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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave
by Frederick Douglass Molly SmithFrederick Douglass was born a slave and died a well-respected writer and orator. After escaping slavery at twenty years of age, he began to speak out against the institution, eventually becoming a leading abolitionist. His books and speeches helped fuel the movement for freedom, and Abraham Lincoln consulted him during the Civil War.
The Red-Tail Angels
by Molly Smith Tiffany Gaestel Franco RivoliIn 1943, Charlie is part of a group of African American airmen about to join the Allied forces fighting in World War II. Follow Charlie and the rest of his squadron as they head to North Africa and Italy, where they battle both the enemy and racial discrimination.
The Life of Dr. Seuss: A Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel Just For Kids!
by Sam RodgersHe was one of the most brilliant men in the world. His books inspired millions of lives. But who was he really? This book, just for kids, will look at his childhood, education, marriage and work to see what made him who he was! KidLit-o is a leading electronic publisher in children's books; each month, it publishes several history, science and language arts books.
For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story (Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books)
by Rebcca Langston-GeorgeShe grew up in a world where women were supposed to be quiet. But Malala Yousafzai refused to be silent. She defied the Taliban's rules, spoke out for education for every girl, and was almost killed for her beliefs. This powerful true story of how one brave girl named Malala changed the world proves that one person really can make a difference.
The Way I See It
by Joseph K. ChanThis book offers hope and inspiration to: <P><P> <li>People who are visually impaired <li>People who have other bodily impairments <li>Parents who have a physically challenged child <li>People who ponder about the purpose of life <P><P>Born with not one, but two rather restrictive birth defects, Joseph Chan faced multiple challenges in coping as a little child. In addition to the stress of keeping up in school, the stigma of being different experienced in both his family and school was a burden in building self-esteem. These challenges permeates his life as a young adult. Trying to start a career in accounting and building a social life was a long and difficult learning process. <P><P> Despite a disadvantaged beginning, this is a story of love, faith, and personal triumph over fate. The Way I See It is Joseph Chan's spiritual journey to discover his life's purpose and to share the hope and inspiration that he has found with those who might also benefit from it.
Crooked Paths Made Straight: A Blind Teacher's Adventures Traveling Around The World
by Deborah Kent Isabelle L. D. Grant<P>In 1959, two years before she retired from teaching, Dr. Isabelle Grant set off on a yearlong journey around the world with Oscar, her long white cane, in her hand. She had been totally blind for the past twelve years. <P>In Crooked Paths Made Straight, she shares the story of her journey during which she visited twenty-three countries from Great Britain to Fiji. In Karachi, she traveled the streets by rickshaw and struggled to master the Urdu language. In India, she explored the Taj Mahal, and in Burma she slept in a room where lizards raced up and down the walls. <P>At a time when both women and blind people were generally seen as too helpless for solo travel, Grant fearlessly defied conventions. A dedicated teacher with a lifelong commitment to learning, her mission was to learn all she could about education in the countries she visited, in particular the education provided to blind children. <P>Completed in 1965, Crooked Paths Made Straight recounts Grant's journey, a story of dreams deferred that did not shrivel but sprang to life again and again.
The Power of Love: How Kenneth Jernigan Changed the World for the Blind
by National Federation of the Blind<P>The Power of Love: How Kenneth Jernigan Changed the World for the Blind shares the voices of a collection of individuals whose writings reveal the deep truth that serves as the foundation for the life and work of Kenneth Jernigan. <P>His life and their writings together speak of how Thomas Jefferson's self-evident truths imply that equality extends to embrace blind people just as surely as this country has come to understand equality's inclusion of all people regardless of the color of their skin. <P>Ramona Walhof, editor of The Power of Love and longtime friend of Kenneth Jernigan, draws together the distinctive voices of individuals who knew Kenneth Jernigan and whose lives he touched through his work with the National Federation of the Blind. Each of the reflections begins with a brief biographical sketch that introduces the chapter's author and ties his or her life to Kenneth Jernigan and his work. <P>The book concludes with a chapter, "Blindness: The Federation at Fifty," a retrospective written by Kenneth Jernigan himself in the last decade of his life. The Power of Love: How Kenneth Jernigan Changed the World for the Blind gathers a polyphonic chorus of voices that tell how the power of love, coursing through the life of Kenneth Jernigan, changed the world for the blind and, in so doing, changed the world for everyone.
Starting from Loomis and Other Stories
by Hiroshi Kashiwagi Tim YamamuraA memoir in short stories, Starting from Loomis chronicles the life of accomplished writer, playwright, poet, and actor Hiroshi Kashiwagi. In this dynamic portrait of an aging writer trying to remember himself as a younger man, Kashiwagi recalls and reflects upon the moments, people, forces, mysteries, and choices--the things in his life that he cannot forget--that have made him who he is.Central to this collection are Kashiwagi's confinement at Tule Lake during World War II, his choice to answer "no" and "no" to questions 27 and 28 on the official government loyalty questionnaire, and the resulting lifelong stigma of being labeled a "No-No Boy" after his years of incarceration. His nonlinear, multifaceted writing not only reflects the fragmentations of memory induced by traumas of racism, forced removal, and imprisonment but also can be read as a bold personal response to the impossible conditions he and other Nisei faced throughout their lifetimes.
Innocents on the Ice
by John C. BehrendtIn 1956, John C. Behrendt had just earned his master's degree in geophysics and obtained a position as an assistant seismologist in the International Geophysical Year glaciological program. He sailed from Davisville, Rhode Island to spend eighteen months in Antarctica with the IGY expedition as part of a U.S. Navy-supported scientific expedition to establish Ellsworth Station on the Filchner Ice Shelf. Innocents on the Ice is a memoir based on Behrendt's handwritten journals, looking back on his daily entries describing his life and activities on the most isolated of the seven U.S. Antarctic stations. Nine civilians and thirty Navy men lived beneath the snow together, and intense personal conflicts arose during the dark Antarctic winter of 1957. Little outside contact was available to ease the tension, with no mail delivery and only occasional radio contact with families back home. The author describes the emotional stress of the living situation, along with details of his parties' explorations of the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf system during the summers of 1957 and 1958. Along the hazardous 1,300-mile traverse in two Sno-Cats, the field party measured ice thickness and snow accumulation as part of an international effort to determine the balance of the Antarctic ice sheet, and made the first geological observations of the spectacular Dufek Massif in the then-unexplored Pensacola Mountains. Behrendt also draws upon his forty years of continual participation in Antarctic research to explain the changes in scientific activities and environmental awareness in Antarctica today. Including photos, maps, and a glossary identifying various forms of ice, Innocents on the Ice is a fascinating combination of the diary of a young graduate student and the reflections of the accomplished scientist he became.
Down the Hallway: The Story of One Woman's Journey with Dissociative Identity Disorder
by Sherry E. ShowalterDiscover the murky and mysterious world of Charmaine who has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Charmaine and her therapist travel together, down a long hall with many secret doors, within Charmaine's brain. As Charmaine questions her sanity, the journey she embarks upon unearths a living nightmare. Her therapist discovers the many personalities that live within her. Working together, in seemingly endless and unexplored territory; Charmaine discovers clues to those who coexist in her complex brain. Witness Charmaine's fears, angst and desperation. Puzzle together the fragments that describe her day to day experiences, coming face to face with her Alters. As you turn page after page, uncovering mesmorizing, often breathtaking moments in the journey into Charmaine's world. Join Charmaine and her therapist as they journey through this personal hell, to emerge whole. From one riveting moment to the next, you will not be able to put this book down. Fasten your seat belt for one hell of a ride.
The Years of Zero: Coming of Age under the Khmer Rouge
by Seng TyThe Years of Zero—Coming of Age Under the Khmer Rouge is a survivor’s account of the Cambodian genocide carried out by Pol Pot’s sadistic and terrifying Khmer Rouge regime in the late 1970s. It follows the author, Seng Ty, from the age of seven as he is plucked from his comfortable, middle-class home in a Phnom Penh suburb, marched along a blistering, black strip of highway into the jungle, and thrust headlong into the unspeakable barbarities of an agricultural labor camp. Seng’s mother was worked to death while his siblings succumbed to starvation. His oldest brother was brought back from France and tortured in the secret prison of Tuol Sleng. His family's only survivor and a mere child, Seng was forced to fend for himself, navigating the brainwashing campaigns and random depravities of the Khmer Rouge, determined to survive so he could bear witness to what happened in the camp. The Years of Zero guides the reader through the author’s long, desperate periods of harrowing darkness, each chapter a painting of cruelty, caprice, and courage. It follows Seng as he sneaks mice and other living food from the rice paddies where he labors, knowing that the penalty for such defiance is death. It tracks him as he tries to escape into the jungle, only to be dragged back to his camp and severely beaten. Through it all, Seng finds a way to remain whole both in body and in mind. He rallies past torture, betrayal, disease and despair, refusing at every juncture to surrender to the murderers who have stolen everything he had. As The Years of Zero concludes, the reader will have lived what Seng lived, risked what he risked, endured what he endured, and finally celebrate with him his unlikeliest of triumphs.
Behind Every Great Man
by Marlene Wagman-GellerWho Said Men Get to Monopolize the Glory? Discover the Little Known Women Who Have Put the World's Alpha Males on the Map.From ancient times to the present, men have gotten most of the good ink. Yet standing just outside the spotlight are the extraordinary, and overlooked, wives and companions who are just as instrumental in shaping the destinies of their famous--and infamous--men.This witty, illuminating book reveals the remarkable stories of forty captivating females, from Constance Lloyd (Mrs. Oscar Wilde) to Carolyn Adams (Mrs. Jerry Garcia), who have stood behind their legendary partners and helped to humanize them, often at the cost of their own careers, reputations, and happiness. Through fame and its attendant ills--alcoholism, infidelity, mental illness, divorce, and even attempted murder--these powerful women quietly propelled their men to the top and changed the course of history.Meet the Untold Half of History, Including: Alma Reville (Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock) Elena Diakonova (Mrs. Salvador Dali) Winifred Madikizela (Mrs. Nelson Mandela) Ann Charteris (Mrs. Ian Fleming, a.k.a. Mrs. James Bond) Ruth Alpern (Mrs. Bernie Maddoff) And 35 more!
The Bridal Chair: A Novel
by Gloria Goldreich"In prose as painterly and evocative as Chagall's own dazzling brushstrokes, Gloria Goldreich finely evokes one of the most significant masters of modern art through the discerning eyes of [his] loyally protective daughter."—Cynthia Ozick, award-winning author of Foreign BodiesAn exquisite, haunting exploration of the complex mind of Marc Chagall, and the artist's famous chair, through the eyes of his daughter during World War II—perfect for fans of Mrs. Poe and The Paris WifeBeautiful Ida Chagall, the only daughter of Marc Chagall, is blossoming in the Paris art world beyond her father's controlling gaze. But, her newfound independence is cut short by the chaos of World War II. In Nazi-occupied Paris, her father's status as a Jewish artist has made them all targets, but his devotion to his art blinds him to their danger.When Ida falls in love and Chagall angrily paints an empty wedding chair in response, she faces an impossible choice: Does she fight to escape her father's shadow entirely, or abandon her ambitions to save Chagall from the peril in Paris, his enemies, and himself?Brimming with historic personalities from WWII Europe, America and Israel, The Bridal Chair is a stunning portrait of love, fortitude, and the sharp divide between art and real life."Only Gloria Goldreich could write a novel so grounded in historical truths yet so exuberantly imaginative. The Bridal Chair is Goldreich at her best, with a mesmerizing plot, elegant images, and a remarkable heroine who...will remain with you long after the last page."—Francine Klagsburn, Jewish Week columnist and acclaimed author of Voices of Wisdom"Filled with fascinating details about the art world and colorful real-life characters, this novel may appeal to historical fiction fans who enjoyed Natasha Solomons's The House at Tyneford and Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key."—Library Journal
The Dogs Were Rescued (And So Was I)
by Teresa RhyneA NEW memoir from #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dog Lived (and So Will I)We rescue dogs and bring them into our lives...and often they rescue us in return.What would cause a cheese-loving, meat-eating lawyer to become a vegan? Her dog. Teresa Rhyme and Seamus the beagle both survived cancer once, so when Seamus develops yet another cancer, Teresa vows to fight again. Unsure of the best way to battle the unseen enemy, she embarks on some experiments to create a healthier life for her family. She finds better food for Seamus, and a plant-based diet becomes her own guide, but she realized that's not enough for her--and it's not enough for the animals. As she searches for a more compassionate lifestyle, she struggles to find her place somewhere between a hypocrite in leather high heels and a hippie in a hemp skirt, all while coping with the threat of Seamus slipping away.When she encounters two other dogs who need help, including one rescued from animal testing, turning away seems impossible after everything she's discovered. Will turning her life upside down to rescue two more beagles be the best medicine for everyone?
Lincoln's Gift
by Gordon Leidner"Simply the best book that has been published on this great president's humor and stories...Everyone interested in Abraham Lincoln will want to read this."--William C. Harris, author of Lincoln and the Border StatesAbraham Lincoln has long been admired for his leadership, honesty, and eloquence. But despite his somber reputation, the sixteenth president was quite funny. With an uncanny ability to mimic others and an irresistible midwestern twang, Lincoln, in fact, could be downright hilarious.Brimming with his funniest quips, jokes, and stories, Lincoln's Gift explores the crucial role humor played throughout his tumultuous professional and private life. Perfect for history buffs and Lincoln enthusiasts alike, this clever and captivating biography reveals how America's greatest president used his lighter side to lead the country through one of its darkest times, the Civil War."Gordon Leidner ingeniously blends a study of Lincoln's humor with an account of his life, showing how our sixteenth president was not always a 'man of sorrows' but often a man of laughter, capable alike of enjoying as well as telling a good story."--Michael Burlingame, author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life
A Country Between: Making a Home Where Both Sides of Jerusalem Collide
by Stephanie Saldaña"Behind every dark moment, there is another hidden world. The trick is to hold out long enough to make it there."When American writer Stephanie Saldaña finds herself in an empty house at the beginning of Nablus Road, the dividing line between East and West Jerusalem, she is a new wife trying to navigate a fragile terrain, both within her marriage and throughout the country in which she has chosen to live.Pregnant with her first child, Stephanie struggles to protect her family, their faith, and herself from the cracks of Middle Eastern conflict that threaten to shatter the world around her. But as her due date approaches, she must reconcile herself with her choice to bring a child into a dangerous world. Determined to piece together life from the brokenness, she sets out to uncover small instances of beauty to balance the delicate coexistence between love, motherhood, and a country so often at war.In an urban valley in Jerusalem, A Country Between captures the fragile ecosystem of the Middle East and the difficult first years of motherhood in the midst of a conflict-torn city. What unfolds is a celebration of faith, language, family, and love that fills the space between what was shattered, leaving us whole once more.
Washington and Hamilton
by Tony Williams Stephen F. KnottThe first book to explore the complex friendship between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, this captivating history reveals how their little-known but remarkable collaboration led to the emergence of the U. S. as a world power. Washington, who was devoted to classical virtues, and Hamilton, who was guided by the pursuit of honor, closely cooperated in America's early days-but their rival ideas also threatened the future of the new republic. From the start of the Revolution through the first decade of the American presidency, this groundbreaking book chronicles how their fascinating relationship impacted the American people and resulted in the birth of politics as we know it today.
Hanging Mary
by Susan HigginbothamThe untold story of Lincoln's Assassination 1864, Washington City. One has to be careful with talk of secession, of Confederate whispers falling on Northern ears. Better to speak only when in the company of the trustworthy. Like Mrs. Surratt. A widow who runs a small boardinghouse on H Street, Mary Surratt isn't half as committed to the cause as her son, Johnny. If he's not delivering messages or escorting veiled spies, he's invited home men like John Wilkes Booth, the actor who is even more charming in person than he is on the stage. But when President Lincoln is killed, the question of what Mary knew becomes more important than anything else. Was she a cold-blooded accomplice? Just how far would she go to help her son? Based on the true case of Mary Surratt, Hanging Maryreveals the untold story of those on the other side of the assassin's gun.
Lincoln on Law, Leadership, and Life
by Jonathan WhiteWisdom and stories from one of America's most unique legal mindsAbraham Lincoln's success as a politician was rooted in experience in the courtroom. Despite a presidency plagued with moral and legal crises, this self-taught prairie lawyer deftly led the nation by relying on the core principles he honed in his early career: honestly, self-discipline, and a powerful sense of social responsibility. Aspiring and practicing lawyers alike often looked to Lincoln for guidance--and his hard-won wisdom is as relevant today as ever.Drawn from his correspondence with aspiring attorneys as well as observations from friends and colleagues, Lincoln on Law, Leadership, and Life is an insightful collection of Lincoln's timeless quotes, quips, and stories."This should be required reading in every law school in America."--Frank J. Williams, retired Chief Justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court, and founding chair of The Lincoln Forum.
Pieces of My Mother
by Melissa Cistaro"A story that lingers in the heart long after the last page is turned." --HOPE EDELMAN, bestselling author of Motherless Daughters and The Possibility of EverythingThis provocative, poignant memoir of a daughter whose mother left her behind by choice begs the question: Are we destined to make the same mistakes as our parents?One summer, Melissa Cistaro's mother drove off without explanation Devastated, Melissa and her brothers were left to pick up the pieces, always tormented by the thought: Why did their mother abandon them?Thirty-five years later, with children of her own, Melissa finds herself in Olympia, Washington, as her mother is dying. After decades of hiding her painful memories, she has just days to find out what happened that summer and confront the fear she could do the same to her kids. But Melissa never expects to stumble across a cache of letters her mother wrote to her but never sent, which could hold the answers she seeks. Haunting yet ultimately uplifting, Pieces of My Mother chronicles one woman's quest to discover what drives a mother to walk away from the children she loves. Alternating between Melissa's tumultuous coming-of-age and her mother's final days, this captivating memoir reveals how our parents' choices impact our own and how we can survive those to forge our own paths.
From Mom to Me Again: How I Survived My First Empty-Nest Year and Reinvented the Rest of My Life
by Melissa ShultzLive your best life--even after your kids leave homeWhen her children left for college, Melissa Shultz was certain that she had prepared them well for their new lives-but her own life was a different matter entirely. Her house was empty, her purpose unclear. If her life was no longer dominated by the day-to-day demands of being "Mom," then who exactly was she? And how would she ever move forward?From Mom to Me Again is the story of one woman's reinvention. Shultz's struggle with the empty nest and the transformation of her marriage, friendships, career, and ultimately herself, is part memoir and part self-help guide. Funny, poignant, and practical, this book tells Shultz's personal story and provides valuable advice for readers preparing to send their children off into the world. She shows women that while they'll always be mothers, it's time for them to take center stage in their own lives once again.
Bonjour Kale: A Memoir of Paris, Love, and Recipes
by Kristen BeddardA memoir of love, life, and recipes from the woman who brought kale to the City of Light The story of how one expat woman left her beloved behind when she moved to France-her beloved kale, that is. Unable to find le chou kale anywhere upon moving to the City of Light with her new husband, and despite not really speaking French, Kristen Beddard launched a crusade to single-handedly bring kale to the country of croissants and cheese. Infused with Kristen's recipes and some from French chefs, big and small (including Michelin star chef Alain Passard) Bonjour Kale is a humorous, heartfelt memoir of how Kristen, kale, and France collide.
Sit Stay Heal: How an Underachieving Labrador Won Our Hearts and Brought Us Together
by Mel MiskimenRowdy, reckless Seamus is the last dog you'd find in a training field. Instead of obediently retrieving, he stubbornly follows his heart, wherever it may lead.Mel Miskimen's heart is heavy. Her mom, the family rock, the provider of apple pies and stubborn fan of Brett Favre, just died. Even more, her curmudgeon of a father isn't really coping. How can Mel reconnect with an old man more interested in field dog training than discussing his feelings? Enter Seamus. The hapless black lab throws their grief into joyful disarray. Mel encourages her dad to mold Seamus into a champion retriever.. But as the seasons change, and memories follow, Mel realizes she must face her own fears, and that the road to Seamus's field trials might just heal them all. At turns hilarious and heart breaking, Sit Stay Heal will touch the souls of dog lovers everything, and speak to anyone seeking a way to connect with those they've lost.