- Table View
- List View
The Sisterhood: A Love Letter to the Women Who Have Shaped Us
by Daisy BuchananFor fans of Bryony Gordon and Dolly Alderton, The Sisterhood is an honest and hilarious book which celebrates the ways in which women connect with each other.'My five sisters are the only women I would ever kill for. And they are the only women I have ever wanted to kill.'Imagine living between the pages of Pride And Prejudice, in the Bennett household. Now, imagine how the Bennett girls as they'd be in the 21st century - looking like the Kardashian sisters, but behaving like the Simpsons. This is the house Daisy Buchanan grew up in,Daisy's memoir The Sisterhood explores what it's like to live as a modern woman by examining some examples close to home - her adored and infuriating sisters. There's Beth, the rebellious contrarian; Grace, the overachiever with a dark sense of humour; Livvy, the tough girl who secretly cries during adverts; Maddy, essentially Descartes with a beehive; and Dotty, the joker obsessed with RuPaul's Drag Race and bears. In this tender, funny and unflinchingly honest account Daisy examines her relationship with her sisters and what it's made up of - friendship, insecurity jokes, jealousy and above all, love - while celebrating the ways in which women connect with each other and finding the ways in which we're all sisters under the skin.
The Sisterhood: How a Network of Black Women Writers Changed American Culture
by Courtney ThorssonOne Sunday afternoon in February 1977, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, and several other Black women writers met at June Jordan’s Brooklyn apartment to eat gumbo, drink champagne, and talk about their work. Calling themselves “The Sisterhood,” the group—which also came to include Audre Lorde, Paule Marshall, Margo Jefferson, and others—would get together once a month over the next two years, creating a vital space for Black women to discuss literature and liberation.The Sisterhood tells the story of how this remarkable community transformed American writing and cultural institutions. Drawing on original interviews with Sisterhood members as well as correspondence, meeting minutes, and readings of their works, Courtney Thorsson explores the group’s everyday collaboration and profound legacy. The Sisterhood advocated for Black women writers at trade publishers and magazines such as Random House, Ms., and Essence, and eventually in academic departments as well—often in the face of sexist, racist, and homophobic backlash. Thorsson traces the personal, professional, and political ties that brought the group together as well as the reasons for its dissolution. She considers the popular and critical success of Sisterhood members in the 1980s, the uneasy absorption of Black feminism into the academy, and how younger writers built on the foundations the group laid. Highlighting the organizing, networking, and community building that nurtured Black women’s writing, this book demonstrates that The Sisterhood offers an enduring model for Black feminist collaboration.
The Sisters Antipodes: A Memoir
by Jane Alison&“A wrenching, luminous memoir&” of how betrayal and divorce transformed two families and the lives of two young women (People). When Jane Alison was a child, her family met another that seemed like its mirror. Each had a father in the Foreign Service, a beautiful mother, and two little girls. The younger two—one of them Jane—even shared a birthday. With so much in common, the two families quickly became inseparable. Within months, affairs had ignited between the adults, and before long the pairs had exchanged partners—divorced, remarried, and moved on. As if in a cataclysm of nature, two families were ripped asunder, and two new ones were formed. Two pairs of girls were left in shock, a &“silent, numb shock, like a crack inside stone, not enough to split it but inside, quietly fissuring.&” And Jane and her stepsister were thrown into a state of wordless combat for the love of their fathers. This true story of their rivalry, and the tragic loss that ultimately followed, is a fascinating record of how adult behavior can shape, or shatter, a childhood. Spanning from Australia to the United States, it is &“enormously compelling . . . [A] harrowing journey of identity&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
The Sisters Who Would Be Queen: Mary, Katherine, and Lady Jane Grey - A Tudor Tragedy
by Leanda De LisleMary, Katherine, and Jane Grey--sisters whose mere existence nearly toppled a kingdom and altered a nation's destiny--are the captivating subjects of Leanda de Lisle's new book. The Sisters Who Would Be Queen breathes fresh life into these three young women, who were victimized in the notoriously vicious Tudor power struggle and whose heirs would otherwise probably be ruling England today. Born into aristocracy, the Grey sisters were the great-granddaughters of Henry VII, grandnieces to Henry VIII, legitimate successors to the English throne, and rivals to Henry VIII's daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. Lady Jane, the eldest, was thrust center stage by greedy men and uncompromising religious politics when she briefly succeeded Henry's son, the young Edward I. Dubbed "the Nine Days Queen" after her short, tragic reign from the Tower of London, Jane has over the centuries earned a special place in the affections of the English people as a "queen with a public heart. " But as de Lisle reveals, Jane was actually more rebel than victim, more leader than pawn, and Mary and Katherine Grey found that they would have to tread carefully in order to avoid sharing their elder sister's violent fate. Navigating the politics of the Tudor court after Jane's death was a precarious challenge. Katherine Grey, who sought to live a stable life, earned the trust of Mary I, only to risk her future with a love marriage that threatened Queen Elizabeth's throne. Mary Grey, considered too petite and plain to be significant, looked for her own escape from the burden of her royal blood--an impossible task after she followed her heart and also incurred the queen's envy, fear, and wrath. Exploding the many myths of Lady Jane Grey's life, unearthing the details of Katherine's and Mary's dramatic stories, and casting new light on Elizabeth's reign, Leanda de Lisle gives voice and resonance to the lives of the Greys and offers perspective on their place in history and on a time when a royal marriage could gain a woman a kingdom or cost her everything.
The Sisters d' Aranyi (Routledge Revivals)
by Joseph MacleodFirst published in 1969, The Sisters d' Aranyi traces the careers, personalities and musical development of Jelly d’ Aranyi and Adila Fachiri, outstanding violinists in Britain and Hungarian great nieces of Josef Joachim, with insight and a wealth of anecdote and description. The book contains fresh lights on figures such as Joachim himself, Elgar, Ravel and Vaughan Williams, Casals, Suggia, and Myra Hess, Aldous Huxley, Einstein and Schweitzer, Balfour, Asquith and Neville Chamberlain. There are illuminating comments on music from Bach to the present day, and also a chapter on the mysterious affair of the Imprisoned Schumann Violin Concerto, and how it was found and liberated. These two consummate musicians were, however, part of a movement towards greater sincerity in music- a tendency not yet sufficiently recorded by musicologists. To set them in their time, this biography contains a most readable history of music in Britain with some original observations on the nature of music itself in performance. This book is an essential read for students of music, music history, literature, performance studies, for violin players and also for general music lovers.
The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters' Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory
by Roxane Van IperenThe unforgettable story of two unsung heroes of World War II: sisters Janny and Lien Brilleslijper who joined the Dutch Resistance, helped save dozen of lives, were captured by the Nazis, and ultimately survived the Holocaust. <P><P>Eight months after Germany’s invasion of Poland, the Nazis roll into The Netherlands, expanding their reign of brutality to the Dutch. But by the Winter of 1943, resistance is growing. Among those fighting their brutal Nazi occupiers are two Jewish sisters, Janny and Lien Brilleslijper from Amsterdam. Risking arrest and death, the sisters help save others, sheltering them in a clandestine safehouse in the woods, they called “The High Nest.” <P><P>This secret refuge would become one of the most important Jewish safehouses in the country, serving as a hiding place and underground center for resistance partisans as well as artists condemned by Hitler. From The High Nest, an underground web of artists arises, giving hope and light to those living in terror in Holland as they begin to restore the dazzling pre-war life of Amsterdam and The Hague. When the house and its occupants are eventually betrayed, the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. As Allied troops close in, the Brilleslijper family are rushed onto the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. The journey will bring Janny and Lien close to Anne and her older sister Margot. The days ahead will test the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, their resilience, and their love for each other. <P><P>Based on meticulous research and unprecedented access to the Brilleslijpers’ personal archives of memoirs and photos, Sisters of Auschwitz is a long-overdue homage to two young women’s heroism and moral bravery—and a reminder of the power each of us has to change the world. <P><P><b>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
The Sisters of Auschwitz: The true story of two Jewish sisters’ resistance in the heart of Nazi territory
by Roxane van Iperen"Heartbreakingly good" Stephen, Amazon review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"You can't put it down" Anon, Amazon review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"Immensely moving" Jo, Amazon review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"An incredible read" Agnes, Amazon review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐They knew their survival depended on each other. They had to live for each other. It is 1940 and the Final Solution is about to begin. The Nazis have occupied The Netherlands but resistance is growing and two Jewish sisters - Janny and Lien Brilleslijper - are risking their lives to save those being hunted, through their clandestine safehouse 'The High Nest'. It becomes one of the most important safehouses in the country but when the house and its occupants are betrayed the most terrifying time of the sisters' lives begins. This is the beginning of the end. With German defeat in sight, the Brilleslijper family are put on the last train to Auschwitz, along with Anne Frank and her family. What comes next challenges the sisters beyond human imagination as they are stripped of everything but their courage, resilience and love for each other.Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka's Journey and The Librarian of Auschwitz - this is the international bestselling and life-affirming true story of female bravery and surviving the horrors of Auschwitz.See what Amazon readers are saying about The Sisters of Auschwitz:"Amazing story of resistance and love between sisters while fighting against evil", T Gill, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"Excellent. Kept you on the edge - a very gripping and sad true story, very well told", Helen 'o' Troy, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"Great book, I really enjoyed it, 10/10", Laura Regan, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"This is such a heartbreaking, thought provoking book, could not put it down and shed a few tears in the process. Amazing read, cannot recommend enough", Paige Walton, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"Amazing book. Thrilling, captivating, beautiful", Kathleen Treacy, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐"It is one of the most harrowing but inspirational stories but fills you with admiration. Would highly recommend", Amazon Customer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Sisters of Henry VIII: The Tumultuous Lives of Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France
by Maria PerryHenry VIII's sisters, neglected by generations of historians, impacted the lives and perceptions of their contemporaries more forcefully than did any of their brother's famous six wives. Maria Perry examines the lives of these extraordinary women and analyzes their influence on European Tudor Age history. Both Margaret and Mary, initially accepted their status as pawns in the dynastic power struggles that raged across sixteenth-century Europe. Margaret became queen of Scotland at age thirteen; family members arranged beautiful Mary's betrothal to the aging King of France when she was twelve. But both women chose their second husbands for love. Margaret bucked convention by marrying and divorcing twice after Henry's advancing armies slaughtered her first husband and kidnapped her children. Mary risked execution by proposing to the handsome Duke of Suffolk. By illuminating the characters of these two historical figures, Perry casts light on other aspects of Tudor England, offering a fresh interpretation of Henry VIII's upbringing and of his relationship with immediate family members. In this eye-opening expose of the intrigue and scandal that simmered just beneath the Tudors' regal image, Perry reveals striking new information about a family that - more than any other - shaped the development of both Reformation England and the modern world. She delivers a new and entirely viable theory about what transpired on the wedding night of Henry's doomed elder brother, Arthur, England's heir apparent, and she presents her own spectacular findings on Henry's illegitimate son, his "worldly jewel," the shadowy Duke of Richmond. Perry rescues two remarkable princesses from the shadows of history and radically challenges popular views of both the king and his era. Actress and writer MARIA PERRY was educated at Somerville College, Oxford. Following a career in journalism, both in England and in Sweden, she undertook a wide spectrum of roles on stage and television and in film. She is a founding member of the London recording group The Poetry People. Her previous books, The Word of a Prince: A Life of Elizabeth I and Knightbridge Woman, both received high acclaim. She lives in London.
The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family
by Mary S. LovellThis family biography considers the consequences of competing ideologies--Communist, royalist, and Fascist--on a twentieth-century English family, which happened to include four best-selling authors.
The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family
by Mary S. Lovell"Fascinating, the way all great family stories are fascinating."--Robert Gottlieb, New York Times Book Review This is the story of a close, loving family splintered by the violent ideologies of Europe between the world wars. Jessica was a Communist; Debo became the Duchess of Devonshire; Nancy was one of the best-selling novelists of her day; beautiful Diana married the Fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley; and Unity, a close friend of Hitler, shot herself in the head when England and Germany declared war. The Mitfords had style and presence and were mercilessly gifted. Above all, they were funny--hilariously and mercilessly so. In this wise, evenhanded, and generous book, Mary Lovell captures the vitality and drama of a family that took the twentieth century by storm and became, in some respects, its victims.
The Site: A Personal Odyssey
by Robert W. NeroPoetry or potsherds? That’s the surprising dilemma one of Canada’s well-known nature writers confronts in The Site: A Personal Odyssey, a highly personalized account of a lifetime’s involvement as an avocational archaeologist. With deft descriptive powers, Robert Nero leads us gently into this new facet of his amazing spectrum of interests. Not unexpectedly, there even is poetry in his approach to studying prehistoric remains! From childhood through adolescence, to wartime service with the U.S. Army in the Southwest Pacific, from exploring the vast sand dunes of Lake Athabasca to excavating a 3,000-year-old site he discovered west of Winnipeg, Nero allows us to share his enthusiasm and excitement in outdoor adventures. There is always a wonderful immediacy in his narrative, the mark of a gifted writer, whether expressed in prose or poetry.
The Six -- Young Readers Edition: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
by Loren GrushThe extraordinary true story of America&’s first female astronauts hailed as &“suspenseful, meticulously observed, enlightening&” by Margot Lee Shetterly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures, now adapted for young readers.Sally Ride may have been the first US woman in space, but did you know there were five other incredible American women who helped blaze the trail for female astronauts by her side? When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group women were also aggressively barred from—had the right stuff. But as the 1980s dawned so did new thinking, and six elite women scientists—Sally Ride, Judith Resnik, Anna Lee Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon—set out to prove they had exactly the right stuff to become the first US women astronauts. In The Six Young Readers Edition, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows how these brilliant and courageous women fought to enter STEM fields they were discouraged from pursuing, endured claustrophobic—and often deeply sexist—media attention, underwent rigorous survival training, and prepared for years to take multi-million-dollar equipment into orbit. Told with contributions from nearly all the living participants and now adapted for young readers, this book is an inspiring testament to their struggles, accomplishments, and sacrifices and how they built the tools that made the space program run. It&’s a legacy that lives on to inspire young people today.
The Six Messiahs (Arthur Conan Doyle Series #2)
by Mark FrostIn The Six Messiahs, Mark Frost again creates a novel of nineteenth-century mystery, adventure, and terror with Arthur Conan Doyle--the creator of the Sherlock Holmes books--at the center of the heart-stopping action. But The Six Messiahs is not a sequel; it is a spectacularly imagined novel that stands entirely on its own. Ten years have passed since Doyle first met the brilliant Jack Sparks and together they cracked the deadly case of The List of 7. Inspired by his friend, Doyle went on to create Sherlock Holmes, the character that has since made him a wealthy and celebrated man. Now off to America for his first book tour, Doyle is joined by his impetuous younger brother, Innes, and a cryptic Irish priest. During their voyage across the Atlantic, the men are stalked by an otherworldly order of assassins attempting to steal a precious piece of the ship's cargo: a priceless book of ancient mysticism. The Book of Zohar is the first piece of a lethal puzzle that will draw Doyle across the burgeoning young nation. From the filthy slums of lower Manhattan to the dark alleys of Chicago to a final apocalyptic confrontation in the searing Arizona desert, Doyle and his companions track the paths of six mysterious strangers who are united by a single, eerie dream. A dream of a black tower rising out of a wasteland--and a river of blood. As their trails converge at the source of this terrifying vision, Doyle and company confront an evil so dark and profound that it threatens to obliterate the very fabric of the world. Mark Frost has created a remarkable entertainment, a thriller teeming with details of American life at the turn of the century. There are twists and turns, mysteries to solve, page-turning frights, laughs, fascinating insights into the issues of the day, a cast of fantastically vivid characters--and a pulse-pounding story that will keep readers mesmerized until they reach the horrific and shattering conclusion.
The Six Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Wrestlemania
by Brad BalukjianFrom the bestselling author of The Wax Pack, comes another eye‑opening road trip adventure into a pocket of iconic pop culture—professional wrestling—starring the Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, Tito Santana, and many more larger‑than‑life characters of the WWF in the 1980s. "Perhaps one of the most truthful and enjoyable reads about my profession ever. I absolutely loved this book." —Former WWF Champion Bret "The Hitman" Hart In 2005, Brad Balukjian left his position as a magazine fact-checker to pursue a dream job: partner with his childhood hero, The Iron Sheik (whose real name was Khosrow Vaziri), to write his biography. Things quickly went south, culminating in the Sheik threatening Balukjian&’s life. Now seventeen years later, Balukjian returns to the road in search of not only a reunion with the Sheik, but something much bigger: truth in a world built on illusion. Balukjian seeks out six of the Sheik&’s contemporaries, fellow witnesses to the World Wrestling Federation&’s (WWF) explosion in the mid-&‘80s, to unearth their true identities. As Balukjian drives 12,525 miles around the country, we revisit the heady days when these avatars of strength, villainy, and heroism first found fame and see where their journeys took them. From working out with Tony Atlas (Tony White) to visiting Hulk Hogan&’s (Terry Bollea) karaoke bar, we see where these men are now and how they have navigated the cliffs of fame.The Six Pack combines the spirit of a fan with the rigor of an investigative reporter, tracking down former WWF employees, childhood friends, and mutually curious archivists. Wrestling is perceived as a subculture without a cultural home, somewhere between sport and theater—often dismissed as silly and low‑brow. But what makes this book so compelling is the humanity beneath each wrestler. The Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, and the rest of the cast were not characters in a comic book movie. They were real people, with families and feelings and bodies that could break. Most of them did, in fact, break; some have been repaired, but none of them will ever be the same.
The Six Queens of Henry VIII
by Honor Cargill-MartinWe all know Henry VIII had six wives. But these ladies are FAR too interesting to only be known as wives. Did you know that Catherine of Aragon rallied her troops in full armour while heavily pregnant? Or that Anne of Cleves met Henry VIII BEFORE they married - only she didn't realise, because he was in disguise! Or that it was Catherine Parr who persuaded the king to return his daughters Mary and Elizabeth - two of British history's most famous monarchs - to the line of succession?Get ready to lose your head as the six wonderful women behind the man take centre stage to overthrow her-story. From rumours of scandals and LOTS of lying, to political plays and fabulous frocks, The Six is a story filled with ambition, treason and strong women.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
by Gladys MalvernGladys Malvern uses her celebrated talent for prose to share the stories of Henry VIII's wives with immense personality and captivating drama. Henry VIII was married to six women during his reign as the King of England. Gladys Malvern characterizes them as The Saint (Catherine of Aragon); The Egotist (Anne Boleyn); The Diplomat (Jane Seymour); The Housewife (Anne of Cleves); The Coquette (Catherine Howard); and The Mother (Catherine Parr). Malvern masterfully tells each of their personal histories and how they intertwined through rivalry, vying for power, political maneuvering, and the hardships of losing favor with the man that seceded the Church of England from Rome for a divorce.
The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters
by Laura Thompson"Riveting. The Six captures all the wayward magnetism and levity that have enchanted countless writers without neglecting the tragic darkness of many of the sisters' life choices and the savage sociopolitical currents that fueled them." - Tina Brown, The New York Times Book Review The eldest was a razor-sharp novelist of upper-class manners; the second was loved by John Betjeman; the third was a fascist who married Oswald Mosley; the fourth idolized Hitler and shot herself in the head when Britain declared war on Germany; the fifth was a member of the American Communist Party; the sixth became Duchess of Devonshire.They were the Mitford sisters: Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica, and Deborah. Born into country-house privilege in the early years of the 20th century, they became prominent as "bright young things" in the high society of interwar London. Then, as the shadows crept over 1930s Europe, the stark--and very public--differences in their outlooks came to symbolize the political polarities of a dangerous decade.The intertwined stories of their stylish and scandalous lives--recounted in masterly fashion by Laura Thompson--hold up a revelatory mirror to upper-class English life before and after WWII. The Six was previously published as Take Six Girls.
The Six: The Untold Story of the Titanic's Chinese Survivors
by Steven SchwankertA moving exploration of the origins and fate of the little-known Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic—and how they survived against all odds. "The Six unveils the harrowing journey of the Chinese Titanic survivors, exposing a deeply human narrative lost to time and prejudice.&” —Amy TanWhen RMS Titanic sank on a cold night in 1912, barely seven hundred people escaped with their lives. Among them were six Chinese men. Arriving in New York, these six were met with suspicion and slander. Fewer than twenty-four hours later, they were expelled from the country and vanished. When historian Steven Schwankert first stumbled across the fact that eight Chinese nationals were onboard, of whom all but two survived, he couldn&’t believe that there could still be untold personal histories from the Titanic. Now, at last, their story can be told. The result of meticulous research, a dogged investigation, and interviews with family members, The Six is an epic journey across continents that reveals the full story of these six forgotten survivors. Who were Ah Lam, Chang Chip, Cheong Foo, Fang Lang (or Fong Wing Sun), Lee Bing, and Ling Hee? Professional mariners, their incredible journeys reveal an overlooked, but all-too-common, experience of inequality and discrimination. The Titanic continues to reveal a multitude of secrets, and the lives of these six men add a layer of humanity and nuance to one of the most storied shipwrecks in history.
The Sixteenth Round: From Number 1 Contender to Number 45472
by Rubin CarterThe survivor of a difficult childhood and youth, Rubin Carter rose to become a top contender for the middleweight boxing crown. But his career crashed to a halt on May 26, 1967, when he and another man were found guilty of the murder of three white people in a New Jersey bar. While in prison, Carter chronicled the events that led him from the ring to three consecutive life sentences and 10 years in solitary confinement. His story was a cry for help to the public, an attempt to set the record straight and force a new trial. Bob Dylan wrote a classic anthem for Carter's struggle; and Joan Baez, Muhammad Ali, Roberta Flack, and thousands more took up the cause as well. Originally published in 1974, this account is an eye-opening examination of growing up black in America, problems in the United States prison system, and Carter's own battles.
The Sixth Wife: A Novel
by Suzannah DunnA gripping novel of love, passion, betrayal, and heartbreak in the unstable Tudor court following the death of King Henry VIIIClever, level-headed Katherine Parr has suffered through four years of marriage to the aging and irascible King Henry VIII—and she has survived, unlike the five wives who came before her. But less than a year after the old king's death, her heart is won by the dashing Thomas Seymour, and their hasty union undoes a lifetime of prudent caution.An unwilling witness to the queen's late-blossoming love, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, harbors nagging suspicions of Kate's handsome and ambitious new husband. But as Catherine is drawn deeper into the web of politics ensnaring her oldest friend, it gradually becomes clear that she has her own dark tale to tell. For though Thomas might betray his wife for power, Catherine might betray her for passion, risking everything she has in a world where love is a luxury not even royalty can easily afford.
The Sixth Wife: The Story of Katherine Parr (Tudor Saga #7)
by Jean PlaidyDangerous court intrigue and affairs of the heart collide as renowned novelist Jean Plaidy tells the story of Katherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII's six queens.Henry VIII's fifth wife, Katherine Howard, was both foolish and unfaithful, and she paid for it with her life. Henry vowed that his sixth wife would be different, and she was. Katherine Parr was twice widowed and thirty-one years old. A thoughtful, well-read lady, she was known at court for her unblemished reputation and her kind heart. She had hoped to marry for love and had set her heart on Thomas Seymour, the dashing brother of Henry's third queen. But the aging king--more in need of a nurse than a wife--was drawn to her, and Katherine could not refuse his proposal of marriage.Queen Katherine was able to soothe the King's notorious temper, and his three children grew fond of her, the only mother they had ever really known. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a volatile tyrant, books were Katherine's consolation. But among her intellectual pursuits was an interest in Lutheranism--a religion that the king saw as a threat to his supremacy as head of the new Church of England. Courtiers envious of the Queen's influence over Henry sought to destroy her by linking her with the "radical" religious reformers. Henry raged that Katherine had betrayed him, and had a warrant drawn up for her arrest and imprisonment. At court it was whispered that the king would soon execute yet another wife. Henry's sixth wife would have to rely on her wits to survive where two other women had perished. . . .From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Sixties: The Last Journal, 1960-1972
by Lewis M. Dabney Edmund O. WilsonEdited by Wilson's biographer, this volume poignantly -- and defiantly -- records the final years of one of our foremost critics and writers, taking its place alongside his major works, including "To the Finland Station", "Patriotic Gore", "The Shores of Light, and Letters on Literature and Politics", as an enduring contribution to American culture. In "The Sixties" Wilson also struggles with his aging, as intellectual and personal curiosity contend against weakening physical powers, and flirtations that afford a sense of biological revival strain his relationship with his wife, Elena. He watches his children establishing their own lives and is aware of unfulfilled relationships with them. Yet, as he plunges into the contemporary scene of art, thought, and public affairs, the pull of his personal and cultural past is strengthened by the sense of his approaching end. Witnessing his own foibles and the ironies of human nature, expressing feeling more deeply than he often had in his journal, he writes his account of this decade with a concentration undiluted by other large-scale projects. The extraordinary personal record begun in another pivotal period in American life, with "The Twenties", comes to a fitting culmination in "The Sixties".
The Sixties: The Last Journal, 1960–1972 (Edmund Wilson's Notebooks and Diaries)
by Edmund WilsonThe last of Edmund Wilson's posthumously published journals turned out to be one of his major books, The Sixties: the Last Journal, 1960–1972--a personal history that is also brilliant social comedy and an anatomy of the times. Wilson catches the flavor of an international elite -- Stravinsky, Auden, Andre Malraux, and Isaiah Berlin -- as well as the New York literati and the Kennedy White House, but he never strays too far from the common life, whether noting the routines of his normal neighbors or the struggle of his own aging."Candor and intelligence come through on every page--in this always absorbing journal by perhaps the last great man of American letters." - Kirkus Reviews
The Size of Others' Burdens: Barack Obama, Jane Addams, and the Politics of Helping Others
by Erik SchneiderhanAmericans have a fierce spirit of individualism. We pride ourselves on self-reliance, on bootstrapping our way to success. Yet, we also believe in helping those in need, and we turn to our neighbors in times of crisis. The tension between these competing values is evident, and how we balance between these competing values holds real consequences for community health and well-being. In his new book, The Size of Others' Burdens, Erik Schneiderhan asks how people can act in the face of competing pressures, and explores the stories of two famous Americans to develop present-day lessons for improving our communities. Although Jane Addams and Barack Obama are separated by roughly one hundred years, the parallels between their lives are remarkable: Chicago activists-turned-politicians, University of Chicago lecturers, gifted orators, crusaders against discrimination, winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. Addams was the founder of Hull-House, the celebrated American "settlement house" that became the foundation of modern social work. Obama's remarkable rise to the presidency is well known. Through the stories of Addams's and Obama's early community work, Erik Schneiderhan challenges readers to think about how many of our own struggles are not simply personal challenges, but also social challenges. How do we help others when so much of our day-to-day life is geared toward looking out for ourselves, whether at work or at home? Not everyone can run for president or win a Nobel Prize, but we can help others without sacrificing their dignity or our principles. Great thinkers of the past and present can give us the motivation; Addams and Obama show us how. Schneiderhan highlights the value of combining today's state resources with the innovation and flexibility of Addams's time to encourage community building. Offering a call to action, this book inspires readers to address their own American dilemma and connect to community, starting within our own neighborhoods.