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Bessborough: Three Women. Three Decades. Three Stories of Courage.
by Deirdre Finnerty'I read Bessborough in one sitting, veering from fury to devastation within a matter of pages. A vitally important book.' Louise O'Neill'Vivid and powerful' CAELAINN HOGAN'I loved this book for its sheer honesty' CATHERINE CORLESS'A powerfully important book that demands to be read' Irish ExaminerFor over seventy years, Bessborough House, a grand country mansion on the outskirts of Cork city, operated as one of Ireland's biggest mother and baby institutions. Women and girls who walked up its stone steps were warned never to reveal their true identities and gave birth to babies they would not be allowed to keep. In Bessborough: Three Women. Three Decades. Three Stories of Courage, a trio of remarkable women confined there in the 60s, 70s and 80s, tell their truths. Their vivid accounts take us right inside the walls of the secretive institution and give us a deep insight into how their experiences impacted their lives afterwards.The result is a stark portrait of a system that split families apart -- and a moving account of love, loss and reconnection.'Bessborough will break many a heart. Deirdre Finnerty tells the three stories with compassion, empathy and precision, resulting in an emotionally devastating, vital book' IRISH TIMES
Bessie
by Chris AlbertsonThe definitive biography of musical legend Bessie Smith: &“A landmark in the writing of jazz history . . . First-rate&” (The Washington Post). Known as the &“Empress of the Blues,&” Bessie Smith was a successful vaudeville entertainer who became the highest paid African American performer of the Roaring Twenties. This revised and expanded biography debunks many of the myths that have circulated since her untimely death in 1937. Writing with insight and candor about the singer&’s personal life and career, the author supplements his research with dozens of interviews with her relatives, friends, and associates—in particular Ruby Walker Smith, a niece by marriage who toured with Bessie for over a decade. Also included in this updated edition are more details of Bessie&’s early years, new interview material, and a chapter devoted to events and responses that followed the book&’s original publication. &“The product of painstaking research . . . Devastating, provocative, and enlightening.&” —Los Angeles Times
Bessie (Revised and Expanded Edition)
by Chris AlbertsonThis book-- a revised and expanded edition of the definitive biography of Bessie Smith, known as the "Empress of the Blues"--debunks many of the myths that circulated after her untimely death in 1937. For this new edition, Chris Albertson provides more details of Bessie's early years, new interview material, and a chapter devoted to events and responses that followed the original publication. "The first estimable full-length biography not only of Bessie Smith but of any black musician. "-Whitney Balliett, New Yorker (on the first edition). "A remarkably clear-eyed examination of Smith's personality (and sexuality) and, more important, of the gritty and greedy music business. "-Benjamin Schwarz, Atlantic Monthly. "A vivid portrait of this quintessential American diva. "-Will Friedwald, New York Sun. "The most devastating, provocative, and enlightening work of its kind ever contributed to the annals of jazz literature. "-Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times (on the first edition). "An exemplary biography . . . [with] a gripping, often moving, narrative. "-John Mole, Times Literary Supplement.
Bessie Coleman: Bold Pilot Who Gave Women Wings (Movers, Shakers, and History Makers)
by Martha LondonIn the 1920s, Bessie Coleman became the first female pilot with African American and Native American heritage. She aimed to inspire women and people of color. Learn more about Coleman's life as a famous pilot!
Bessie Coleman: First Black Woman Pilot
by Connie PlantzExplores both the personal and professional life of this exemplary woman.
Bessie Smith
by Jackie KayAs a young black girl growing up in Glasgow, Jackie Kay found in Bessie Smith someone with whom she could identify and idolise. Her fascinating and extraordinary Outline mixes fact and fiction, poetry and prose as she relates the tempestuous life of the greatest blues singer who ever lived. She takes us from Bessie's early years in Chattanooga, and her time spent with Ma and Pa Rainey in the Moses Stokes Travelling Show, through her rapid rise to fame and fortune, her raucous and wild lifestyle on the road in her famous yellow Pullman railroad car, to her slide from popularity during the Depression years and her eventual tragic death in a car crash in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1937.
Bessie Smith (SparkNotes Biography Guide)
by SparkNotesBessie Smith (SparkNotes Biography Guide) Making the reading experience fun! SparkNotes Biography Guides examine the lives of historical luminaries, from Alexander the Great to Virginia Woolf. Each biography guide includes:An examination of the historical context in which the person lived A summary of the person&’s life and achievements A glossary of important terms, people, and events An in-depth look at the key epochs in the person&’s career Study questions and essay topics A review test Suggestions for further reading Whether you&’re a student of history or just a student cramming for a history exam, SparkNotes Biography guides are a reliable, thorough, and readable resource.
Bessie Smith: A Poet's Biography of a Blues Legend
by Jackie KayA beautiful genre-bending tribute to the larger-than-life blues singer Bessie Smith. Scotland&’s National Poet blends poetry, prose, fiction, and nonfiction to create an entirely unique biography of the Empress of the Blues.There has never been anyone else like Bessie Smith. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1894 and orphaned by the age of nine, Bessie Smith sang on street corners before becoming a big name in traveling shows. In 1923, she made her first recording for the newly founded Columbia Records. It sold 780,000 copies and catapulted her to fame. Known for her unmatched vocal talent, her timeless and personal blues narratives, her tough persona, and her ability to enrapture audiences with her raw voice, the Empress of the Blues remains a force and an enigma. In this remarkable book, Kay combines history and personal narrative, poetry and prose to create an enthralling account of an extraordinary life, and to capture the soul of the woman she first identified with as a young Black girl growing up in Glasgow. Powerful and moving, Bessie Smith is at once a vivid biography of a central figure in American music history and a personal story about one woman&’s search for recognition. A VINTAGE ORIGINAL.
Bessie the Motorcycle Queen
by Charles R. Smith Jr.Hop on the bike with Bessie Stringfield, the motorcycle queen of Miami, in this powerful picture book from Coretta Scott King medalist Charles R. Smith, Jr. and debut picture book illustrator Charlot Kristensen.The folks they lined up to meet the Motorcycle Queen, seated sidesattle on her motorbike machine.In 1929, 18-year-old Bessie Stringfield hopped on her motorcycle and headed out on an adventure, an unusual choice for a young Black woman at the time. Paying her way by winning motorcycle races, she criss-crossed the country through small towns, big cities, and wide open spaces.But not everyone was happy to see Bessie's brown face peeking out from underneath her helmet. And more than once, Bessie found herself making some quick exits on the back of her bike to escape Jim Crow. A trailblazer in the world of women's racing and motorcycling, Bessie Stringfield was a figure who will inspire all children to pursue their dreams.From the first line, award-winning author Charles R. Smith Jr.’s poetry evokes emotion, excitement, fear, and wonder in equal measures. Charlot Kristensen portrays Bessie and the American landscape with vivid imagery that is sure to capture the attention of young readers.A much-needed story about a Black woman who paved the way for future generations, for fans of The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson and My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña.
Best Actress: The History of Oscar®-Winning Women
by Stephen TapertIngrid Bergman. Audrey Hepburn. Elizabeth Taylor. Jane Fonda. Meryl Streep. The list of women who have won the coveted and legendary Academy Award for Best Actress is long and varied. Through this illustrious roster we can trace the history of women in Hollywood, from the rise of Mary Pickford in the early 20th century to the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements of today, which have galvanized women across the world to speak out for equal pay, respect, power, and opportunity. This lavishly illustrated coffee table book offers a vital examination of the first 75 women to have won the Best Actress Oscar over the span of 90 years. From inaugural recipient Janet Gaynor to Frances McDormand’s 2018 acceptance speech that assertively brought women to the forefront, Best Actress: The History of Oscar®-Winning Women serves to promote a new appreciation for the cinematic roles these women won for, as well as the real-life roles many of them played – and still play – in advancing women’s rights and equality. Stories range from Bette Davis’ groundbreaking battle against the studio system; to the cutting-edge wardrobes of Katharine Hepburn, Diane Keaton and Cher; to the historical significance of Halle Berry’s victory; to the awareness raised around sexual violence by the performances of Jodie Foster, Brie Larson, and others. Showcasing a dazzling collection of 200 photographs, many of which have never before been seen or published, Best Actress honors the legacies of these revered and extraordinary women while scrutinizing the roadblocks that they continue to overcome.
Best Foot Forward
by Adam Hills*The Sunday Times Bestseller*Adam Hills is one the UK's best-loved comedians. For thirty years he has been performing stand-up, hosting TV shows and winning the hearts of a nation.Taking us from the early days of the Sydney Stand Up scene to hosting his own radio show, touring the world and eventually landing on British TV, Best Foot Forward is a story of a life in comedy. Along the way Adam shares some childhood tales, a few backstage blunders and encounters some fairly famous faces - the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Connolly, and that guy who sang The Macarena. Yes, him. This is an utterly hilarious and honest collection of stories about Adam's ups and downs in the world of comedy. It's a lesson in following your heart, being positive and discovering that what makes you different also makes you unique.
Best Foot Forward
by Adam Hills*The Sunday Times Bestseller*Adam Hills is one the UK's best-loved comedians. For thirty years he has been performing stand-up, hosting TV shows and winning the hearts of a nation.Taking us from the early days of the Sydney Stand Up scene to hosting his own radio show, touring the world and eventually landing on British TV, Best Foot Forward is a story of a life in comedy. Along the way Adam shares some childhood tales, a few backstage blunders and encounters some fairly famous faces - the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Connolly, and that guy who sang The Macarena. Yes, him. This is an utterly hilarious and honest collection of stories about Adam's ups and downs in the world of comedy. It's a lesson in following your heart, being positive and discovering that what makes you different also makes you unique.
Best Foot Forward
by Adam HillsAdam Hills was a quiet primary school kid with a prosthetic foot, who did all his homework and only spoke when spoken to. His dad sparked in him a love of comedy and together they'd spend hours watching and listening to the greats like Peter Sellers and Mel Brooks, so, when it was Adam's turn to speak, he made sure he was funny. Once he hit high school, comedy was Adam's obsession (along with a deep love for the South Sydney Rabbitohs). While his mates were listening to Iron Maiden and AC/DC, he was listening to Kenny Everett and Billy Connolly. And when a report card came home with a comment praising his sense of humour, he was far prouder of that than his grades (his mum not so much). Adam's shyness and his missing foot never held him back, though wearing thongs was tricky. While other teens snuck off to meet girls and drink cheap booze, Adam snuck off to see a young Jim Carrey perform. After that, a steady diet of Rodney Rude, Vince Sorrenti and Robin Williams led this sheltered, virginal university student from The Shire to his first stand-up open mic night on his 19th birthday. In Best Foot Forward, Adam describes his early years on the Australian comedy scene sharing gigs with Steady Eddy and Jimeoin, how he coped the first time he died on stage, his early-morning apprenticeship in radio, touring the world's comedy festivals, the magic of Spicks and Specks and his hosting gig for the 2008 Paralympics that led to his ongoing hit UK TV show The Last Leg. Whoopi Goldberg, Barry Humphries, Billy Connolly, Kermit the Frog - Adam's learned from the best. This charming, witty memoir is a lesson in following your heart, being positive and discovering that what makes you different also makes you unique.
Best Foot Forward
by Adam HillsFor thirty years he has been performing stand-up, hosting TV shows and winning the hearts of a nation. Taking us from the early days of the Sydney Stand Up scene to hosting his own radio show, touring the world and eventually landing on British TV, Best Foot Forward is a story of a life in comedy. Along the way Adam shares some childhood tales, a few backstage blunders and encounters some fairly famous faces - the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Connolly, and that guy who sang The Macarena. Yes, him. This is an utterly hilarious and honest collection of stories about Adam's ups and downs in the world of comedy. It's a lesson in following your heart, being positive and discovering that what makes you different also makes you unique.
Best Foot Forward: The Autobiography of the RAF's Other Legless Fighter Pilot
by Colin Hodgkinson Archibald McIndoeIn the whole of the Second World War, only two men succeeded as operational fighter pilots in the RAF after losing both legs. Douglas Bader was one, and his story is well-known indeed, he has been described as one of the Royal Air Forces most famous pilots. The other was Colin Hodgkinson.Colin was injured in a flying accident whilst training with the Fleet Air Arm in 1939. He awoke in hospital to find that his right leg had been amputated at the thigh, whilst his left leg was severely injured. His face was also damaged and he had trouble with the sight in one eye. In the weeks that followed, Colins remaining leg refused to heal. Coolly, calculatingly, he made his decision: Chop the damned thing off and lets be done with it.Just nineteen at the time, Colin developed a burning determination to prove himself a normal man by becoming a fighter pilot and flying Spitfires. With Douglas Bader as his example, and brilliant surgeons such as Sir Archibald McIndoe treating him, Colin achieved his aim with a hand-tailored pair of tin legs. He proved himself as a fighter pilot many times over, until the war ended, for him at least, as a German prisoner of war.Although repatriated in 1944 as unfit for further duty, Colin not only continued to fly with the RAF until he left the service in 1946, but also went on to fly jet fighters with the Auxiliary Air Force from 1947 to 1952. His is undoubtedly a story of courage and determination one in which he had learnt to always stride out into the future, putting his best foot forward.
Best Friends (Real Friends #2)
by Shannon HaleA National and New York Times Bestseller!The creators of Real Friends Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham are back with a true story about popularity, first crushes, and finding your own path in the graphic novel, Best Friends.Follow your heart. Find your people.Sixth grade is supposed to be perfect. Shannon’s got a sure spot in the in-crowd called The Group, and her best friend is their leader, Jen, the most popular girl in school. But the rules are always changing, and Shannon has to scramble to keep up. She never knows which TV shows are cool, what songs to listen to, and who she’s allowed to talk to. Who makes these rules, anyway? And does Shannon have to follow them?A School Library Journal Best Book of 2019A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019One of NBC Today's 26 Best Kids' Books of 20192020 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List
Best Friends Forever: An Unauthorized Biography
by Lexi RyalsSelena Gomez and Demi Lovato are two of the hottest new Disney Channel stars. Selena is the star of the hit series Wizards of Waverly Placeand has a popular music video out for her cover of "Cruella De Vil. " Demi is a regular on the short series As the Bell Rings, stars opposite the Jonas Brothers in Disney's made-for-television movie Camp Rock, and is releasing her debut album on Hollywood Records in August 2008. These two Texan beauties have been best friends for years and are starring together in Disney's Princess Protection Programin Summer 2008. Includes four pages of color photos.
Best Friends Forever: Selena Gomez & Demi Lovato
by Lexi RyalsSelena Gomez and Demi Lovato are two of the hottest new Disney Channel stars. Selena is the star of the hit series Wizards of Waverly Placeand has a popular music video out for her cover of "Cruella De Vil. " Demi is a regular on the short series As the Bell Rings, stars opposite the Jonas Brothers in Disney's made-for-television movie Camp Rock, and is releasing her debut album on Hollywood Records in August 2008. These two Texan beauties have been best friends for years and are starring together in Disney's Princess Protection Programin Summer 2008. Includes four pages of color photos.
Best Friends Forever: The Story of Lee Duncan and Rin Tin Tin (Fountas & Pinnell Classroom, Guided Reading)
by Joan NicholsNIMAC-sourced textbook. A Man and His Dog. When Lee decides to keep the puppy he calls Rin Tin Tin, he has no idea of how much they will accomplish together.
Best Intentions: The Education and Killing of Edmund Perry
by Robert Sam AnsonAn exploration of how Edmund Perry, a 17-year-old black honors student from Harlem, was killed soon after graduation by a young white plainclothes policeman in an alleged mugging attempt.
Best Little Stories from the American Revolution: More Than 100 True Stories
by C. Brian Kelly Ingrid Smyer-Kelly"Best Little Stories from the American Revolution", by C. Brian Kelly, is a journalistic history of the birth of the United States in the form of more than 100 vignettes reflecting the period and describing how the colonies courageously prevailed against vastly superior forces.
Best Little Stories from the White House
by C. Brian KellyBehind the White House's impressive facade lies the long history of the men who have lived and governed within it's walls. From births to deaths, weddings to funerals, the White House has seen it all. In Best Little Stories from the White House, author C. Brian Kelly takes us on a tour of the White House's fascinating history, giving us a glimpse of the most memorable presidential moments: Theodore Roosevelt 's children once snuck their pony upstairs in the White House elevator to cheer up their sick brother. Winston Churchill once suffered a minor heart episode while struggling with a stuck window in the White House. John Quincy Adams was known to skinny-dip in the Potomac. Woodrow Wilson liked to chase up and down the White House corridors playing "rooster fighting" with his daughter Nellie.
Best Minds: How Allen Ginsberg Made Revolutionary Poetry from Madness
by Stevan M. WeineWINNER, 2024 BEAT STUDIES ASSOCIATION AWARDSA revelatory look at how poet Allen Ginsberg transformed experiences of mental illness and madness into some of the most powerful and widely read poems of the twentieth century.Allen Ginsberg’s 1956 poem “Howl” opens with one of the most resonant phrases in modern poetry: “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness.” Thirty years later, Ginsberg entrusted a Columbia University medical student with materials not shared with anyone else, including psychiatric records that documented how he and his mother, Naomi Ginsberg, struggled with mental illness.In Best Minds, psychiatrist, researcher, and scholar Stevan M. Weine, M.D., who was that medical student, examines how Allen Ginsberg took his visions and psychiatric hospitalization, his mother’s devastating illness, confinement, and lobotomy, and the social upheavals of the postwar world and imaginatively transformed them.Though madness is often linked with hardship and suffering, Ginsberg’s showed how it could also lead to profound and redemptive aesthetic, spiritual, and social changes. Through his revolutionary poetry and social advocacy, Ginsberg dedicated himself to leading others toward new ways of being human and easing pain. Throughout his celebrated career Ginsberg made us feel as though we knew everything there was to know about him. However, much has been left out about his experiences growing up with a mentally ill mother, his visions, and his psychiatric hospitalization.In Best Minds, with a forty-year career studying and addressing trauma, Weine provides a groundbreaking exploration of the poet and his creative process especially in relation to madness.Best Minds examines the complex relationships between mental illness, psychiatry, trauma, poetry, and prophecy—using the access Ginsberg generously shared to offer new, lively, and indispensable insights into an American icon. Weine also provides new understandings of the paternalism, treatment failures, ethical lapses, and limitations of American psychiatry in the 1940s and 1950s.In light of these new discoveries, the challenges Ginsberg faced appear starker and his achievements, both as a poet and an advocate, even more remarkable.
Best Non-Fiction Fall 2012 Sampler
by Random HouseFrom Random House of Canada Limited, a must-read collection of this fall’s best non-fiction. It is our richest season yet, and we’re thrilled to offer you a taste of our smartest, most persuasive, and thoughtful non-fiction titles. Step back in time and experience the world through the lenses of some of history’s most influential and adventuring figures—da Vinci, George Mallory, van Gogh; get to know, in unmatched detail, three of Canada’s most intriguing personalities: a beloved hockey coach, a timeless performer, and one of our most entertaining satirists; share in poignant moments of family, love, and loss in unforgettable memoirs; and, engage in some of the most topical debates of today, from religion’s role in foreign policy to work-life balance to the Native American experience. Showcasing only the best in non-fiction from Rick Mercer, award–winners Ross King and Wade Davis, Rosie DiManno, Andrew Preston, Sylvie Simmons, Modris Eksteins, Thomas King, and Gretchen Rubin, as well as introducing stories and ideas from bright talents like Will Schwalbe, Gerry Dee, and JJ Lee, Best of Non-Fiction Fall 2012 will capture your imagination and spark your curiosity, bringing you to some of this season’s most gripping, reflective, and stirring reads.