondence and journals of Allen Dulles's wife and mistress, and exclusive interviews with the children of prominent CIA officials--David Talbot reveals the underside of one of America's most towering and influential figures. Dulles's decade as the director of the CIA was a dark period in American politics. The spymaster saw himself as above the nation's laws and elected leaders, manipulating and subverting American presidents in the pursuit of his personal interests and those of the wealthy elite he counted as his friends and clients--colluding with Nazi war criminals and Mafiosi in the process. Talbot charges that Dulles utilized the same ruthless tactics he employed abroad--targeting foreign leaders for assassination and overthrowing nationalist governments not in line with his political aims--to further his goals at home, and offers shocking new evidence regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. An exposé of American power that is as disturbing as it is timely, The Devil's Chessboard is a provocative and gripping story of the rise of the national security state--and the battle for America's soul.
The Devil's Defender: My Odyssey Through American Criminal Justice from Ted Bundy to the Kandahar Massacre
by John BrowneIn the tradition of bestselling legal memoirs from Johnnie Cochran, F. Lee Bailey, Gerry Spence, and Alan Dershowitz, John Henry Browne's memoir, The Devil's Defender, recounts his tortuous education in what it means to be an advocate--and a human being. For the last four decades, Browne has defended the indefensible. From Facebook folk hero "the Barefoot Bandit" Colton Moore, to Benjamin Ng of the Wah Mee massacre, to Kandahar massacre culprit Sgt. Robert Bales, Browne's unceasing advocacy and the daring to take on some of the most unwinnable cases--and nearly win them all--has led 48 Hours' Peter Van Sant to call him "the most famous lawyer in America." But although the Browne that America has come to know cuts a dashing and confident figure, he has forever been haunted by his job as counsel to Ted Bundy, the most famous serial killer in American history. A drug- and alcohol-addicted (yet wildly successful) defense attorney who could never let go of the case that started it all, Browne here asks of himself the question others have asked him all along: does defending evil make you evil, too?
The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the World of Renaissance Magic and Science
by Philip Ball“A vibrant, original portrait of a man of contradictions,” the Renaissance-era Swiss father of modern medicine (Publishers Weekly, starred review).Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim, who called himself Paracelsus, stands at the cusp of medieval and modern times. A contemporary of Luther, an enemy of the medical establishment, a scourge of the universities, an alchemist, an army surgeon, and a radical theologian, he attracted myths even before he died. His fantastic journeys across Europe and beyond were said to be made on a magical white horse, and he was rumored to carry the elixir of life in the pommel of his great broadsword. His name was linked with Faust, who bargained with the devil.Who was the man behind these stories? Some have accused him of being a charlatan, a windbag who filled his books with wild speculations and invented words. Others claim him to be the father of modern medicine. Philip Ball exposes a more complex truth in The Devil’s Doctor—one that emerges only by entering Paracelsus’s time. He explores the intellectual, political, and religious undercurrents of the sixteenth century and looks at how doctors really practiced, at how people traveled, and at how wars were fought. For Paracelsus was a product of an age of change and strife, of renaissance and reformation. And yet by uniting the diverse disciplines of medicine, biology, and alchemy, he assisted, almost despite himself, in the birth of science and the emergence of the age of rationalism.Praise for The Devil’s Doctor“An enlivening portrait that will spark interest in [Paracelsus’s] role in the rise of science.” —Booklist“A true iconoclast, [Paraclesus] inhabited an ideological landscape somewhere between the medieval and the modern. Ball effectively places Paracelsus in the larger context of Renaissance magic and philosophy, and of a turbulent period. . . . Worth the effort.” —Kirkus Reviews
The Devil's Grip: A true story of shame, sheep and shotguns
by Neal DrinnanSeven shots ring out in the silence of Victoria’s rolling Barrabool Hills. As the final recoil echoes through the paddocks, a revered sheep-breeding dynasty comes to a bloody and inglorious end. No one could have anticipated the orgy of violence that wiped out three generations of the Wettenhall family, much less the lurid scandals about Darcy Wettenhall, the man behind the world famous Stanbury sheep stud, that would emerge from the aftermath. Almost three decades later, the web of secrets and lies that led to this bizarre and seemingly motiveless murder spree are unravelled with the help of Bob Perry, Darcy Wettenhall’s secret lover for a decade prior to his murder. From the bucolic majesty, privilege and snobbery of the Western District’s prized pastoral lands and dynasties to the bleak, loveless underworld of orphanages, rodeo stables and homeless shelters, The Devil’s Grip is a courageous and thought-provoking meditation on the fragility of reputation, the folly of deception and the power of shame.Praise for The Devil’s Grip ‘A remarkable piece of work. It is a strange, unusual and beautiful book with an incredibly unique setting. I don't think I've read anything quite like it. It is compulsive reading. True crime. Memoir. History. How do you live a life honestly and with dignity? It's difficult to categorise because it traverses so many genres. But it WORKS.’ Matthew Condon, author of the Three Crooked Kings trilogy ‘On its face this is the story of a family steeped in the pursuit of the perfect ram, but beneath the surface lies a riveting and ribald tale of lust, loss, manipulation, unbridled ambition and ultimately murder.’ Mark Tedeschi AM QC and author of Eugenia, Kidnapped and Murder at Myall Creek ‘An unforgettable, courageous and deeply tragic local story which manages to become a universal tale’ Gregory Day, author of Archipelago of Souls and A Sand Archive ‘It’s got it all: sex, domestic violence, ‘the land’ – such an important concept resonating in the Australian mind – land-holders and property, privilege, prejudice, skulduggery and murder!’ David Bradford, author of The Gunners’ Doctor and Tell Me I’m Okay
The Devil's Half Acre: The Untold Story of How One Woman Liberated the South's Most Notorious Slave Jail
by Kristen GreenThe inspiring true story of an enslaved woman who liberated an infamous slave jail and transformed it into one of the nation&’s first HBCUs In The Devil&’s Half Acre, New York Times bestselling author Kristen Green draws on years of research to tell the extraordinary and little-known story of young Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved woman who blazed a path of liberation for thousands. She was forced to have the children of a brutal slave trader and live on the premises of his slave jail, known as the &“Devil&’s Half Acre.&” When she inherited the jail after the death of her slaveholder, she transformed it into &“God&’s Half Acre,&” a school where Black men could fulfill their dreams. It still exists today as Virginia Union University, one of America&’s first Historically Black Colleges and Universities. A sweeping narrative of a life in the margins of the American slave trade, The Devil&’s Half Acre brings Mary Lumpkin into the light. This is the story of the resilience of a woman on the path to freedom, her historic contributions, and her enduring legacy.
The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici
by Jeanne KalogridisFrom Jeanne Kalogridis, the bestselling author of I, Mona Lisa and The Borgia Bride, comes a new novel that tells the passionate story of a queen who loved not wisely ... but all too well. Confidante of Nostradamus, scheming mother-in-law to Mary, Queen of Scots, and architect of the bloody St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, Catherine de Medici is one of the most maligned monarchs in history. In her latest historical fiction, Jeanne Kalogridis tells Catherine's story, "that of a tender young girl, destined to be a pawn in Machiavellian games. Born into one of Florence's most powerful families, Catherine was soon left a fabulously rich heiress by the early deaths of her parents. Violent conflict rent the city state and she found herself imprisoned and threatened by her family's enemies before finally being released and married off to the handsome Prince Henry of France. Overshadowed by her husband's mistress, the gorgeous, conniving Diane de Poitiers, and unable to bear children, Catherine resorted to the dark arts of sorcery to win Henry's love and enhance her fertility for which she would pay a price. Against the lavish and decadent backdrop of the French court, and Catherine's blood-soaked visions of the future, Kalogridis reveals the great love and desire Catherine bore for her husband, Henry, and her stark determination to keep her sons on the throne.
The Devil's Treasure
by Mary GaitskillA rare work of criticism, memoir, and mythography from an author &“aware of all the hidden chambers of the heart.&” (Greil Marcus, New York Times Magazine)Mary Gaitskill is unique among American novelists in &“her ability to evoke the hidden life, the life unseen, the life we don&’t even know we are living.&”* In this searching biography of the writer&’s imagination, Gaitskill excavates her own novels, revealing their origins and obsessions, the personal and societal pressures that formed them, and the life story hidden between their pages. Using the techniques of collage, The Devil's Treasure splices fiction together with commentary and personal history, and with the fairy tale that gives the book its title, about a little girl who ventures into Hell through a suburban cellar door. The result is an answer to Gaitskill&’s critics and, simultaneously, the best book we have about contemporary fiction, the forces ranged against it, and the forces that bring it into being. &“Even among other artists attracted to weakness as a theme, [Gaitskill] is rare in being able to look at it on its own terms. She doesn&’t treat it like a curiosity, like Diane Arbus, or a chink in the armor that might let in faith, like Flannery O&’Connor. She isn&’t afraid of it, like Muriel Spark; nor does she insist its depictions rouse us to action, like Sontag. She looks—just looks—and sees everything.&” —Parul Seghal, New York Times Magazine*
The Devil's Wall
by Mark CornwallLegend has it that twenty miles of volcanic rock rising through the landscape of northern Bohemia was the work of the devil, who separated the warring Czechs and Germans by building a wall. The nineteenth-century invention of the Devil’s Wall was evidence of rising ethnic tensions. In interwar Czechoslovakia, Sudeten German nationalists conceived a radical mission to try to restore German influence across the region. Mark Cornwall tells the story of Heinz Rutha, an internationally recognized figure in his day, who was the pioneer of a youth movement that emphasized male bonding in its quest to reassert German dominance over Czech space. Through a narrative that unravels the threads of Rutha’s own repressed sexuality, Cornwall shows how Czech authorities misinterpreted Rutha’s mission as sexual deviance and in 1937 charged him with corrupting adolescents. The resulting scandal led to Rutha’s imprisonment, suicide, and excommunication from the nationalist cause he had devoted his life to furthering. Cornwall is the first historian to tackle the long-taboo subject of how youth, homosexuality, and nationalism intersected in a fascist environment. The Devil’s Wall also challenges the notion that all Sudeten German nationalists were Nazis, and supplies a fresh explanation for Britain’s appeasement of Hitler, showing why the British might justifiably have supported the 1930s Sudeten German cause. In this readable biography of an ardent German Bohemian who participated as perpetrator, witness, and victim, Cornwall radically reassesses the Czech-German struggle of early twentieth-century Europe.
The Devil, The Lovers and Me
by Kimberlee Auerbach"A frank, funny, and fiercely insightful memoir" (Susan Shapiro, author of Lighting Up) for anyone who ever wondered. . . what happens next?Kimmi Auerbach tried everything in her search for enlightenment: therapy, a Reiki Master, even hypnosis. Finally she made an appointment with a tarot card reader. Instead of predicting the future, each card sparked a memory. In a Wizard of Oz-like twist of fate, Kimberlee realized she had the answers all along. . . and that it's not about looking into the future, but about trusting yourself along the way.