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Brief Candle in the Dark: My Life in Science
by Richard DawkinsIn this hugely entertaining sequel to the New York Times bestselling memoir An Appetite for Wonder, Richard Dawkins delves deeply into his intellectual life spent kick-starting new conversations about science, culture, and religion and writing yet another of the most audacious and widely read books of the twentieth century—The God Delusion.Called “one of the best nonfiction writers alive today” (Stephen Pinker) and a “prize-fighter” (Nature), Richard Dawkins cheerfully, mischievously, looks back on a lifetime of tireless intellectual adventure and engagement. Exploring the halls of intellectual inquiry and stardom he encountered after the publication of his seminal work, The Selfish Gene; affectionately lampooning the world of academia, publishing, and television; and studding the pages with funny stories about the great men and women he’s known, Dawkins offers a candid look at the events and ideas that encouraged him to shift his attention to the intersection of culture, religion, and science. He also invites the reader to look more closely at the brilliant succession of ten influential books that grew naturally out of his busy life, highlighting the ideas that connect them and excavating their origins.On the publication of his tenth book, the smash hit, The God Delusion, a “resounding trumpet blast for truth” (Matt Ridley), Richard Dawkins was catapulted from mere intellectual stardom into a circle of celebrity thinkers dubbed, “The New Atheists”—including Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett.Throughout A Brief Candle in the Dark, Dawkins shares with us his infectious sense of wonder at the natural world, his enjoyment of the absurdities of human interaction, and his bracing awareness of life’s brevity: all of which have made a deep imprint on our culture.
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks
by Dick CavettReminiscences from the legendary talk show host: “Erudite and witty . . .Brief Encounters is very good and very funny.” —Chicago TribuneOn his talk show, Dick Cavett welcomed leading figures from film, music, theater, literature, comedy, and politics, and engaged them in conversation that made viewers feel like the discussion was taking place in their own living rooms. In Brief Encounters, Cavett introduces us to the fascinating characters who have crossed his path, and also offers piquant commentary on contemporary politics, the indignities of travel, the nature of comedy writing, and the utter improbability of being alive at all.“A touching essay about the late James Gandolfini, a fond remembrance of an afternoon at Stan Laurel’s small Los Angeles apartment, sparring with Muhammed Ali, and being talked into signing on as Apple’s first celebrity pitchman by a young Steve Jobs are all here, as are Cavett’s warm memories of John Lennon.” —Esquire“Includes numerous observations about contemporary culture and politics—neither Democrats nor Republicans are spared.” —USA Today“A delightful peek behind the curtain at celebrities, complex characters, and the nuances of everyday life—all told with his singular wit and style.” —Publishers WeeklyIncludes a foreword by Jimmy Fallon
Brief Gaudy Hour
by Margaret Campbell BarnesThe enigmatic Anne Boleyn comes to life in this charming, brilliant portrayalby acclaimed British novelist Barnes.
Brief Histories of Almost Anything
by Chris BrazierHere are fifty concise, entertaining histories on a broad, eclectic range of ideas (borders, feminism), global issues (migration, world trade), commodities (bananas, jeans), regions (Africa, Ireland), and institutions (corporations, the World Bank).Lucid and irreverent, Brief Histories of Almost Anything challenges common perceptions associated with the subjects by going behind the facts. Each history has been selected from the New Internationalist magazine, a leading authority on alternative history and "Best International Coverage" winner in the Utne Reader Independent Press Awards.Edited by Chris Brazier, author of the best-selling No-Nonsense Guide to World History.
Brief Lives: Charlotte Brontë (Brief Lives)
by Jessica CoxCharlotte Brontë is one of the world's best-loved writers. Her extraordinary literary talent manifested itself at an early age when she penned a series of imaginative and entertaining tales. Before her untimely death at the age of 38 she produced the masterpieces Jane Eyre, Shirley, and Vilette. Superb and meticulously researched, Jessica Cox's biography provides a beautifully drawn portrait of the creator of some of the world's most remarkable novels.
Brief Lives: Henry James (Brief Lives)
by Hazel HutchisonHenry James is famed for the psychological depth of his characters and his remarkable ability to penetrate the inner life, yet the story of his own inner life remains curiously obscure— until now The best known facts about James— his illustrious, wealthy family and famous siblings; his prolific literary output with its numerous quirky female heroines; his long-term bachelorhood and the rumors that accompanied it; and his flamboyant adoption of British citizenship in 1915— have created a certain mythology surrounding the author. In this succinct new biography, Hazel Hutchison examines the man behind the writing. Exploring the author's life, works, and critical heritage, this fresh take on one of the central figures in the English canon is perfect for both the general reader as well as the James enthusiast.
Brief Lives: Marquis De Sade (Brief Lives)
by David CarterAs explicit in his prose as he was in his private life, the Marquis de Sade remains one of the most controversial writers of all time. This new biography, by the acclaimed translator and author David Carter, promises to shock as much as it informs. Arrested many times for sexual misdemeanors, the Marquis de Sade was imprisoned in the Bastille, where he was writing 120 Days of Sodom and The Misfortunes of Virtue at the time that it was stormed in 1789. After the French Revolution he was again imprisoned and sent to an asylum, where he wrote diaries and plays. This concise biography offers a fresh look at a relentlessly compelling figure with a fascinating life of scandal and imprisonment.
Brief Lives: Sigmund Freud (Brief Lives)
by David CarterBorn to Jewish parents in mid-19th-century Austria, Sigmund Freud is a controversial figure needing no introduction, yet his reputation owes as much to myth as to the facts of his life and his work. Here, David Carter uncovers the man buried beneath the mythology, tracing the life of this inimitable figure from his origins as the gifted first born of eight children, through his stellar academic career and his relationships and rifts with famous figures such as Josef Breuer. Also explored is why, despite his groundbreaking work on psychoanalytic theories—including the functioning of the subconscious, the repression of trauma, and the psychological import of dreams—Freud has frequently been the subject of derision and ridicule.
Brief Lives: Wilkie Collins (Brief Lives)
by Melisa KlimaszewskiAuthor of the first detective novel in English, Wilkie Collins was one of the most popular authors in Victorian England. In this illuminating biography, Melisa Klimaszewski situates the writer within his own milieu and demonstrates how his work sparks new understandings of Victorian life and letters. A close friend and collaborator of Charles Dickens, Collins secured his own fame with sensational novels that feature intricate legal plots, mistaken identities, and complex crimes. Boldly challenging the mores of Victorian society by maintaining two families and shunning the institution of marriage, Collins was also one of the most unconventional public figures of his day. His life story, succinctly told in this elegant biography, promises to instruct and to entertain.
Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End
by Alua ArthurNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA deeply transformative memoir that reframes how we think about death and how it can help us lead better, more fulfilling and authentic lives, from America’s most visible death doula."A truly unique, inspiring perspective on the time we have, what we do with it, and how we let go of this world.... There is no one I'd trust more to guide me through an understanding of death, and how it informs life." — Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Mad Honey and The Book of Two Ways"Briefly Perfectly Human is a beautiful, raw, light-bringing experience. Alua's voice is shimmering, singular, and pulses with humor, vulnerability, insight, and refreshing candor.... Be prepared for it to grab you, hold you tight, and raise the roof on the power of human connection." — Tembi Locke, author of From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding HomeFor her clients and everyone who has been inspired by her humanity, Alua Arthur is a friend at the end of the world. As our country’s leading death doula, she’s spreading a transformative message: thinking about your death—whether imminent or not—will breathe wild, new potential into your life.Warm, generous, and funny AF, Alua supports and helps manage end-of-life care on many levels. The business matters, medical directives, memorial planning; but also honoring the quiet moments, when monitors are beeping and loved ones have stepped out to get some air—or maybe not shown up at all—and her clients become deeply contemplative and want to talk. Aching, unfinished business often emerges. Alua has been present for thousands of these sacred moments—when regrets, fears, secret joys, hidden affairs, and dim realities are finally said aloud. When this happens, Alua focuses her attention at the pulsing center of her clients’ anguish and creates space for them, and sometimes their loved ones, to find peace.This has had a profound effect on Alua, who was already no stranger to death’s periphery. Her family fled a murderous coup d’état in Ghana in the 1980s. She has suffered major, debilitating depressions. And her dear friend and brother-in-law died of lymphoma. Advocating for him in his final months is what led Alua to her life’s calling. She knows firsthand the power of bearing witness and telling the truth about life’s painful complexities, because they do not disappear when you look the other way. They wait for you.Briefly Perfectly Human is a life-changing, soul-gathering debut, by a writer whose empathy, tenderness, and wisdom shimmers on the page. Alua Arthur combines intimate storytelling with a passionate appeal for loving, courageous end-of-life care—what she calls “death embrace.” Hers is a powerful testament to getting in touch with something deeper in our lives, by embracing the fact of our own mortality. “Hold that truth in your mind,” Alua says, “and wondrous things will begin to grow around it.”
Brielle and Me: Our Journey with Cytomegalovirus and Cerebral Palsy
by Kerith StullBrian and Kerith had plans for their family. That all changed six weeks into the pregnancy of their second child when Kerith got chicken pox. Fears flooded their lives for months. When she was eight months pregnant, they received more bad news. Their baby was also affected by a completely different virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV). There was a forty percent chance their baby would not survive. Brielle not only survived, but thrived despite cerebral palsy caused by CMV and is now nearly 18 years old.
Brigham Young: American Moses
by Leonard J. ArringtonBrigham Young comes to life in this superlative biography that presents him as a Mormon leader, a business genius, a family man, a political organizer, and a pioneer of the West. Drawing on a vast range of sources, including documents, personal diaries, and private correspondence, Leonard J. Arrington brings Young to life as a towering yet fully human figure, the remarkable captain of his people and his church for thirty years, who combined piety and the pursuit of power to leave an indelible stamp on Mormon society and the culture of the Western frontier. From polygamy to the Mountain Meadows Massacre to the attempted preservation of Young's Great Basin Kingdom, we are given a fresh understanding of the controversies that plagued Young in his contentious relations with the federal government. Brigham Young draws its subject out of the marginal place in history to which the conventional wisdom has assigned him, and sets him squarely in the American mainstream, a figure of abiding influence in our society to this day.
Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet
by John G. TurnerBrigham Young was a rough-hewn craftsman from New York whose impoverished and obscure life was electrified by the Mormon faith. He trudged around the United States and England to gain converts for Mormonism, spoke in spiritual tongues, married more than fifty women, and eventually transformed a barren desert into his vision of the Kingdom of God. While previous accounts of his life have been distorted by hagiography or polemical exposé, John Turner provides a fully realized portrait of a colossal figure in American religion, politics, and westward expansion. After the 1844 murder of Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Young gathered those Latter-day Saints who would follow him and led them over the Rocky Mountains. In Utah, he styled himself after the patriarchs, judges, and prophets of ancient Israel. As charismatic as he was autocratic, he was viewed by his followers as an indispensable protector and by his opponents as a theocratic, treasonous heretic. Under his fiery tutelage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints defended plural marriage, restricted the place of African Americans within the church, fought the U. S. Army in 1857, and obstructed federal efforts to prosecute perpetrators of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. At the same time, Young’s tenacity and faith brought tens of thousands of Mormons to the American West, imbued their everyday lives with sacred purpose, and sustained his church against adversity. Turner reveals the complexity of this spiritual prophet, whose commitment made a deep imprint on his church and the American Mountain West.
Bright Dreams: The Brilliant Inventions of Nikola Tesla
by Tracy DockrayYoung Nikola Tesla got a shock when he rubbed his cat's fur. That small spark lit his imagination forever. Covering his early years to his eventual success in the world of electricity, Bright Dreams showcases Tesla's incredible journey of discovery and perseverance. Author-illustrator Tracy Dockray conveys Tesla's busy and imaginative world with collage-style artwork and informative sidebars.
Bright Eyed: Insomnia and Its Cultures (Exploded Views)
by Rm VaughanFor forty years, RM Vaughan has been fighting, and failing, to get his forty winks each night. He's not alone, not by any stretch.More and more studies highlight the health risks of undersleeping, yet we never been asked to do more, and for longer. And we can't stop thinking that a lack of sleep is heroic: snoozing is a kind of laziness, after all. But why, when we know more about the value of sleep, are we obsessed with twenty-four-hour workdays and deliberate sleep deprivation?Working outward from his own experience, Vaughan explores this insomnia culture we've created, predicting a cultural collision--will we soon have to legislate rest, as France has done?--and wondering about the cause-and-effect model of our shorter attention spans. Does the fact that we are almost universally underslept change how our world works? We know it's an issue with, say, pilots and truck drivers, but what about artists--does an insomnia culture change creativity? And what are the long-term cultural consequences of this increasing sacrifice for the ever-elusive goal of "total productivity"?RM Vaughan is the author of nine books and many short video works. He contributes essays on culture and society to numerous publications and his video works play in galleries and festivals around the world.
Bright Eyes: Surviving Our Monsters and Learning to Live without Them - A Memoir
by Bridey Thelen-HeidelFans of Jennette McCurdy&’s I&’m Glad My Mom Died will root for Bridey Thelen-Heidel as she struggles to unshackle herself from her mother&’s chaos in this triumphant debut memoir.Bridey is tethered to her mom&’s addiction to dangerous men who park their Harley-Davidsons in the house and kick holes in all their doors. Raised to be her mother&’s keeper, rescuer, and punching bag, Bridey gets used to stuffing her life into black trash bags, hauling them between Alaska and California, and changing schools every time her mom moves in a new monster—or runs away from one. Desperately seeking the normal life she&’s observed in sitcoms and her friends&’ families, Bridey earns her way into a fancy, private college, where she tries to forget who she is—until her mom calls with a threat that drops Bridey to her knees. Watching doctors and police interrogate her mother at the hospital, Bridey realizes her mom has become a monster herself . . . and she doesn&’t want to be saved. But Bridey does. Bright Eyes is about the indomitable spirit of a young girl forced to be brave, required to be resilient, and conditioned to be optimistic, and how she ultimately uses the same traits that helped her to survive her mother&’s chaos to create her own happily-ever-after.
Bright Fields: The Mastery of Marie Hull
by Bruce LevingstonBright Fields is a comprehensive and deeply intimate exploration of the life and work of Mississippi-born artist Marie Hull (1890–1980). Her paintings reflect a nine-decade journey of search, thought, and growth. She produced some of the most memorable and iconic works ever created by a southern artist. This elegant and exquisitely detailed book contains over two hundred newly photographed reproductions of the artist's finest works, many never before seen by the public. Hull was born in a small town near Jackson at a time when women were not allowed to vote and were denied many career opportunities. This did not deter Hull from a constant “search for quality” both in her life and in her art. She studied with some of the most important artists of her day, including William Merritt Chase, in Philadelphia, New York, and Europe. She won major national competitions and awards and was exhibited in some of the world's most prestigious art exhibitions and shows in the United States, Europe, and East Asia. During the Depression, Hull created a series of paintings depicting African Americans and local sharecroppers that is considered one of the most significant contributions to regionalist art in the country's history. These important, deeply moving works place her among the forefront of the great American portraitists. Three decades later, in her seventies, Hull would reveal her remarkable ability to evolve again, this time into one of the most significant abstract painters of the South. In her powerful, brilliantly colorful late works, she combines her mastery of landscape painting with a unique, persuasive synthesis of ideas from such artists as Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and Hans Hofmann. Today, Hull's works are exhibited in museums and prestigious private collections throughout the country. Bright Fields expands our knowledge of the painter's remarkable life and work, illustrating why Hull's unique vision and tremendous creativity had, and continues to have, such a profound impact on art in the South and beyond.
Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond: The Life of Astronomer Vera Rubin
by Ashley Jean YeagerHow Vera Rubin convinced the scientific community that dark matter might exist, persevering despite early dismissals of her work. We now know that the universe is mostly dark, made up of particles and forces that are undetectable even by our most powerful telescopes. The discovery of the possible existence of dark matter and dark energy signaled a Copernican-like revolution in astronomy: not only are we not the center of the universe, neither is the stuff of which we&’re made. Astronomer Vera Rubin (1928–2016) played a pivotal role in this discovery. By showing that some astronomical objects seem to defy gravity&’s grip, Rubin helped convince the scientific community of the possibility of dark matter. In Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond, Ashley Jean Yeager tells the story of Rubin&’s life and work, recounting her persistence despite early dismissals of her work and widespread sexism in science. Yeager describes Rubin&’s childhood fascination with stars, her education at Vassar and Cornell, and her marriage to a fellow scientist. At first, Rubin wasn&’t taken seriously; she was a rarity, a woman in science, and her findings seemed almost incredible. Some observatories in midcentury America restricted women from using their large telescopes; Rubin was unable to collect her own data until a decade after she had earned her PhD. Still, she continued her groundbreaking work, driving a scientific revolution. She received the National Medal of Science in 1993, but never the Nobel Prize—perhaps overlooked because of her gender. She&’s since been memorialized with a ridge on Mars, an asteroid, a galaxy, and most recently, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory—the first national observatory named after a woman.
Bright Lights, Big Ass, or Who Are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door To Me?
by Jen LancasterJen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites aren't party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining. Whether she's reporting rude neighbors to Homeland Security, harboring a crush on her grocery store clerk, or fighting--and losing--the Battle of the Stairmaster-- Lancaster explores how silly, strange, and not-so-fabulous real city living can be. And if anyone doesn't like it, they can kiss her big, fat, pink, puffy down parka.
Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
by Jen LancasterJen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites aren't party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining. Whether she's reporting rude neighbors to Homeland Security, harboring a crush on her grocery store clerk, or fighting-and losing-the Battle of the Stairmaster- Lancaster explores how silly, strange, and not-so-fabulous real city living can be. And if anyone doesn't like it, they can kiss her big, fat, pink, puffy down parka. .
Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA
by Magnus PalmBRIGHT LIGHTS, DARK SHADOWS. Revealed for the first time--the people who were Abba, their individual backgrounds, their musical influences and their personal demons. By the time Abba split up, no one was in any doubt that behind the glitter there was a dark side, and behind the smiling group were four troubled individuals. But even as a whole new generation of fans discovers Abba's great music, Anni-Frid, Agnetha, Benny and Bjorn have continued to remain rather shadowy, secretive figures. Their marriages, personal break-ups and superficial biographical details are well known ... but who exactly were Abba? How did Norwegian Anni-Frid, the illegitimate daughter of a German soldier, become a real-life princess? How did folksy Benny and Bjorn reinvent themselves as an international pop force to rival Lennon & McCartney? And what actually happened to blonde Agnetha who smiled a lot but never really looked happy? The author answers these and many more questions about the hit group that no one took seriously ... until everyone did. Each page is a revelation and Palm's acute understanding of the culture of his native Sweden makes these sometimes dark personal stories understandable in a unique way. Bright Lights, Dark Shadows is an instant classic, a truly great account of the rise and fall of a legendary group and a multiple biography of rare insight. . achieves the difficult feat of capturing the multiple layers of Abba ... with a deftness unusual in a rock biography." Sunday Times ".. an extraordinary book.... *Dancing Queen* will never sound the same again."
Bright Lights, Prairie Dust: Reflections on Life, Loss, and Love from Little House's Ma
by Karen GrassleKaren Grassle, the beloved actress who played Ma on Little House on the Prairie, grew up at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in a family where love was plentiful but alcohol wreaked havoc. In this candid memoir, Grassle reveals her journey to succeed as an actress even as she struggles to overcome depression, combat her own dependence on alcohol, and find true love. With humor and hard-won wisdom, Grassle takes readers on an inspiring journey through the political turmoil on ’60s campuses, on to studies with some of the most celebrated artists at the famed London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and ultimately behind the curtains of Broadway stages and storied Hollywood sets. In these pages, readers meet actors and directors who have captivated us on screen and stage as they fall in love, betray and befriend, and don costumes only to reveal themselves. We know Karen Grassle best as the proud prairie woman Caroline Ingalls, with her quiet strength and devotion to family, but this memoir introduces readers to the complex, funny, rebellious, and soulful woman who, in addition to being the force behind those many strong women she played, fought passionately—as a writer, producer, and activist—on behalf of equal rights for women. Raw, emotional, and tender, Bright Lights celebrates and honors womanhood, in all its complexity.
Bright Morning
by Don HaworthA sequel to "Figures in a Bygone Landscape", which traced the author's childhood in the 1920s, this volume recaptures the world of the 1930s in Lancashire. Don Haworth recalls the Depression, school life, holidays in Blackpool, religion and politics in the pre-World War II years.
Bright Pages: Yale Writers, 1701-2001
by J. D. McClatchyCollege years -- when ideas collide, literature intrigues and inspires, lasting passions are first fired -- can stamp a young writer for life. This extraordinary book contains the work of dozens of writers whose experiences at Yale over the past three centuries exerted a powerful force on their writing lives. Formed and nurtured by the unique intellectual community of the university, writers as diverse as Noah Webster and Gloria Naylor emerged from Yale to make their own fresh contributions to our nation's remarkable literary heritage. From the galaxy of authors Yale has produced, J. D. McClatchy selects a rich and varied sample. He includes sermons, essays, poems, short stories, and excerpts from novels. The book opens with a section devoted to the work of four great teachers of writing at Yale in recent decades: John Hersey, Robert Penn Warren, John Hollander, and Robert Stone. The middle and most generous section of the volume focuses on writers who have been working since the end of the Second World War. Each of these selections casts a strong light on its author and his or her work. In the final section, McClatchy draws on the work of earlier literary figures from James Fenimore Cooper to Thornton Wilder, in many cases retrieving little-known material. A stroll through the pages of this bountiful anthology, dazzling in the diversity of its offerings, will appeal to any reader. Each of the authors was challenged and inspired by Yale. In this volume, each in turn challenges and inspires us.
Bright Particular Stars: A Gallery of Glorious British Eccentrics
by David MckieIn Bright Particular Stars, David McKie examines the impact of 26 remarkable British eccentrics on 26 unremarkable British locations. From Broadway in the Cotswolds, where the Victorian bibliomaniac Sir Thomas Phillipps nurtured dreams of possessing every book in the world, to Kilwinning in Scotland, where in 1839 the Earl of Eglinton mounted a tournament that was Renaissance in its extravagance and disastrous in its execution, McKie leads us to places transformed, inspired, and sometimes scandalized by the obsessional endeavors of visionary mavericks. Some of McKie's eccentrics, such as Mary Macarthur, who helped the women chainmakers of Cradley Heath win the right to a fair wage in 1910, were good to the point of saintliness; others, including the composer Peter Heseltine, who in the 1920s set net curtains twitching by his hard drinking and naked motorbike riding, rather less so. But together their fascinating stories illuminate some of the most secret and most extraordinary byways of British history. Here, quiet, unassuming streetscapes become sites of eccentric and uproarious sites of action. The triumphs and failures of the visionaries who thus transformed them—recaptured here in vivid and beguiling fashion—have each, in their own way, helped shape the island's rich and checkered history.