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The World Looks Different Now: A Memoir of Suicide, Faith, and Family
by Margaret ThomsonOn a glorious, if blisteringly hot, Saturday in August 2010, Margaret Thomson&’s world is suddenly shattered by the incomprehensible news that her twenty-two-year-old son, a medic in the army, has taken his life.In a deep state of shock, Thomson and her husband immediately travel to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where their son Kieran was stationed, in an effort to assist their daughter-in-law. Upon their arrival, though, the couple find themselves plunged into a labyrinthine and, at times, seemingly bizarre world of military rules and regulations.Eventually, after the funeral and the memorial services are over, an even more challenging journey—emotionally as well as geographically—ensues, especially for Margaret, who, as a former journalist, is determined to find out more about the circumstances surrounding her son&’s death, no matter how high the cost.As she enters her second year of grieving, Thomson receives an unexpected invitation from an unlikely source—the army, which she&’s often blamed in many ways, whether fairly or not, for her son&’s death. Seizing upon this opportunity, Thomson finds that her perspective is changed—literally—and that as a result the world does indeed look different now.
A World Made New
by Mary Ann GlendonA World Made New tells the dramatic story of the struggle to build, out of the trauma and wreckage of World War II, a document that would ensure it would never happen again. There was an almost religious intensity to the project, championed by Eleanor Roosevelt under the aegis of the newly formed United nations and brought into being by an extraordinary group of men and women who knew, like the framers of the Declaration of Independence, that they were making history. They worked against the clock, the brief window between the end of World War II and the deep freeze of the cold war, to forget the founding document of the modern rights movement.A distinguished professor of international law, Mary Ann Glendon was given exclusive access to personal diaries and unpublished memoirs of key participants. An outstanding work of narrative history, A World Made New is the first book devoted to this crucial moment in Eleanor Roosevelt's life and in world history.
World More Beautiful: The Life and Art of Barbara Cooney
by Angela Burke KunkelThis stunning and lyrical picture book biography details the life and art of celebrated children's book creator, Barbara Cooney.For every kid who loves art, here is the inspirational story of beloved illustrator and two-time Caldecott Medalist, Barbara Cooney. Barbara was born in a hotel in Brooklyn, with a view of the city and the sea. Her father loved numbers and money. But Barbara and her mother loved art, and color, and light. Barbara&’s favorite days were when she stayed home sick in bed and got to paint and draw. In the summers, they left New York for Maine, where Barbara scrambled among the rocks, wind whipping her hair, light sparkling on the water. Summer was grey, and blue, and green, and free. When Barbara grew up, she ventured out into the world with an art portfolio—she thought she might like to illustrate books. And she did, creating classics like Miss Rumphius, Island Boy, and Hattie and the Waves. Her character Miss Rumphius said, you must do something to make the world more beautiful. And that is exactly what Barbara did. It's a message that's sure to inspire young readers and creators today.
The World of Ariana Grande: The Ultimate Unofficial Fan Guide Packed with Facts, Stats and Quizzes (The World Of #2)
by Catherine Saunders*THE ULTIMATE UNOFFICIAL ARIANA GRANDE FAN BOOK*Discover everything there is to know about Ariana Grande, pop icon, actress and star. Follow her amazing journey from moving to New York City to chase her dreams, to becoming a worldwide singing sensation and star of much-anticipated movie musical, Wicked.Uncover the secrets of Ariana Grande's biggest hits, amazing style and extraordinary world - from how she makes her award-winning pop songs and sells out arena tours, to creating her own amazing beauty line and starring on the big screen.Put your knowledge to the test with quick quizzes, impress your friends with the most amazing quotes, and discover record-breaking stellar stats and facts all about pop icon and star, Ariana Grande!*This book has not been authorised, licensed or endorsed by Ariana Grande, Universal Music Group or any associated company.Buy this book if you're looking for:- gifts for girls and boys aged 8, 9, 10, 11- a book that will inspire the biggest Ariana Grande and Wicked fans in your life- a book to get kids more interested in reading- a kid-favourite gift for birthdays, holidays or Christmas
The World of BTS: The Ultimate Unofficial Fan Guide Packed with Facts, Stats and Quizzes (The World Of #3)
by Catherine Saunders*THE ULTIMATE UNOFFICIAL BTS FAN BOOK*Discover everything there is to know about BTS, K-pop icons, solo artists and international stars. Follow their amazing journey from band formation to international stadium tours, solo careers to military service, and their future plans now they're getting back together. Uncover the secrets of BTS's biggest hits, amazing hairstyles and extraordinary fandom - from how they were recruited into the band to their spin-off acting careers.Put your knowledge to the test with quick quizzes, impress your friends with the most amazing quotes and discover record-breaking stellar stats and facts all about pop icons BTS!
The World of BTS: The Ultimate Unofficial Fan Guide Packed with Facts, Stats and Quizzes (The World Of #3)
by Catherine Saunders*THE ULTIMATE UNOFFICIAL BTS FAN BOOK*Discover everything there is to know about BTS, K-pop icons, solo artists and international stars. Follow their amazing journey from band formation to international stadium tours, solo careers to military service, and their future plans now they're getting back together. Uncover the secrets of BTS's biggest hits, amazing hairstyles and extraordinary fandom - from how they were recruited into the band to their spin-off acting careers.Put your knowledge to the test with quick quizzes, impress your friends with the most amazing quotes and discover record-breaking stellar stats and facts all about pop icons BTS!
The World of Christopher Marlowe
by David RiggsThe definitive biography: a masterly account of Marlowe's work and life and the world in which he livedShakespeare's contemporary, Christopher Marlowe revolutionized English drama and poetry, transforming the Elizabethan stage into a place of astonishing creativity. The outline of Marlowe's life, work, and violent death are known, but few of the details that explain why his writing and ideas made him such a provocateur in the Elizabethan era have been available until now. In this absorbing consideration of Marlowe and his times, David Riggs presents Marlowe as the language's first poetic dramatist whose desires proved his undoing. In an age of tremendous cultural change in Europe when Cervantes wrote the first novel and Copernicus demonstrated a world subservient to other nonreligious forces, Catholics and Protestants battled for control of England and Elizabeth's crown was anything but secure. Into this whirlwind of change stepped Marlowe espousing sexual freedom and atheism. His beliefs proved too dangerous to those in power and he was condemned as a spy and later murdered. In The World of Christopher Marlowe, Riggs's exhaustive research digs deeply into the mystery of how and why Marlowe was killed.
The World of Cycling According to G
by Geraint ThomasFROM GERAINT THOMAS, WINNER OF THE 2018 TOUR DE FRANCELike no other cycling book, from no other rider - Britain's cycling star shares his unique take on the world of cyclingSit back or saddle up as double Olympic gold medallist and multiple world champion Geraint Thomas gives you a warts and all insight into the life of a pro cyclist. Along the way he reveals cycling's clandestine codes and secret stories, tales from the peloton, the key characters like Wiggins, Hoy and Cav, the pivotal races and essential etiquette. Geraint Thomas is treasured for treating his sport just as the rest of us see it: not a job but an escape and an adventure. He's been with Team Sky since its inception, and is one of our most successful and gifted track and road riders, but Geraint reminds us that getting on the bike still puts a smile on your face and fire in the legs like nothing else.Funny, informative, diverting and droll, this is a joyful celebration of the world of cycling.
The World of Cycling According to G
by Geraint ThomasFROM GERAINT THOMAS, WINNER OF THE 2018 TOUR DE FRANCELike no other cycling book, from no other rider - Britain's cycling star shares his unique take on the world of cyclingSit back or saddle up as double Olympic gold medallist and multiple world champion Geraint Thomas gives you a warts and all insight into the life of a pro cyclist. Along the way he reveals cycling's clandestine codes and secret stories, tales from the peloton, the key characters like Wiggins, Hoy and Cav, the pivotal races and essential etiquette. Geraint Thomas is treasured for treating his sport just as the rest of us see it: not a job but an escape and an adventure. He's been with Team Sky since its inception, and is one of our most successful and gifted track and road riders, but Geraint reminds us that getting on the bike still puts a smile on your face and fire in the legs like nothing else.Funny, informative, diverting and droll, this is a joyful celebration of the world of cycling.(P)2015 WF Howes Ltd
A World of Her Own: 24 Amazing Women Explorers and Adventurers
by Michael Elsohn RossThe stories of two dozen fascinating female explorers, from a wide range of eras, cultures, races, and economic backgrounds, are profiled in this entertaining and educational resource. Each of the women profiled overcame many obstacles to satisfy her curiosity and passions, including Eleanor Creesy, who was a ship's navigator in the 1800s; Kate Jackson, an insatiable investigator of venomous snakes whose work has led her to remote Africa and Latin America; and Constanza Ceruti, the world's only female high-elevation archaeologist, who carries out excavations on the Earth's highest peaks in dangerously thin air and subzero temperatures. Offering not only important historical context but also original interviews with many intriguing modern explorers, this who's who of women explorers will provide inspiration to today's young women interested in nature, science, and a physical challenge.
The World of Jimmy Breslin: World Without End, Amen; The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight; Table Money; And Forsaking All Others
by Jimmy BreslinThe Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist&’s early columns &“peopled by some of the funniest, looniest and saddest characters anywhere outside of a zoo&” (The New York Times). In the 1960s, as the once-proud New York Herald Tribune spiraled into bankruptcy, the brightest light in its pages was an ebullient young columnist named Jimmy Breslin. While ordinary columnists wrote about politics, culture, or the economy, Breslin&’s chief topics were the city and Breslin himself. He was chummy with cops, arsonists, and thieves, and told their stories with grace, wit, and lightning-quick prose. Whether covering the five boroughs, Vietnam, or the death of John F. Kennedy, Breslin managed to find great characters wherever he went. This collection includes some of Breslin&’s most famous early writing. Here are the unforgettable New Yorkers Sam Silverware and Larry Lightfingers, the celebrated interview with President Kennedy&’s gravedigger, and the classic &“People I&’m Not Talking To Next Year.&” But the most important voice here is Breslin&’s—as vibrant as ever. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Jimmy Breslin including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s personal collection.
The World of Juliette Kinzie: Chicago before the Fire (Historical Studies of Urban America)
by Ann Durkin KeatingWhen Juliette Kinzie first visited Chicago in 1831, it was anything but a city. An outpost in the shadow of Fort Dearborn, it had no streets, no sidewalks, no schools, no river-spanning bridges. And with two hundred disconnected residents, it lacked any sense of community. In the decades that followed, not only did Juliette witness the city’s transition from Indian country to industrial center, but she was instrumental in its development. Juliette is one of Chicago’s forgotten founders. Early Chicago is often presented as “a man’s city,” but women like Juliette worked to create an urban and urbane world, often within their own parlors. With The World of Juliette Kinzie, we finally get to experience the rise of Chicago from the view of one of its most important founding mothers. Ann Durkin Keating, one of the foremost experts on nineteenth-century Chicago, offers a moving portrait of a trailblazing and complicated woman. Keating takes us to the corner of Cass and Michigan (now Wabash and Hubbard), Juliette’s home base. Through Juliette’s eyes, our understanding of early Chicago expands from a city of boosters and speculators to include the world that women created in and between households. We see the development of Chicago society, first inspired by cities in the East and later coming into its own midwestern ways. We also see the city become a community, as it developed its intertwined religious, social, educational, and cultural institutions. Keating draws on a wealth of sources, including hundreds of Juliette’s personal letters, allowing Juliette to tell much of her story in her own words. Juliette’s death in 1870, just a year before the infamous fire, seemed almost prescient. She left her beloved Chicago right before the physical city as she knew it vanished in flames. But now her history lives on. The World of Juliette Kinzie offers a new perspective on Chicago’s past and is a fitting tribute to one of the first women historians in the United States.
The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books
by Marta McDowell“For gardeners, botanists, and fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder, this book looks at the beloved Little House on the Prairie author’s relationship to nature.” —Publishers Weekly The universal appeal of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books springs from a life lived in partnership with the land, on farms she and her family settled across the Northeast and Midwest. In this revealing exploration of Wilder’s deep connection with the natural world, Marta McDowell follows the wagon trail of the beloved Little House series. You’ll learn details about Wilder’s life and inspirations, pinpoint the Ingalls and Wilder homestead claims on authentic archival maps, and learn to grow the plants and vegetables featured in the series. Excerpts from Wilder’s books, letters, and diaries bring to light her profound appreciation for the landscapes at the heart of her world. Featuring the beloved illustrations by Helen Sewell and Garth Williams, plus hundreds of historic and contemporary photographs, The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a treasure for anyone enchanted by Laura’s wild and beautiful life.
A World of Light: Portraits and Celebrations
by May SartonThis captivating book by May Sarton rejoices in friendship and family In A World of Light, renowned poet and novelist May Sarton renders unforgettable portraits of the friends she considers family—and the family she looks upon as friends. From her father, famed science historian George Sarton, she learns that work is &“of the first importance.&” Her mother, Mabel, an artist in her own right, is her &“dearest friend.&” Sarton also introduces us to fellow creative minds Elizabeth Bowen and Louise Brogan, Swiss vigneron Marc Turian, a New Hampshire painter named Quig, and many others.Sarton crosses oceans and continents as she chronicles the enduring connections she has made and how each has enriched her life. Tender and passionate, candid and evocative, A World of Light is about what it means to be an artist—and a human.This ebook features an extended biography of May Sarton.
The World of Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Mathematician of God (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Mathematics #2)
by Massimo MazzottiThe fascinating true story of mathematician Maria Agnesi.She is best known for her curve, the witch of Agnesi, which appears in almost all high school and undergraduate math books. She was a child prodigy who frequented the salon circuit, discussing mathematics, philosophy, history, and music in multiple languages. She wrote one of the first vernacular textbooks on calculus and was appointed chair of mathematics at the university in Bologna. In later years, however, she became a prominent figure within the Catholic Enlightenment, gave up academics, and devoted herself to the poor, the sick, the hungry, and the homeless. Indeed, the life of Maria Agnesi reveals a complex and enigmatic figure—one of the most fascinating characters in the history of mathematics. Using newly discovered archival documents, Massimo Mazzotti reconstructs the wide spectrum of Agnesi's social experience and examines her relationships to various traditions—religious, political, social, and mathematical. This meticulous study shows how she and her fellow Enlightenment Catholics modified tradition in an effort to reconcile aspects of modern philosophy and science with traditional morality and theology.Mazzotti's original and provocative investigation is also the first targeted study of the Catholic Enlightenment and its influence on modern science. He argues that Agnesi's life is the perfect lens through which we can gain a greater understanding of mid-eighteenth-century cultural trends in continental Europe.
A World of My Own: A Dream Diary
by Graham GreeneGraham Greene was always deeply interested in the role played by the subconscious in his writing, and the private world of his dreams was one that he nurtured carefully, recording it almost daily in his dream diaries. Selecting from these dream diaries, he prepared this small treasure for publication just before his death in 1991--a last gift from a great writer to delight and entertain his readers.
A World of My Own: A Dream Diary
by Graham GreeneThe British author shares the “strange . . . inner layers of his playful, guilty imagination” in this glimpse into a brilliant novelist’s subconscious (The New York Times). Culled from nearly eight hundred pages of the author’s “dream diaries” kept between 1965 and 1989, this singular journal reveals “the feverish inner life of an intensely private man, providing an uncanny mirror-image of [his] novelistic obsessions, insecurities, and moral preoccupations” (Publishers Weekly). In what Greene calls My Own World—as opposed to the Common World of shared reality—he accompanies Henry James on a disagreeable riverboat trip to Bogota, is caught in a guerilla crossfire with Evelyn Waugh and W. H. Auden, strolls in the Vatican garden with Pope John Paul II who’s doling out Perugina chocolates like hosts, offers refuge to a suicidal Charlie Chaplin, and stages a disastrous play in blank verse for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. He also shares his headspace with Goebbels, Castro, Cocteau, Queen Elizabeth, D. H. Lawrence, and talking kittens. And the landscape is just as wide: from Nazi Germany to Haiti to West Africa to Bethlehem 1 AD and to Sweden where he seeks treatment for leprosy. Greene is a criminal, spy, lover, assassin, witness, and writer. Encompassing life, death, war, feuds, and career, and alternately absurdist, frightening, funny, and revealing, these fertile imaginings—many of which found their way into Greene’s fiction—comprise nothing less than “an alternate autobiography . . . a uniquely candid self-portrait” of one of the giants of English literature (Kirkus Reviews).
The World of Nancy Kwan: A Memoir by Hollywood's Asian Superstar
by Nancy KwanA Hollywood icon and Asian superstar shares the inspiring story of her groundbreaking career. When Nancy Kwan burst onto the scene in the early 1960s, Asian characters in film were portrayed by white actors in makeup playing &“yellowface,&” and those minor roles were the stuff of cliché: shopkeepers, maids, prostitutes, servants. When—against all odds—Nancy landed the lead role in the much-anticipated 1960 film The World of Suzie Wong, she became an international superstar and was celebrated for her beauty, grace, authenticity, and spunk: a &“Chinese Garbo,&” the &“Asian Bardot.&” From Hong Kong to London, Hollywood and beyond, The World of Nancy Kwan charts Nancy&’s journey. The obstacles she faced, the prejudices she overcame, and how her success created paths for others. Never allowing show business to change her, Kwan persevered in an industry where everything was stacked against her, breaking through barriers and becoming a beacon of hope to generations of Asians who aspired to be seen. The World of Nancy Kwan is a multi-faceted personal history of an iconic actress whose triumphant rise and resilience illuminates the broader history of Hollywood and how the only way forward is to stay true to oneself.
The World of Raymond Chandler: In His Own Words
by Raymond ChandlerRaymond Chandler never wrote a memoir or autobiography. The closest he came to writing either was in—and around—his novels, shorts stories, and letters. There have been books that describe and evaluate Chandler&’s life, but to find out what he himself felt about his life and work, Barry Day, editor of The Letters of Noël Coward (&“There is much to dazzle here in just the way we expect . . . the book is meticulous, artfully structured—splendid&” —Daniel Mendelsohn; The New York Review of Books), has cannily, deftly chosen from Chandler&’s writing, as well as the many interviews he gave over the years as he achieved cult status, to weave together an illuminating narrative that reveals the man, the work, the worlds he created.Using Chandler&’s own words as well as Day&’s text, here is the life of &“the man with no home,&” a man precariously balanced between his classical English education with its immutable values and that of a fast-evolving America during the years before the Great War, and the changing vernacular of the cultural psyche that resulted. Chandler makes clear what it is to be a writer, and in particular what it is to be a writer of &“hardboiled&” fiction in what was for him &“another language.&” Along the way, he discusses the work of his contemporaries: Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Agatha Christie, W. Somerset Maugham, and others (&“I wish,&” said Chandler, &“I had one of those facile plotting brains, like Erle Gardner&”).Here is Chandler&’s Los Angeles (&“There is a touch of the desert about everything in California,&” he said, &“and about the minds of the people who live here&”), a city he adopted and that adopted him in the post-World War I period . . . Here is his Hollywood (&“Anyone who doesn&’t like Hollywood,&” he said, &“is either crazy or sober&”) . . . He recounts his own (rocky) experiences working in the town with Billy Wilder, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, and others. . .We see Chandler&’s alter ego, Philip Marlowe, private eye, the incorruptible knight with little armor who walks the &“mean streets&” in a world not made for knights (&“If I had ever an opportunity of selecting the movie actor who would best represent Marlowe to my mind, I think it would have been Cary Grant.&”) . . . Here is Chandler on drinking (his life in the end was in a race with alcohol—and loneliness) . . . and here are Chandler&’s women—the Little Sisters, the &“dames&” in his fiction, and in his life (on writing The Long Goodbye, Chandler said, &“I watched my wife die by half inches and I wrote the best book in my agony of that knowledge . . . I was as hollow as the places between the stars.&” After her death Chandler led what he called a &“posthumous life&” writing fiction, but more often than not, his writing life was made up of letters written to women he barely knew.)Interwoven throughout the text are more than one hundred pictures that reveal the psyche and world of Raymond Chandler. &“I have lived my whole life on the edge of nothing,&” he wrote. In his own words, and with Barry Day&’s commentary, we see the shape this took and the way it informed the man and his extraordinary work.
The World of Samuel Adams
by Donald Barr ChidseyWho was Samuel Adams? was he a rabble-rouser as some say? Or was he a palseyed man who knew how to wield a pen and use his tongue to organize men? Cousin to the second president of the US, John Adams, when people think of Samuel Adams they think of the rebellions of the American Revolution... But who was Samuel Adams, really?
The World of Stephanie St. Clair: An Entrepreneur, Race Woman and Outlaw in Early Twentieth Century Harlem (Black Studies and Critical Thinking #59)
by Shirley StewartBorn in Guadeloupe in 1897, Stephanie St. Clair entered the United States thirteen years later. By 1923 at the age of twenty-six she would create and manage a highly lucrative policy bank in Harlem – earning a quarter of a million dollars a year. To this day, she remains the only black female gangster to run an operation of that size. Infamous gangster Dutch Schultz invited himself to share in the Harlem profits. Unlike other Harlem bankers, St. Clair resisted. Despite Schultz’s threats, many of her male employees remained with her. Some said she paid them high wages and challenged them by asking, "What kind of men would desert a lady in a fight?" <p><p>Upon arrival in the United States St. Clair did not conduct her life in the manner expected of a black female Caribbean immigrant in the early twentieth century. What factors influenced St. Clair’s decision to become an entrepreneur and activist within her community? Why did St. Clair describe herself as a «lady» when ladies did not run illegal businesses and they were not black? <p><p>These questions are explored along with her lineage – a lineage that contains the same fighting spirit that she carried throughout her life. This is not the story of a victim. Courses concerned with the study of social and economic conditions of black urban residents during the early twentieth century and female entrepreneurs of the same era will find St. Clair’s story compelling and informative.
World of Trouble: A Philadelphia Quaker Family's Journey through the American Revolution (The Lewis Walpole Series in Eighteenth-Century Culture and History)
by Richard GodbeerAn intimate account of the American Revolution as seen through the eyes of a Quaker pacifist couple living in Philadelphia Historian Richard Godbeer presents a richly layered and intimate account of the American Revolution as experienced by a Philadelphia Quaker couple, Elizabeth Drinker and the merchant Henry Drinker, who barely survived the unique perils that Quakers faced during that conflict. Spanning a half†‘century before, during, and after the war, this gripping narrative illuminates the Revolution’s darker side as patriots vilified, threatened, and in some cases killed pacifist Quakers as alleged enemies of the revolutionary cause. Amid chaos and danger, the Drinkers tried as best they could to keep their family and faith intact. Through one couple’s story, Godbeer opens a window on a uniquely turbulent period of American history, uncovers the domestic, social, and religious lives of Quakers in the late eighteenth century, and situates their experience in the context of transatlantic culture and trade. A master storyteller takes his readers on a moving journey they will never forget.
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
by Aimee Nezhukumatathil“A poet celebrates the wonders of nature in a collection of essays that could almost serve as a coming-of-age memoir.” —Kirkus ReviewsAs a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplanted—no matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscape—she was able to turn to our world’s fierce and funny creatures for guidance.“What the peacock can do,” she tells us, “is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life.” The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off unwanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the world’s gifts.Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy.Praise for World of WondersBarnes & Noble 2020 Book of the YearAn NPR Best Book of 2020An Esquire Best Book of 2020A Publishers Weekly “Big Indie Book of Fall 2020”A BuzzFeed Best Book of Fall 2020“Hands-down one of the most beautiful books of the year.” —NPR“A timely story about love, identity and belonging.” —New York Times Book Review“A truly wonderous essay collection.” —Roxane Gay, The Audacity
The World of Yesterday
by Stefan ZweigThis book recalls the golden age of literary Vienna―its seeming permanence, its promise, and its devastating fall. <p><p> Surrounded by the leading literary lights of the epoch, Stefan Zweig draws a vivid and intimate account of his life and travels through Vienna, Paris, Berlin, and London, touching on the very heart of European culture. His passionate, evocative prose paints a stunning portrait of an era that danced brilliantly on the edge of extinction. This new translation by award-winning Anthea Bell captures the spirit of Zweig’s writing in arguably his most revealing work.
World Order
by Henry Kissinger&“Dazzling and instructive . . . [a] magisterial new book.&” —Walter Isaacson, Time"An astute analysis that illuminates many of today's critical international issues." —Kirkus Reviews Henry Kissinger offers in World Order a deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era—advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decades—Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.There has never been a true &“world order,&” Kissinger observes. For most of history, civilizations defined their own concepts of order. Each considered itself the center of the world and envisioned its distinct principles as universally relevant. China conceived of a global cultural hierarchy with the emperor at its pinnacle. In Europe, Rome imagined itself surrounded by barbarians; when Rome fragmented, European peoples refined a concept of an equilibrium of sovereign states and sought to export it across the world. Islam, in its early centuries, considered itself the world&’s sole legitimate political unit, destined to expand indefinitely until the world was brought into harmony by religious principles. The United States was born of a conviction about the universal applicability of democracy—a conviction that has guided its policies ever since.Now international affairs take place on a global basis, and these historical concepts of world order are meeting. Every region participates in questions of high policy in every other, often instantaneously. Yet there is no consensus among the major actors about the rules and limits guiding this process or its ultimate destination. The result is mounting tension.Grounded in Kissinger&’s deep study of history and his experience as national security advisor and secretary of state, World Order guides readers through crucial episodes in recent world history. Kissinger offers a unique glimpse into the inner deliberations of the Nixon administration&’s negotiations with Hanoi over the end of the Vietnam War, as well as Ronald Reagan&’s tense debates with Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjavík. He offers compelling insights into the future of U.S.–China relations and the evolution of the European Union, and he examines lessons of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taking readers from his analysis of nuclear negotiations with Iran through the West&’s response to the Arab Spring and tensions with Russia over Ukraine, World Order anchors Kissinger&’s historical analysis in the decisive events of our time.Provocative and articulate, blending historical insight with geopolitical prognostication, World Order is a unique work that could come only from a lifelong policy maker and diplomat. Kissinger is also the author of On China.