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Kathleen O'Connor of Paris
by Amanda CurtinWhat does it mean to live a life in pursuit of art? In 1906, Kathleen O’Connor left conservative Perth, where her famous father’s life had ended in tragedy. She had her sights set on a career in thrilling, bohemian Paris. More than a century later, novelist Amanda Curtin faces her own questions, of life and of art, as she embarks on a journey in Kate’s footsteps. Part biography, part travel narrative, this is the story of an artist in a foreign land who, with limited resources and despite the impacts of war and loss, worked and exhibited in Paris for over forty years. Kate’s distinctive figure paintings, portraits and still lifes, highly prized today, form an inseparable part of the telling.
Kathleen Turner on Acting: Conversations about Film, Television, and Theater
by Kathleen Turner Dustin MorrowFew actors have had a career as dynamic as that Kathleen Turner's; success has followed her from the television screen to major blockbusters, from indie films to the theater stage. Over her forty-year career, Turner has developed an instinctual knowledge of what it takes to be a successful actor, and, in her conversations with esteemed film professor Dustin Morrow, she shares these lessons with the world. With her iconic wit on full display, Turner dazzles readers with her shrewd insights on the craft of acting and charming anecdotes from her own storied career. Touching on each of her roles, she expounds on the lessons she’s learned and describes her journey of discovery in the world of acting. An epic and intense one-on-one master class in acting from the best teacher imaginable, Kathleen Turner on Acting is a must for acting and directing students of every age, established actors and directors, filmmakers, theater pros, and artists of every stripe.
Kathryn Bigelow: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers Series)
by Peter KeoughWith her gripping film The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow (b. 1951) made history in 2010 by becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director. Since then she has also filmed history with her movie, Zero Dark Thirty, which is about the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden. She is one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, but her roots go back four decades to the very non-Hollywood, avant-garde art world of New York City in the 1970s. Her first feature The Loveless reflected those academic origins, but such subsequent films such as the vampire-Western Near Dark, the female vigilante movie Blue Steel, and the surfer-crime thriller Point Break demonstrated her determination to apply her aesthetic sensibilities to popular, genre filmmaking. The first volume of Bigelow’s interviews ever published, Peter Keough’s collection covers her early success with Near Dark; the frustrations and disappointments she endured with films such as Strange Days and K-19: The Widowmaker; and her triumph with The Hurt Locker. In conversations ranging from the casual to the analytical, Bigelow explains how her evolving ambitions and aesthetics sprang from her earliest aspirations to be a painter and conceptual artist in New York in the 1970s and then expanded to embrace Hollywood filmmaking when she was exposed to such renowned directors as John Ford, Howard Hawks, Don Siegel, Sam Peckinpah, and George Roy Hill.
Kathy
by Barbara Miller Charles Paul Conn"DON'T BOTHER TO HOPE," THE DOCTORS SAID The Millers were a typical American family until the day a speeding car left 13-year-old Kathy critically injured, in a coma from which doctors said she might never recover. How Kathy won back her health, gave her family the gift of faith, and ran in an international marathon less than six months later is the most exciting, enthralling and inspiring book of the year! THE TRUE STORY OF A FAMILY'S LOVE, A DAUGHTER'S COURAGE, AND A MOTHER'S UNSHAKABLE FAITH
Kathy Acker: and Other Conversations (The Last Interview Series)
by Kathy AckerKathy Acker was a punk-rock counter-cultural icon, and innovator of the literary underground. The interviews collected here span her amazing, uncompromising, and often misunderstood 30-year career.From Acker's earliest interviews--filled with playful, evasive, and counter-intuitive responses--to the last interview before her death where she reflects on the state of American literature, these interviews capture the writer at her funny and surprising best. Another highlight includes Acker's 1997 interview with the Spice Girls on the forces of pop and feminism (which reads as if it could have been conducted with a new generation of pop star in 2018).
Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-z Index
by Kathy GriffinFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Griffin, an A-Z compendium of her celebrity run-ins, and the jaw-dropping, charming, and sometimes bizarre anecdotes only she can tell about them. Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is Kathy's funny, juicy index of all of the celebrities she has met during her many years in show business, bursting with never-before-told stories. Starting with Woody Allen and ending with Warren Zevon, Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is a who's who of pop culture: Leonardo DiCaprio, Nick Jonas, Kendall Jenner, Anna Kendrick, Lily Tomlin, Suge Knight, Barbra Streisand, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Maria Shriver, Jared Leto, Selena Gomez, Meghan Trainor, Macklemore, Bruno Mars, Aaron Paul, Pink, Pitbull, Sia, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Christina Aguilera, and many more. Who would imagine that Kathy was an extra in a Michael Jackson commercial (guess which one)? That she and Salman Rushdie trade celebrity stories? That Donald Trump once drove Kathy and Liza Minelli around on a golf cart? That Sidney Poitier has a wicked sense of humor? That Demi Lovato has none? That David Letterman is still scared of Cher? That Channing Tatum is as polite as they come, and Tom Hanks might have the best perspective on fame of anyone? Kathy, that's who. Kathy has met everyone, and after reading this book, you will feel as if you have, too. Kathy Griffin has seen it all. Shocking and sidesplitting, Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is an indispensable guide to the stars from one of our most beloved comedians. Can you handle it?
Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You
by Lewis Grizzard"So this is what's happened to the South since William Faulkner left! Lewis Grizzard, a great American, gives us the best collection of stories about a mother's love, old folks, railroad trains, going home, and the No-Name Bar in Willacoochee, Georgia." --The Chicago Sun-Times Who is Lewis Grizzard? A Southern humorist who can make you laugh one minute and weep the next. In these columns, he celebrates America, the South, old folks and much more. Other books by this author are available in this library.
Kathy's Story: The True Story of a Childhood Hell Inside Ireland's Magdalen Laundries
by Kathy O'BeirneHarrowing memoir of unrelenting abuse of Irish Kathy by her father and brothers beginning when she was a toddler and continuing from age eight to eighteen in reformatory schools, asylums and the Magdalene Laundries. Recounts her severe residual emotional distress as an adult and attempts to find love and justice. As a child O'Beirne was sent to institutions because she could not endure her father's beatings. She was sent to a workhouse of the Irish Magdalen Sisters at age 12 and gave birth at age 13 after being raped by a visitor. She was keenly aware the state and the Church which had allied with it were punishing the victims, not the perpetrators, of child abuse. She describes the loss of innocence, the descent into mental institutions, and the aftereffects of institutional as well as domestic abuse upon the "Magdalen girls. " She offers some hope for justice, however slight, in the campaign she has headed on their behalf since 1990. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Katie: The Real Story
by Edward KleinFor the past twenty-five years--first as the blithe spirit of the Today show, then as the only woman ever to anchor a network news program solo--Katie Couric has been a familiar visitor in the homes of millions. Yet, despite all her public exposure, no one--until now--has been able to penetrate the secrets behind her closely guarded personal life and her struggles in the cutthroat world of television news. In this probing portrait of America's news queen, bestselling author Edward Klein rips away the mask that has hidden the many faces of Katie Couric: the strong, independent woman and the needy wife and lover; the grieving widow famed for her kindness to others and the fiercely competitive diva; the consummate television interviewer and the stumbling network anchor. Drawing on scores of interviews with people who have never spoken openly about Couric before, Katie: The Real Story absorbingly chronicles Katie's rise to the top--from her early days at CNN and local television stations (where she was told she'd never succeed) to her phenomenal fifteen-year run on Today. For the first time, Klein reveals the critical role Katie's father played in her risky decision to leave Today for the hallowed anchor chair once occupied by Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. As Klein makes clear, Katie's road to stardom has been paved with rocky personal relationships: a turbulent marriage to Jay Monahan, who died of colon cancer; testy associations with Today cohosts Bryant Gumbel and Matt Lauer; and several star-crossed love affairs, including one with a man seventeen years her junior. Katie: The Real Storyis a candid portrait of a folksy charmer, loving single mother, cunning businesswoman, feminist icon, and notorious diva. Neither a whitewash nor a hatchet job, it's a truthful, unflinching look at a remarkable woman and the media kingdom she's sought to rule. From the Hardcover edition.
Katie Ledecky: A Little Golden Book Biography (Little Golden Book)
by Shana CoreyHelp your little one dream big with a Little Golden Book biography about superstar American Olympic swimmer, Katie Ledecky. Little Golden Book biographies are the perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers—as well as fans of all ages!Young readers will be inspired by Katie Ledecky—the world record-breaking American swimmer and two-time winner of the AP Female Athlete of the Year Award—as they read her Little Golden Book Biography and cheer her on at the Summer Olympics in Paris.Look for more Little Golden Book biographies:Simone BilesMisty CopelandJackie Robinson
Katie Luther, First Lady of the Reformation: The Unconventional Life of Katharina von Bora
by Ruth A. TuckerKatharina von Bora, wife of Martin Luther, was by any measure the First Lady of the Reformation. A strong woman with a mind of her own, she would remain unknown to us were it not for her larger than life husband. Unlike other noted Reformation women, her primary vocation was not related to ministry. She was a farmer and a brewer with a boarding house the size of a Holiday Inn - and all that with a large family and nursing responsibilities. In many ways, Katie was a modern woman - a Lean In woman or a modern-day version of a Proverbs 31 woman. Katharina's voice echoes among modern women, wives and mothers who have carved out a career of their own.Decisive and assertive, she transformed Martin Luther into at least a practicing egalitarian. Katharina was a full partner who was a no-nonsense, confident and determined woman, a starke Frau who did not cower when confronted by a powerful man.Ruth Tucker invites readers to visit Katie Luther in her sixteenth-century village life - with its celebrations and heartaches, housing, diet, fashion, childbirth, child-rearing and gender restrictions - and to welcome her today into our own living rooms and workplaces.
Katie Up and Down the Hall: The True Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors into a Family
by Glenn PlaskinA personal memoir by bestselling author and celebrity journalist Glenn Plaskin, KATIE is a moving story about a man who discovers the true meaning of family after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy. Through the magnetic personality of his mischievous dog, the author soon makes powerful connections with several of his down-the-hall neighbors in a high-rise located in the unique Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. First, Katie trots into the lives of Pearl and Arthur, a warm-hearted elderly couple just a few doors down from Glenn. Later, John, a single Dad, and his rambunctious young son, Ryan, also move in and are seduced by Katie's charms. All of their lives are profoundly changed as they are transformed from neighbors to friends to family, with Pearl as matriarch. The motherless boy finds a "Granny"; his Dad inherits a mother, Glenn discovers a confidante. Set in New York City, we witness nearly sixteen years of antics and family adventures spanning Hollywood high times, bad health, accidents, blustery winters, even the terrors of 9/11. Through it all, the family clings to each other, sharing a deep bond that give each comfort, support and security. Based upon a widely-read article in Family Circle, here is an unforgettable story about the love that makes a family-one that transcends the hard realities of time, tragedy, and inevitable loss.
Katrina's Sandcastles: New Hope From The Ruins of New Orleans Schools (Real World Ser.)
by Kaycee Eckhardt"The first thing I need you to know is that becoming a teacher was the most important thing that ever happened to me." With these words, Kaycee Eckhardt begins a journey both harrowing and hopeful: the story of becoming an effective teacher, and building a new school, in Post-Katrina New Orleans. Beginning as a first year teacher, barely out of six weeks of training, the book follows her path from the New Orleans neighborhoods of Holly grove, Algiers, Treme, and the 9th Ward. She takes us through four different schools, a destroyed bicycle, a half dead pit bull, a burlesque-dancer, spit and a concussion, broken light bulbs, a phonics lesson, and planting the seeds of literacy in the most dire of circumstances. With affection and brutal honesty, she relates the hilarity and tragedy of several children, the belief in all things possible, and finally, the most difficult decision of all. Filled with heartbreaking stories, teacher survival strategies, and an excess of heart, Katrina's Sandcastles is a story of sacrifice and struggle, belief and failure, despair and ultimate redemption in the heart of the Crescent City.
Katy Perry: California Gurl
by Jo BerryLifting the lid on the chart-topping, girl-kissing, trend-setting princess of popIn 2006, Katy Perry was on the brink of packing it all in and giving up - Hollywood had almost got the better of her. Two hit albums later and she practically owns the place. The gorgeous singer, best known for her flirty hit 'I Kissed a Girl', likes to flaunt her feminine side with inch-long eyelashes, maraschino-cherry lips, and playful retro outfits like polka-dotted hot pants and tube dresses, but Katy's path to fame was far bumpier than her glamtastic image lets on. Raised in Santa Barbara, California, she started her musical career in the church, her parents were both born-again Christian pastors. Her first album, released in 2001, was Christian gospel and the rules for her early years were 'no pop, no snacks, no boys'. At 16 she dropped out of high school and made the move to L.A., and her life was forever changed. It took more than eight years of false starts, winning and losing three record contracts, before she scored the million-selling album One of the Boys. But once `Ur So Gay' was declared by Madonna as her song of the year, 'I Kissed a Girl' ignited all that controversy, and Katy met her husband-to-be Russell Brand and so became one half of one of the most exciting and endearing Hollywood couples, Katy Perry was propelled to the top of the Hollywood A list.Jo Berry's insightful and honest biography reveals the incredible story of the life and loves of the artist and performer Katy Perry.
Katy Perry: California Gurl
by Jo BerryLifting the lid on the chart-topping, girl-kissing, trend-setting princess of popIn 2006, Katy Perry was on the brink of packing it all in and giving up - Hollywood had almost got the better of her. Two hit albums later and she practically owns the place. The gorgeous singer, best known for her flirty hit 'I Kissed a Girl', likes to flaunt her feminine side with inch-long eyelashes, maraschino-cherry lips, and playful retro outfits like polka-dotted hot pants and tube dresses, but Katy's path to fame was far bumpier than her glamtastic image lets on. Raised in Santa Barbara, California, she started her musical career in the church, her parents were both born-again Christian pastors. Her first album, released in 2001, was Christian gospel and the rules for her early years were 'no pop, no snacks, no boys'. At 16 she dropped out of high school and made the move to L.A., and her life was forever changed. It took more than eight years of false starts, winning and losing three record contracts, before she scored the million-selling album One of the Boys. But once `Ur So Gay' was declared by Madonna as her song of the year, 'I Kissed a Girl' ignited all that controversy, and Katy met her husband-to-be Russell Brand and so became one half of one of the most exciting and endearing Hollywood couples, Katy Perry was propelled to the top of the Hollywood A list.Jo Berry's insightful and honest biography reveals the incredible story of the life and loves of the artist and performer Katy Perry.
Katy Perry: The Unofficial Biography
by Alice MontgomeryThe fascinating account of a girl-next-door turned pop princessEver since the international chart-topping hit, I Kissed a Girl, Katy Perry hasn't stopped making headlines. From reaching number one in charts worldwide to selling out concerts around the globe, her phenomenal success has propelled her to the A-list. But it didn't always seem like she was destined for stardom. Brought up in a deeply religious community, Katy was allowed to listen only to church music. However, with her astounding musical gift, along with plenty of willpower, Katy was determined to follow her dream. Her rise to the top was cemented in 2010, when after a flurry of media gossip, she married the most controversial figure on British TV - Russell Brand. Bestselling biographer Alice Montgomery traces Katy's steps to stardom from her choir girl beginnings to her breakthrough in the music business and her secret wedding ceremony in India, to reveal the intimate story behind the most exciting and unpredictable pop star around.
Kaufmann's: The Big Store in Pittsburgh (Landmarks)
by Letitia Stuart SavageIn 1871, Jacob and Isaac Kaufmann created a classic Pittsburgh institution. The business grew from a small store on the South Side to a mammoth clothing house downtown that outfitted the community. The removal of the original freestanding clock upset customers, so Kaufmann's added its iconic version in 1913. A redesign of the store's first floor attracted national attention in the 1930s. While most Pittsburghers remember and celebrate the downtown store, others recall the suburban branches--miniatures of the expansive flagship store. Join Letitia Stuart Savage on a journey to a time of leisurely shopping for the latest fashions complete with a side of Mile High Ice Cream Pie from the Tic Toc Restaurant.
Kavichakravarthy Kambar
by Mahavidwan Ra Raghava IyengarKambar, a 12th centuary poet lived during the regime of King Rakendra Chola. In addition to the Ramayanam, Kambar has also authored other works like the Saraswathi Andathi and Kangai Puranam
Kawhi Leonard: Pro Basketball Champion (Sports Illustrated Kids Stars of Sports)
by Shane FrederickKawhi 'the Klaw' Leonard is a well-known name in basketball. At a towering height of 6 feet, 7 inches, Leonard is one of the most dominant defenders in the NBA. Leonard was just 20 years old when he was first drafted in the NBA. Since then he has had many triumphs and has helped lead his teams to greatness. Discover more about Leonard's career highlights in this exciting biography in the Stars of Sports series.
Kay Boyle: A Twentieth-Century Life in Letters
by Sandra Spanier Kay BoyleOne of the Lost Generation modernists who gathered in 1920s Paris, Kay Boyle published more than forty books, including fifteen novels, eleven collections of short fiction, eight volumes of poetry, three children's books, and various essays and translations. Yet her achievement can be even better appreciated through her letters to the literary and cultural titans of her time. Kay Boyle shared the first issue of This Quarter with Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway, expressed her struggles with poetry to William Carlos Williams and voiced warm admiration to Katherine Anne Porter, fled WWII France with Max Ernst and Peggy Guggenheim, socialized with the likes of James Joyce, Marcel Duchamp, and Samuel Beckett, and went to jail with Joan Baez. The letters in this first-of-its-kind collection, authorized by Boyle herself, bear witness to a transformative era illuminated by genius and darkened by Nazism and the Red Scare. Yet they also serve as milestones on the journey of a woman who possessed a gift for intense and enduring friendship, a passion for social justice, and an artistic brilliance that earned her inclusion among the celebrated figures in her ever-expanding orbit.
Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise
by Sam IrvinKay Thompson's larger-than-life story is an effervescent toast to show business with a shot of Auntie Mame and a twist of The Devil Wears Prada. A multi-threat entertainer and a world-class eccentric, Kay Thompson was the mentor/best friend of Judy Garland, the vocal guru for Frank Sinatra and Lena Horne, and the godmother/Svengali of Liza Minnelli (who recreated Thompson's nightclub act in her 2009 Tony Award-winning event, Liza's at the Palace). She went to school with Tennessee Williams, auditioned for Henry Ford, got her first big break from Bing Crosby, trained Marilyn Monroe, channeled Elvis Presley, rejected Andy Warhol, rebuffed Federico Fellini, got fired by Howard Hughes, and snubbed Donald Trump. She coached Bette Davis and Eleanor Roosevelt; she created nightclub acts for Marlene Dietrich and Ginger Rogers; and when Lucille Ball had to sing on Broadway, Kay was the wind beneath her wings, too. Kay's legion of fans included Queen Elizabeth of England, King Juan Carlos of Spain, and Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco. Danny Kaye masqueraded in drag as her; Noël Coward and Cole Porter wrote musicals for her; and The Beatles wanted to hold her hand. She was a charter member of the Rat Pack, costarred in a whodunit with Ronald Reagan, and directed John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Gala. The dame cut a wide swath through the arts. After conquering radio in the 1930s she commandeered MGM's vocal department in the 1940s, where she revolutionized the studio's greatest musicals with her audacious arrangements, from The Harvey Girls to Ziegfeld Follies. In the 1950s she became the highest-paid cabaret attraction in the world with her groundbreaking act "Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers," featuring her young protégé--and secret lover--Andy Williams. In a stunning feat of reinvention, Thompson next became the bestselling author of Eloise (first published by Simon & Schuster in 1955), chronicling the mischievous adventures of the six-year-old mascot of The Plaza, spawning an industry that is still going strong today. Then Kay took the silver screen by storm as the "Think Pink!" fashion magazine editor in Funny Face, stealing the film right out from under Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. The Thompson saga swells from small town wannabe to international headliner, dissolving into self-destruction and madness--the storyline usually reserved for a rags-to-riches potboiler--yet with unexpected twists, outlandish turns, and a last-minute happy ending that, even by Hollywood's standards, is nothing short of preposterous. But that is Kay Thompson. Fascinating. Frustrating. Fabulous!
Kayang & Me
by Kim Scott Hazel BrownA monumental family history of Australia's Wilomin Noongar people, this is a powerful story of community and belonging. Revealing the deep and enduring connections between family, country, culture, and history that lie at the heart of indigenous identity, this book—a mix of storytelling and biography—offers insight into a fascinating community.
Kazan Revisited (Wesleyan Film)
by Lisa DombrowskiA groundbreaking filmmaker dogged by controversy in both his personal life and career, Elia Kazan was one of the most important directors of postwar American cinema. In landmark motion pictures such as A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, East of Eden, and Splendor in the Grass, Kazan crafted an emotionally raw form of psychological realism. His reputation has rested on his Academy award-winning work with actors, his provocative portrayal of sexual, moral, and generational conflict, and his unpopular decision to name former colleagues as Communists before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952. But much of Kazan's influential cinematic legacy remains unexamined. Arriving in the wake of his centenary, Kazan Revisited engages and moves beyond existing debates regarding Kazan's contributions to film, tackling the social, political, industrial, and aesthetic significance of his work from a range of critical perspectives. Featuring essays by established film critics and scholars such as Richard Schickel (Time), Victor Navasky (The Nation), Mark Harris (Entertainment Weekly), Kent Jones (Film Comment), Jonathan Rosenbaum (Essential Cinema, 2004), Jeanine Basinger (The Star Machine, 2007), and Leo Braudy (On the Waterfront, 2008), this book is a must for diehard cinephiles and those new to Kazan alike.Contributors include: JEANINE BASINGER, LEO BRAUDY, LISA DOMBROWSKI, HADEN GUEST, MARK HARRIS, KENT JONES, PATRICK KEATING, SAVANNAH LEE, BRENDA MURPHY, VICTOR NAVASKY, BRIAN NEVE, JONATHAN ROSENBAUM, RICHARD SCHICKEL, ANDREW TRACY, and SAM WASSON.
Kazantzakis, Volume 1: Politics of the Spirit (Princeton Modern Greek Studies #22)
by Peter Bien"No author who lives in Greece," writes Peter Bien, "can avoid politics." This first volume of his major intellectual biography of Nikos Kazantzakis approaches the distinguished--and controversial--writer by describing his struggle with political questions that were in reality aspects of a fervent religious search. Beginning with Kazantzakis's early career in fin-de-siècle Paris and his discovery of William James, Nietzsche, and Bergson, the book continues by describing his experiments with communism in turbulent Greece, his visits to Soviet Russia, and the publication of his epic Odyssey in 1938. Bien demonstrates that politics and religion cannot be separated in Kazantzakis's development. His major concern was personal salvation, but the method he employed to win that salvation was political engagement. Did deliverance lie in nationalism? Communism? Fascism? He eventually rejected each of these possible solutions as morally appalling. Abused by both left and right, he insisted on an "eschatological politics" of spiritual fulfillment. This compelling biography will be essential reading for Kazantzakis scholars and for a wide audience of those who already admire the Greek author's work. In addition, it will provide an introduction to the first three decades of Kazantzakis's career for those who have yet to enjoy such passionate and stirring novels as Zorba the Greek, The Greek Passion, and The Last Temptation of Christ. This first volume provides an introduction to the initial three decades of Kazantzakis's career for those who have enjoyed such vibrant and stirring novels as Zorba the Greek, The Greek Passion, and The Last Temptation of Christ.
Kazantzakis, Volume 2: Politics of the Spirit
by Peter BienPutting Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis's vast output into the context of his lifelong spiritual quest and the turbulent politics of twentieth-century Greece, Peter Bien argues that Kazantzakis was a deeply flawed genius--not always artistically successful, but a remarkable figure by any standard. This is the second and final volume of Bien's definitive and monumental biography of Kazantzakis (1883-1957). It covers his life after 1938, the period in which he wrote Zorba the Greek and The Last Temptation of Christ, the novels that brought him his greatest fame. A demonically productive novelist, poet, playwright, travel writer, autobiographer, and translator, Kazantzakis was one of the most important Greek writers of the twentieth century and the only one to achieve international recognition as a novelist. But Kazantzakis's writings were just one aspect of an obsessive struggle with religious, political, and intellectual problems. In the 1940s and 1950s, a period that included the Greek civil war and its aftermath, Kazantzakis continued this engagement with undiminished energy, despite every obstacle, producing in his final years novels that have become world classics.