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The Streak: How Joe DiMaggio Became America's Hero
by Terry Widener Barb RosenstockIn the summer of 1941, Yankee center fielder Joe DiMaggio and his favorite bat, Betsy Ann, begin the longest hitting streak in baseball history. But when Betsy Ann goes missing, will DiMaggio keep hitting? Set on the brink of World War II, this is a spellbinding account of a sports story that united the country and made DiMaggio a hero, at a time when one was profoundly needed. Barb Rosenstock's action-packed text and Terry Widener's powerful illustrations capture DiMaggio's drive as well as his frustration. The book also includes headlines, quotes, stats, and a detailed bibliography.
Streamliner: Raymond Loewy and Image-making in the Age of American Industrial Design
by John WallThe true story of Raymond Loewy, whose designs are still celebrated for their unerring ability to advance American consumer taste.Born in Paris in 1893 and trained as an engineer, Raymond Loewy revolutionized twentieth-century American industrial design. Combining salesmanship and media savvy, he created bright, smooth, and colorful logos for major corporations that included Greyhound, Exxon, and Nabisco. His designs for Studebaker automobiles, Sears Coldspot refrigerators, Lucky Strike cigarette packs, and Pennsylvania Railroad locomotives are iconic. Beyond his timeless designs, Loewy carefully built an international reputation through the assiduous courting of journalists and tastemakers to become the face of both a new profession and a consumer-driven vision of the American dream.In Streamliner, John Wall traces the evolution of an industry through the lens of Loewy’s eclectic life, distinctive work, and invented persona. How, he asks, did Loewy build a business while transforming himself into a national brand a half century before "branding" became relevant? Placing Loewy in context with the emerging consumer culture of the latter half of the twentieth century, Wall explores how his approach to business complemented—or differed from—that of his well-known contemporaries, including industrial designers Henry Dreyfuss, Walter Teague, and Norman Bel Geddes. Wall also reveals how Loewy tailored his lifestyle to cement the image of "designer" in the public imagination, and why the self-promotion that drove Loewy to the top of his profession began to work against him at the end of his career. Streamliner is an important and engaging work on one of the longest-lived careers in industrial design.
Streb: How to Become an Extreme Action Hero
by Elizabeth StrebAn inspiring memoir and self-help guide to greatness by the dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov calls &“fearlessness and intelligence combined . . . potent and beautiful.&” Called &“the Evel Knievel of Dance,&” Elizabeth Streb has been pushing boundaries and testing the potential of the human body since childhood. Can she fly? Can she run up walls? Can she break through glass? How fast can she go? With clarity and humor—and with her internationally-renowned dance troupe STREB—she continues to investigate what movement truly is and has come to these conclusions: It&’s off the ground! It creates impact! And it hurts trying to stop! Here, Streb combines memoir and analysis to convey how she became an extreme action dancer and choreographer, developing a form of movement that&’s more NASCAR than modern dance, more boxing than ballet, and more than most people can handle &“in this dizzying, inspirational self-help&” books (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
Street Cat Bob: How one man and a cat saved each other’s lives. A true story.
by James BowenWhen James Bowen found an injured, street cat in the hallway of his sheltered housing, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James had been living on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.Yet James couldn't resist the clever tom cat, whom he quickly named Bob. Soon the two were best friends, and their funny and sometimes dangerous adventures would change both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts. STREET CAT BOB is a moving and uplifting story that will touch the heart of anyone who reads it.
A Street Cat Named Bob: How one man and his cat found hope on the streets
by James BowenFrom the author of A Christmas Gift from Bob, the original bestseller and heartwarming story of the life-saving friendship between a man and his streetwise cat'[Bob] has entranced London like no feline since the days of Dick Whittington.' (Evening Standard)'A heartwarming tale with a message of hope' (Daily Mail)'Reminded me how amazing having a cat can be' (Glamour)* * * * * * * *The uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets of Covent Garden and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent tom cat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas.Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts.A Street Cat Named Bob is a moving and uplifting story that will touch the heart of anyone who reads it.IF you love A Street Cat Named Bob, don't miss The Little Book of Bob, the new book from James and Bob.
A Street Cat Named Bob: How one man and his cat found hope on the streets
by James BowenFrom the author of A Christmas Gift from Bob, the original bestseller and heartwarming story of the life-saving friendship between a man and his streetwise cat'[Bob] has entranced London like no feline since the days of Dick Whittington.' (Evening Standard)'A heartwarming tale with a message of hope' (Daily Mail)'Reminded me how amazing having a cat can be' (Glamour)* * * * * * * *The uplifting true story of an unlikely friendship between a man on the streets of Covent Garden and the ginger cat who adopts him and helps him heal his life. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent tom cat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas.Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts.A Street Cat Named Bob is a moving and uplifting story that will touch the heart of anyone who reads it.IF you love A Street Cat Named Bob, don't miss The Little Book of Bob, the new book from James and Bob.
A Street Cat Named Bob: How one man and his cat found hope on the streets
by James BowenThe phenomenal Number One bestseller about best friends James and Bob. Now a major motion picture starring Luke Treadaway.When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent tom cat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas.Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts.A Street Cat Named Bob is a moving and uplifting story that will touch the heart of anyone who reads it.(P)2012 Hodder & Stoughton
A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life
by James BowenThe Instant New York Times Bestseller! James is a street musician struggling to make ends meet. Bob is a stray cat looking for somewhere warm to sleep. When James and Bob meet, they forge a never-to-be-forgotten friendship that has been charming readers from Thailand to Turkey. A Street Cat Named Bob is an international sensation, landing on the bestseller list in England for 52 consecutive weeks and selling in 26 countries around the world. Now, James and Bob are ready to share their true story with the U. S. in this tale unlike any you’ve ever read of a cat who possesses some kind of magic. When street musician James Bowen found an injured cat curled up in the hallway of his apartment building, he had no idea how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London, barely making enough money to feed himself, and the last thing he needed was a pet. Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent but very sick animal, whom he named Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining that he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas. Perfect for fans of Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog and Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat That Changed the World, this instant classic about the power of love between man and animal has taken the world by storm and is guaranteed to be a huge hit with American fans as well. Note: Does not use standard American spelling or punctuation.
The Street Dog Who Found a Home (A Foster Tails Story)
by Barby KeelA heartwarming true animal story, for fans of A Dog's Purpose, A Street Cat Named Bob and Marley & Me. When Chewy the dog arrives at the animal sanctuary run by the inimitable Barby Keel, the scrawny little dog is terrified. Having been abandoned by his beloved owner, who is himself homeless, Chewy's whole world has been turned upside down. After years of sleeping on the streets, Chewy knows what it is to be cold and hungry, to have nowhere safe to stay, no warm bed to sleep on, no regular food or time to play. Despite her resolve to not get too attached to the animals that come into her care, Barby cannot help but feel there is something special about this little dog. Soon he won't let Barby out of his sight, and in doing so works his way into her heart. But some scars run too deep and it takes every ounce of Barby's patience to help Chewy heal from the traumas of his past. In doing so, Barby learns that in healing others, we often heal ourselves. A Street Cat Named Bob meets Marley & Me, The Street Dog Who Found a Home is a beautifully uplifting and heartwarming tale of the love and friendship that exists between humans and animals.
The Street Dog Who Found a Home
by Barby KeelA heartwarming true animal story, for fans of A Dog's Purpose, A Street Cat Named Bob and Marley & Me.When Chewy the dog arrives at the animal sanctuary run by the inimitable Barby Keel, the scrawny little dog is terrified. Having been abandoned by his beloved owner, who is himself homeless, Chewy's whole world has been turned upside down. After years of sleeping on the streets, Chewy knows what it is to be cold and hungry, to have nowhere safe to stay, no warm bed to sleep on, no regular food or time to play. Despite her resolve to not get too attached to the animals that come into her care, Barby cannot help but feel there is something special about this little dog. Soon he won't let Barby out of his sight, and in doing so works his way into her heart. But some scars run too deep and it takes every ounce of Barby's patience to help Chewy heal from the traumas of his past. In doing so, Barby learns that in healing others, we often heal ourselves. A Street Cat Named Bob meets Marley & Me, The Street Dog Who Found a Home is a beautifully uplifting and heartwarming tale of the love and friendship that exists between humans and animals.
Street Fighting Years: An Autobiography of the Sixties
by Tariq AliOne of the world&’s best-known radicals relives the early years of the protest movementWhat makes a young radical? Reissued to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of 1968, Street Fighting Years captures the mood and energy of an era of hope and passion as Tariq Ali tracks the growing significance of the 1960s protest movement, as well as his own formation as a leading political activist.Through his personal story, he recounts a counter-history of a sixties rocked by the Prague Spring, student protests on the streets of Europe and America, the effects of the Vietnam war, and the aftermath of the revolutionary insurgencies led by Che Guevara. It is a story that takes us from Paris and Prague to Hanoi and Bolivia, encountering along the way Malcolm X, Bertrand Russell, Marlon Brando, Henry Kissinger, and Mick Jagger.This edition includes the famous interview conducted by Tariq Ali and Robin Blackburn with John Lennon and Yoko Ono In 1971.
Street Freak
by Jared DillianWhen Jared Dillian joined Lehman Brothers in 2001, he fulfilled a life-long dream to make it on Wall Street--but he had no idea how close to the edge the job would take him. Like Michael Lewis's classic Liar's Poker, Jared Dillian's Street Freak takes readers behind the scenes of the legendary Lehman Brothers, exposing its outrageous and often hilarious corporate culture. In this ultracompetitive Ivy League world where men would flip over each other's ties to check out the labels (also known as the "Lehman Handshake"), Dillian was an outsider as an ex-military, working-class guy in a Men's Wearhouse suit. But he was scrappy and determined; in interviews he told potential managers that, "Nobody can work harder than me. Nobody is willing to put in the hours I will put in. I am insane." As it turned out, on Wall Street insanity is not an undesirable quality. Dillian rose from green associate, checking IDs at the entrance to the trading floor in the paranoid days following 9/11, to become an integral part of Lehman's culture in its final years as the firm's head Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) trader. More than $1 trillion in wealth passed through his hands, but at the cost of an untold number of smashed telephones and tape dispensers. Over time, the exhilarating and explosively stressful job took its toll on him. The extreme highs and lows of the trading floor masked and exacerbated the symptoms of Dillian's undiagnosed bipolar and obsessive compulsive disorders, leading to a downward spiral that eventually landed him in a psychiatric ward. Dillian put his life back together, returning to work healthier than ever before, but Lehman itself had seemingly gone mad, having made outrageous bets on commercial real estate, and was quickly headed for self-destruction. A raucous account of the final years of Lehman Brothers, from 9/11 at its World Financial Center offices through the firm's bankruptcy, including vivid portraits of trading-floor culture, the financial meltdown, and the company's ultimate collapse, Street Freak is a raw, visceral, and wholly original memoir of life inside the belly of the beast during the most tumultuous time in financial history. In his electrifying and fresh voice, Dillian takes readers on a wild ride through madness and back, both inside Lehman Brothers and himself.
Street Freak: Money and Madness at Lehman Brothers
by Jared DillianWhen Jared Dillian joined Lehman Brothers in 2001, he fulfilled a life-long dream to make it on Wall Street--but he had no idea how close to the edge the job would take him. Like Michael Lewis's classic Liar's Poker, Jared Dillian's Street Freak takes readers behind the scenes of the legendary Lehman Brothers, exposing its outrageous and often hilarious corporate culture. In this ultracompetitive Ivy League world where men would flip over each other's ties to check out the labels (also known as the "Lehman Handshake"), Dillian was an outsider as an ex-military, working-class guy in a Men's Wearhouse suit. But he was scrappy and determined; in interviews he told potential managers that, "Nobody can work harder than me. Nobody is willing to put in the hours I will put in. I am insane." As it turned out, on Wall Street insanity is not an undesirable quality. Dillian rose from green associate, checking IDs at the entrance to the trading floor in the paranoid days following 9/11, to become an integral part of Lehman's culture in its final years as the firm's head Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) trader. More than $1 trillion in wealth passed through his hands, but at the cost of an untold number of smashed telephones and tape dispensers. Over time, the exhilarating and explosively stressful job took its toll on him. The extreme highs and lows of the trading floor masked and exacerbated the symptoms of Dillian's undiagnosed bipolar and obsessive compulsive disorders, leading to a downward spiral that eventually landed him in a psychiatric ward. Dillian put his life back together, returning to work healthier than ever before, but Lehman itself had seemingly gone mad, having made outrageous bets on commercial real estate, and was quickly headed for self-destruction. A raucous account of the final years of Lehman Brothers, from 9/11 at its World Financial Center offices through the firm's bankruptcy, including vivid portraits of trading-floor culture, the financial meltdown, and the company's ultimate collapse, Street Freak is a raw, visceral, and wholly original memoir of life inside the belly of the beast during the most tumultuous time in financial history. In his electrifying and fresh voice, Dillian takes readers on a wild ride through madness and back, both inside Lehman Brothers and himself.
Street Gang
by Michael DavisThe story of one of the most important and beloved shows on television-how it got started, nearly failed, and was saved by Elmo When the first episode aired on November 10, 1969, Sesame Streetrevolutionized the way education was presented to children on television. It has since become the longest-running children's show in history, and today reaches 8 million preschoolers on 350 PBS stations and airs in 120 countries. Street Gangis the compelling and often comical story of the creation and history of this media masterpiece and pop culture landmark, told with the cooperation of one of the show's cofounders, Joan Ganz Cooney. Sesame Streetwas born as the result of a discussion at a dinner party at Cooney's home about the poor quality of children's programming and hit the air as a big bang of creative fusion from Jim Henson and company, quickly rocketing to success. Street Gangtraces the evolution of the show from its inspiration in the civil rights movement through its many ups and downs-from Nixon's trying to cut off its funding to the rise of Elmo-via the remarkable personalities who have contributed to it. Davis reveals how Sesame Streethas taught millions of children not only their letters and numbers, but also cooperation and fair play, tolerance and self-respect, conflict resolution, and the importance of listening. This is the unforgettable story of five decades of social and cultural change and the miraculous creative efforts, passion, and commitment of the writers, producers, directors, animators, and puppeteers who created one of the most influential programs in the history of television.
A Street In Marrakech: A Personal View of Urban Women in Morocco
by Elizabeth Warnock FerneaThis is a reflexive account of an American woman and her family's unpredictable journey through the private and public worlds of a traditional Muslim city in the process of change. As a Western stranger in Marrakech, Fernea was met with suspicion and hostility. The story of the slow growth of trust and acceptance between the author and her Moroccan neighbors involves the reader in everyday activities, weddings, funerals, and women's rituals. Both the author and her friends are changed by the encounters that she describes. This is a crosscultural adventure, ethnographically sound, and written in an accessible style.
Street Life: Poverty, Gangs, and a Ph. D.
by Victor RiosVictor Rios grew up in Oakland, California in a single parent household, in poverty and on welfare. He joined a gang at the age of thirteen and by age sixteen he had dropped out of school and had been incarcerated several times. Having witnessed the tragic murder of his best friend by gang rivals, Victor hit a critical juncture in life at which point he made the decision to transform. With the support of educators and mentors, Victor redirected his attitude towards life, and returned to school to eventually acquire a Ph. D. from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Rios uses his personal story, and 10 years of research experience, to discuss how personal and institutional "illusions" contribute to academic failure. He speaks about how society gives young people little choice but to use their "attitude" to solve their problems and how this strategy often leads to detrimental consequences. He discusses practical pathways to transformation relevant to the lives of students. Dr. Rios speaks about his own personal transformation by taking advantage of the support that teachers and programs provided him and discusses how these efforts can be replicated. This book is written to speak to a young adult audience "those young people who live on the margins, who are often assigned texts that do not represent their lived reality, their struggles, or their experiences. Educators and youth workers can use each of the short chapters in this book as tools for discussing complicated social issues like abuse, youth violence, delinquency, fatalism, opportunity, stratification, poverty, resilience, college, positive role models, healthy choices, and personal transformation.
The Street to Recovery
by Kevin KennedyCurly Watts is a TV icon - for twenty years appearing on millions of TV screens around the country in Coronation Street. Kevin Kennedy is one of the UK's most successful soap actors, although behind the scenes and high-profile appearances, he faced a painful personal battle.Kevin shares his experiences of alcoholism, rehab and IVF as well stories from the set and stars he worked with during some of the brightest, and darkest moments of his life, through to his music career and current roles.This brutally honest autobiography provides a rare glimpse into life behind the scenes, the power of addiction, and his battle with recovery.
Street Warrior: The True Story of the NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era That Created Him
by Patrick Picciarelli Ralph Friedman2,000 arrests. 100 off-duty arrests. 6,000 assists. 15 shootings. 8 shot. 4 kills. These are not the performance statistics of an entire NYPD unit. They are the record that makes Detective 2nd Grade Ralph Friedman a legend. Friedman was arguably the toughest cop ever to wear the shield and was the most decorated detective in the NYPD’s 170-year history. Stationed at the South Bronx’s notorious 41 Precinct, known by its nickname “Fort Apache,” Friedman served during one of the city’s most dire times: the 1970s and ‘80s, when fiscal crisis, political disillusionment, an out-of-control welfare system, and surging crime and drug use were just a few of its problems. Street Warrior tells an unvarnished story of harrowing vice and heroic grit, including Friedman’s reflections on racial profiling, confrontations with the citizens he swore to protect, and the use of deadly force.
The Street Where I Live: A Memoir (Pop Concert Full Orchestra Ser.)
by Alan J. Lerner“Lerner will always be remembered as a Broadway light, and one of the brightest.” —Tom Shales, The Washington Post The Street Where I Live is at once an intimate biography of three great shows—My Fair Lady, Gigi, and Camelot—and a candid account of the life and times of Alan J. Lerner, one of America’s most acclaimed and popular lyricists. Large-hearted, humorous, and often poignant in its reverence for a celebrated era in the American theater, this is the story of what Lerner calls "the sundown of wit, eccentricity, and glamour." Try as he might to keep himself out of these pages, Lerner reveals himself to be a man of great talent, laughter, and love. Along the way, we meet a sensational supporting cast: Moss Hart, Fritz Loewe, Julie Andrews, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Cecil Beaton, Louis Jourdan, and Maurice Chevalier, to name a few. They are seen in moments of triumph and disaster, but all are professionals at the creation of theater. And the creation of theater is the matrix of this wonderful book. Included are the complete lyrics to My Fair Lady, Gigi, and Camelot.
Street Without a Name: Childhood and Other Misadventures in Bulgaria
by Kapka KassabovaKassabova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and grew up under the drab, muddy, grey mantle of one of communism's most mindlessly authoritarian regimes. Escaping with her family as soon as possible after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, she lived in Britain, New Zealand, and Argentina, and several other places. But when Bulgaria was formally inducted to the European Union she decided it was time to return to the home she had spent most of her life trying to escape. What she found was a country languishing under the strain of transition. This two-part memoir of Kapka's childhood and return explains life on the other side of the Iron Curtain.
Street Zen: The Life and Work of Issan Dorsey
by David SchneiderDrag queen. Prostitute. Drug addict. American bodhisattva.These words describe the unlikely persona of Issan Dorsey, one of the most beloved teachers to emerge in American Zen. From his early days as a gorgeous female impersonator to the LSD experiences that set him on the spiritual path, Issan's life was never conventional. In 1989, after twenty years of Zen practice, he became the Founding Abbot of San Francisco's Hartford Street Zen Center, where he established Maitri Hospice for AIDS patients. Featuring Bernie Glassman's foreword to the second edition, as well as a new foreword by Koshin Paley Ellison, Street Zen paints a vivid portrait of a teacher whose creativity, honesty, joy, and compassion awakened new possibilities for American Buddhism.
Streetcar to Justice: How Elizabeth Jennings Won the Right to Ride in New York
by Amy Hill HearthBestselling author and journalist Amy Hill Hearth uncovers the story of a little-known figure in U.S. history in this fascinating biography. In 1854, a young African American woman named Elizabeth Jennings won a major victory against a New York City streetcar company, a first step in the process of desegregating public transportation in Manhattan.This illuminating and important piece of the history of the fight for equal rights, illustrated with photographs and archival material from the period, will engage fans of Phillip Hoose’s Claudette Colvin and Steve Sheinkin’s Most Dangerous.One hundred years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, Elizabeth Jennings’s refusal to leave a segregated streetcar in the Five Points neighborhood of Manhattan set into motion a major court case in New York City.On her way to church one day in July 1854, Elizabeth Jennings was refused a seat on a streetcar. When she took her seat anyway, she was bodily removed by the conductor and a nearby police officer and returned home bruised and injured. With the support of her family, the African American abolitionist community of New York, and Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Jennings took her case to court. Represented by a young lawyer named Chester A. Arthur (a future president of the United States) she was victorious, marking a major victory in the fight to desegregate New York City’s public transportation. Amy Hill Hearth, bestselling author of Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years, illuminates a lesser-known benchmark in the struggle for equality in the United States, while painting a vivid picture of the diverse Five Points neighborhood of Manhattan in the mid-1800s.Includes sidebars, extensive illustrative material, notes, and an index.
Streetfighting Years: An Autobiography of the Sixties
by Tariq AliAfter his 1963 move to Britain, having initially been introduced to leftist politics as a student in Pakistan, Ali (now an editor of New Left Review) threw himself into the tumultuous radical politics of the 1960s. In this memoir of those years, he describes organizing protests against the Vietnam War and other imperialist adventures, discusses the reaction to the Paris student uprisings of 1968, and assesses the achievements of the New Left movements up to 1975, among other topics. This new edition adds a new introduction by Ali, in which he relates themes in the memoir to more recent politics, as well as an interview conducted by Ali and Robin Blackburn with John Lennon as he was become increasingly politically radicalized.
Streets: A Memoir of the Lower East Side (The\helen Rose Scheuer Jewish Women's Ser.)
by Bella Spewack&“A startling, clear-eyed&” memoir of an immigrant girl&’s childhood in early 20th century NYC from the journalist and Tony-winning co-author of Kiss Me Kate (Booklist). Born in Transylvania in 1899, Bella Spewack arrived on the streets of New York&’s Lower East Side when she was three. At twenty-two, while working as a reporter with her husband in Europe, she wrote a memoir of her childhood that was never published. More than seventy years later, the publication of Streets recovers a remarkable voice and offers a vivid chronicle of a lost world. Bella, who went on to a brilliant career write for stage and screen with her husband Sam, describes the sights, sounds, and characters of urban Jewish immigrant life after the turn of the century. Witty, street-smart, and unsentimental, Bella was a genuine American heroine who displays in this memoir &“a triumph of will and spirit&” (The Jewish Week).
Strength for the Fight: The Life and Faith of Jackie Robinson (Library of Religious Biography (LRB))
by Gary Scott SmithHow faith sustained Jackie Robinson—both as an athlete and as an activist. The integration of Major League Baseball in 1947 was a triumph. But it was also a fight. As the first Black major leaguer since the 1880s, Jackie Robinson knew he was not going to be welcomed into America&’s pastime with open arms. Anticipating hostility, he promised Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey that he would &“turn the other cheek&” during his first years in the league, despite his fiercely competitive disposition. Robinson later said that his faith in God had sustained him—giving him the strength he needed to play the game he loved at the highest level without retaliating against the abuse inflicted upon him by opposing players and fans. Faith was a key component of Robinson&’s life, but not in the way we see it with many prominent Christian athletes today. Whereas the Tim Tebows and Clayton Kershaws of the sports world emphasize personal spirituality, Robinson found inspiration in the Bible&’s teachings on human dignity and social justice. He grew up a devout Methodist (a heritage he shared with Branch Rickey) and identified with the theological convictions and social concerns of many of his fellow mainline Protestants—especially those of the Black church. While he humbly stated that he could not claim to be a deeply religious man, he spoke frequently in African American congregations and described a special affinity he and other Black Christians felt for the biblical character Job, who had also kept faith despite suffering and injustice. In his eulogy for Robinson, Jesse Jackson described Robinson as a &“co-partner of God,&” who lived out his faith in his civil rights activism, both during and after his baseball career. Robinson&’s faith will resonate with many Christians who believe, as he did, that &“a person can be quite religious and at the same time militant in the defense of his ideals.&” This religious biography of Robinson chronicles the important role of faith in his life, from his childhood to his groundbreaking baseball career through his transformative civil rights work, and, in the process, helps to humanize the man who has become a mythic figure in both sports history and American culture.