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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.
Best O'Luck: How A Fighting Canadian Won The Thanks Of Britain's King
by Alexander McclintockAn American with the British forces in France during the First World War recounts his experiences and how his exploits won him the Distinguished Conduct Medal.Alexander McClintock did not have any literary pretensions when he started out to write his autobiography, knowing that there were others would might write of the frontline better; however he was certain that they "sort of missed the essentials and lacked the spirit of the "ditches"". The Author in his own broad American style recalls how he decided to join the Canadian Army on the basis of the mistreatment of Belgium by the invading German hordes, a decision he took purely by chance after a meeting with some Canadians in the Knickerbocker Bar in New York! He enlisted and found himself in the famous Canadian Grenadier Guards, and after an uncomfortable journey cramped aboard the steamer the Empress of India, arrived in France.Things were rough and ready in France with his training far shorter than pre-war leading his training sergeant to exclaim that "when I see you handle your rifles I feel like falling on my knees and thanking God that we've got a navy". However ill-trained in theory nothing could prepare them for the brutality of the trenches; the author recounts the shot, shell and gas that he and his comrades suffered under before he was wounded and invalided to England. There in hospital he was visited by the King himself and awarded the D.C.M. for his part in the attacks on the German trenches on the Somme.
Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time: True Stories from a Career in Hollywood
by Barry SonnenfeldOne-of-a-kind filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld tells stories only he can tell, from his blockbuster career with iconic actors, studio execs, and producers. His humor and insight provide an inside glimpse into how Hollywood really works, or how it doesn&’t.Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time delivers a cavalcade of sometimes baffling, often enlightening, and always funny stories about Sonnenfeld&’s many films and television shows. From battling with studio executives and producers to bad-script-solving on set to coaxing actors into finding the right light and talking faster, Sonnenfeld provides an entertaining master class in how to make commercial art in the face of constant human foible. Over four decades in Hollywood, the mega-franchises include The Addams Family and Men in Black; the critical favorites, Get Shorty and Pushing Daisies; the icons, Will Smith, John Travolta, and Michael Jackson; and the projects that got away, Forrest Gump, Ali, and anything starring Jim Carrey. The true stories escalate from surreal to outrageous to unbelievable. And then there&’s magic hour. But you&’ll never see Hollywood the same way again.
Best Seat in the House: 18 Golden Lessons from a Father to His Son
by Don Yaeger Jack Nicklaus IIJack Nicklaus II shares stories, insights, and lessons he&’s learned from his father, the &“Golden Bear,&” that will delight golf fans of all ages, encourage fathers, and inspire readers to focus on what&’s most important in life: family.Best Seat in the House, written with New York Times bestselling author Don Yaeger, gives us eighteen valuable lessons that Jack Nicklaus II learned from his father, PGA champion Jack Nicklaus. Although the &“Golden Bear,&” as he is known by fans, is widely regarded as the best golfer of all time, with a record number of PGA major championships, his life and values show that true legacy lives on through your children, grandchildren, and others we are blessed to call family and friends.For the first time, the public is given the opportunity to see what made Jack Nicklaus an off-course success, includinghow he and his wife, Barbara, fashioned fifty-plus years of marriage, understanding that they both had to give of themselves &“at least 95 percent of the time&”the importance of having boundaries and limits that everyone in the family agrees onhow Nicklaus taught his son Jack, who worked as his caddie for several years, to value his competitors and treat them as he would hope to be treatedthe need to be connected to what we&’ll leave behind: our legaciesOne June day, Jack Nicklaus II had just completed his second round in a Palm Beach County Junior Golf Association tournament and was sitting at the scorer&’s table, signing his scorecard, when somebody told him his dad was on the telephone. He was a little frustrated because he didn&’t want to be bothered on such an important day, but his dad wanted to know how he had played, so Jack II spent the next twenty minutes detailing every hole and every shot. Afterward, his father said, &“Jackie, would you like to know how your dad did today?&” Of course he wanted to know, and he felt a little guilty for not asking. &“Well, I just won the US Open.&” It was Father&’s Day 1980, and on that day Jack II learned a valuable lesson that he carried with him into adulthood: family is more important than anything in the world.
Best Seat in the House: Your Backstage Pass to My Journey As WWE Announcer
by Justin RobertsJustin Roberts always dreamed of being a ring announcer at World Wrestling Entertainment. From playing with action figures of the Ultimate Warrior, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels, Bret Hitman Hart and Hulk Hogan to actually announcing these larger-than-life characters to the ring, Roberts lived out the dream of countless, passionate wrestling fans worldwide. <p><p> Best Seat in the House is the inspirational story of Roberts' ambitious journey to becoming a full-time ring announcer at WWE, performing all over the world and announcing weekly live events, TV shows, and the enormously popular pay-per-view spectaculars for more than a decade. <p><p> In addition to announcing the top wrestlers in sports entertainment from Nature Boy Ric Flair, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Sgt. Slaughter, King Kong Bundy, and the Iron Sheik to Dwayne the Rock Johnson, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Chris Jericho, and the Undertaker, Roberts also relives entertaining and candid moments with his real-life superhero coworkers, workplace politics, grueling travel schedules, harsh requirements of WWE talent, and the overall merciless treatment from the higher-ups whose decisions can affect nearly the entire wrestling industry. <p><p> This book is the all-access backstage pass for those who have always wondered what it would be like to work at WWE under the infamous Vince McMahon and travel all over the world in cars, buses, and planes with the biggest stars of professional wrestling. <p><p> Justin Roberts pulls no punches and gives you an uncensored, raw look at the journey of a young man chasing, catching, and living his dream.
Best Wishes
by Cynthia RylantBest Wishes is an inspiring account about Cynthia Rylant, a prolific writer for children and Young Adults.
Best Young Woman Job Book: A Memoir
by Emma HealeyWry, inventive, and relentlessly honest, a memoir of trying to make a living without compromising your truth.Emma Healey just wants to be a writer, but that&’s more a journey than a job, and the journey isn&’t free. As a teenager, she begins her adventures in precarious employment when introduced by her actor/playwright mother to the role of &“standardized patient,&” performing illness as a living training dummy for medical students. In university, she joins a creative writing program, cultivating a poet&’s interest in language while learning lessons about the literary world that have more to do with survival than art. Through her twenties, she writes software manuals for the world&’s leading producer of online pornography, masters search engine optimization for a marketing firm run out of a bedroom by two Phish-loving brothers, narrowly escapes death as a research assistant for a television drama, and works the night shift captioning daytime TV. Along the way, as she navigates dating apps, tumultuous relationships, and the evolution of a voice that she is slowly learning to trust, she begins writing personal essays for money—and finds herself embroiled in a content economy that blurs the boundaries between day job and making art even further. Through the stories of several very odd jobs, each related to—but also achingly far from—the job she really wants, poet and essayist Emma Healey creates a unique snapshot of the gig economy that is also a timeless meditation on identity, value, and language. For a writer trying to pay the bills, life can be a work in progress.
Best of Alan Titchmarsh
by Alan TitchmarshNow collected for the first time as an audio download, here are the brilliant highlights from Alan Titchmarsh's three best-selling recordings of his memoirs Nobbut a Lad and Trowel and Error and An Evening with Alan Titchmarsh. With his engaging charm and warm humour, Alan recalls his early passion for nature as a schoolboy in 1950s Yorkshire and how he grew up to be a successful writer and broadcaster, and the much loved presenter of the BBC TV programmes Gardeners' World and Ground Force.
Best of British: Hendo's Sporting Heroes
by Jon HendersonBest of British is a celebration of the nation's greatest 100 sporting heroes, from Henry VIII to Red Rum, Roy of the Rovers to Torvill and Dean. Jon Henderson has combed through the annals of our glorious and not so glorious past to bring us the geniuses and the eccentrics, the national treasures and the villains who together have shaped our present.Trueman and W. G., Best and Edwards, racing drivers, jockeys, rowers - just what does it take to make a sporting superhero? Hendo's 100 reveals all. Opinionated and provocative, his witty character studies - accompanied by stylish illustrations - capture the essence of his subjects' greatness, re-evaluating the famous and rescuing the forgotten. But when there's a cast of thousands to choose from, and hundreds of years of history to explore, who will make the cut for the most heroic of the heroic? Find out, in Best of British.
Best of Vegan: 100 Recipes That Celebrate Comfort, Culture, and Community
by Kim-Julie HansenFrom the founder of the popular Instagram account @bestofvegan, and author of Vegan Reset comes a versatile plant-based cookbook featuring over 100 recipes, including some of the most popular fare from the Best of Vegan community, exclusive dishes created with renowned international vegan authors and chefs, and a variety of staples for every occasion.Kim-Julie Hansen grew up eating (and loving) meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. But after doing extensive research, and much to everyone’s surprise, she went vegan overnight over a decade ago. After years of learning about and exploring her new lifestyle, she chose to share her knowledge and love of all things vegan online. The creator of the Best of Vegan Instagram and platform, Hansen has built a global community of enthusiastic vegan home cooks, chefs, and bloggers. Hansen believes that food is so much more than fuel, and that veganism is so much more than a diet. With this fabulous cookbook, she explains how veganism is linked to culture, family, memories, and identity, and shows off just how delicious and diverse today’s vegan cuisine can be.Adopting a vegan lifestyle does not have to mean giving up beloved meals and flavors. In Best of Vegan, you’ll discover a variety of delicious vegan dishes, including many easy, protein-forward, affordable, and allergy-friendly options. Here are favorites selected by the Best of Vegan community, including veganized comfort food, appetizers, and wholesome recipes, such as:Avocado Pesto Pasta with Toasted Pine NutsFried Tofu “Chick’n” SandwichClassic Vegan Mac’n CheeseVegan Baja Style “Fish” TacosIn addition to these fan favorites are dishes inspired by Best of Vegan’s global community. Hansen collaborated with renowned vegan chefs, cookbook authors, friends and family members from around the world to showcase the incredibly diverse history and newest trends of traditional cultural fare in recipes such as:Panamanian Tamal de OllaSwedish Plant Balls with Cream SauceSri Lankan Pumpkin CurryCongolese MoambéKorean TteokbokkiWelsh RarebitsWith simplified yet satisfying vegan recipes, Hansen helps home chefs reconnect with the ingredients and their origins, and offers meal-prep instructions and helpful tips to make vegan cooking tasty, easy, and fun.A result of years of collaboration, trial and error, stories told, and meals shared, this creative and comprehensive cookbook and guide, illustrated with full-color photographs for every recipe, Best of Vegan is essential for home cooks of all levels, from novice to experienced hand, and will satisfy both longtime vegans and curious eaters wanting to add more plant-based food to their diets.
Best of the Beast! The Mr. Beast Unofficial Guide
by ScholasticFind out everything there is to know about Mr. Beast, the undisputed king of the internet! Full of photos, interviews, and more! 100% unofficial!If you've ever wondered how the much-loved megastar Mr. Beast became one of the BIGGEST and most popular YouTubers on the planet, then this is the book for you!Packed with fantastic facts, and insider info, this book has everything you need to know about the digital superstar!
Best of the Rust Belt
by Anne Trubek Anna ClarkThe best personal essays from a contested region, from Belt Publishing&’s ten years as a press. Many have an opinion on what the Rust Belt is. It&’s the "blue wall," "Trump country," the "flyover states," or the &“real America.&” Or maybe, as our own president has said, it's a place that no longer exists called by a name that has long outlived its usefulness. But undeniably, there&’s something that connects the region. Maybe the question isn&’t what defines that connection, but who. Over the past ten years, Belt Publishing has been putting out books that prioritize the voices of the many people who live here. We&’ve collected our favorite writing from our dozens of anthologies, from Pittsburgh to Gary, Chicago to St. Louis, Milwaukee to Cleveland, and more, documenting growing up in segregated St. Louis and elucidating the coded Islamophobia of southern Michigan. Featuring LaToya Ruby Frazier, Connie Schultz, Brian Broome, Megan Stielstra, Vivian Gibson, Aaron Foley, Kathleen Rooney, Sarah Kendzior, Phil Christman, and more.
Bestial: The Savage Trail of a True American Monster
by Harold SchechterHarold Schechter, who delivers "must reading for true crime buffs" (Ann Rule), unravels one of the most gruesome and historically significant cases of American serial murder in Bestial. Violent crime was on the rise in the Jazz Age, and gangland carnage made flashy headlines. But few could conceive of who -- or what -- orchestrated the acts of barbaric murder and unimaginable defilement that commenced in San Francisco in the winter of 1926. The savagery of Earle Leonard Nelson -- a hulking creature dubbed "the Gorilla Man" -- shocked a nation weaned on the fictional nightmares of Edgar Allan Poe and distant legends of the Whitechapel murders. A child of unnatural obsessions and an aberrant sex drive, he grew to become a social outcast whose perverse behavior erupted in a sixteen-month spree of butchery that would not be equaled until decades later, by the likes of John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer.
Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll: Diary of a Black Punk Icon
by John Ostrosky Jean BeauvoirThe life and career of Haitian American musician Jean Beauvoir, a member of the legendary New York City punk band the Plasmatics Jean Beauvoir joined the Plasmatics in 1979, playing bass and keyboards for the most notorious band to emerge out of the New York City punk scene. By 1982, he was a member of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, a retro-rock revival act headed by Steven Van Zandt. The Disciples of Soul videos played on MTV during the network's earliest years, making Beauvoir one of the first Black recording artists to cross the start-up music channel's "color line." Beauvoir went on to become a multi-platinum artist, producer, and songwriter. Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll follows his ride through the American music industry, detailing his encounters with rock stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Lita Ford, as well as the actor Sylvester Stallone, the billionaire executive Richard Branson, and even Donald Trump. Beauvoir also considers the manner in which his Haitian heritage has shaped his public image, his music, and his role as an activist for the dispossessed and the poor. Beauvoir's collaborations—and stories—span genres, including work with KISS, Debbie Harry, Justin Timberlake, Lionel Richie, and the Ramones
Bet on Black: The Good News about Being Black in America Today
by Eboni K. WilliamsEssence Magazine 2023 Must ReadBet on Black is a call to action for Black people all over the world to adopt a fresh, highly informed mindset that will change their lives. Blackness is a rich, expansive place that centers resilience, excellence, beauty, panache, and brilliance. But these notions of Blackness have long been distorted by American racism, where for generations Black folks have been expected to live a subordinate, second-class existence in the country they call home. Williams delves into some of the cornerstones of leading a first-class Black life, including: Don&’t Let Anyone Make You Their Black Sidekick Carry Your Blackness Proudly Everywhere You Go Disrupt Oppressive Power Structures No Need to Codeswitch Black Community is Invincible When We Get Together In this book, journalist and attorney Eboni K. Williams delves into some of the cornerstones of leading a first-class Black life, ranging from understanding one&’s history to investing in the sometimes challenging processes of success. She does this all while sharing intimate details of her own story. Bet on Black will reawaken your own self-worth and understanding of the value of celebrating Blackness—whether yours or others&’. Williams boldly proclaims that Blackness is the single most misunderstood construct in America. Bet on Black invites you to join her on the quest to show the world what Blackness really is.
Bet the House: How I Gambled Over a Grand a Day for 30 Days on Sports, Poker, and Games of Chance
by Richard RoeperDuring the course of 30 days in early 2009, Richard Roeper risked more than a quarter million dollars on practically every method of gambling currently available in America. Chronicling his wild ride in a breezy, humorous manner, this entertaining exploration both celebrates and details the many pitfalls and lures through Roeper's stories about his lifelong affair with gambling. With insight and aplomb, the narrative answers the questions What is it like to bet money you don't have, knowing that if you lose, you're in serious trouble? What is it like to play in a poker tournament alongside celebrities and world champions? and What are the 10 best gambling movies of all time? This delightful dalliance proves that the true national pastimes aren't baseball, basketball, or football, but instead fantasy football, March Madness, poker, slots, the lottery, craps, blackjack, church raffles, and bingo.
Beth Chatto's Garden Notebook
by Beth Chatto'I return to Beth Chatto's books constantly. For those who are new to her work, you are entering into a life-long relationship with a wise friend and gardener' Monty Don'Compulsively readable. Once you have it, don't let anyone else borrow it' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHSharing the hopes and successes - and sometimes failures - of her work, Beth Chatto reveals what is really involved in maintaining a unique and flourishing garden. Written from notes that she kept regularly, this engaging book offers help on a whole range of topics. There is guidance on designing, planting and grouping. She describes methods of propagation, shows how plants can be helped to maturity, and gives advice on managing a garden and its plants and on performing all the day-to-day tasks involved.
Bethany Hamilton (She Dared)
by Jenni L. WalshMeet Bethany. Get inspired.Growing up in Hawaii, Bethany Hamilton loved to surf. But one day, she was in her favorite place, out on the waves, when a tiger shark suddenly attacked. Thirteen-year-old Bethany lost her left arm.As she fought to recover, Bethany wondered: Would she ever surf again?Follow Bethany as she got back on her board and fearlessly chased her surfing dreams. With the strength of her family and faith behind her, Bethany knew she could become not only a professional athlete, but a champion and a role model.This highly accessible and narrative biography includes full-color photos and educational info!
Bethany Hamilton: Follow Your Dreams!
by Michael SandlerSince she was a young girl in Hawaii, Bethany Hamilton dreamed of becoming a professional surfer. Yet those dreams nearly vanished when a shark tore off her left arm. In Bethany Hamilton: Follow Your Dreams!, young readers will follow Bethany's recovery from the devastating shark attack as she retakes the surf and waves. Full-color photographs, timeline, and a compelling biographical narrative will engage readers as they learn how Bethany overcame the greatest challenges of her young life. Bethany Hamilton is part of Bearport's Defining Moments: Overcoming Challenges series.
Bethune in Spain
by Roderick Stewart Jesús MajadaNorman Bethune (1890-1939) was a man who had everything, and yet had nothing. Although he had achieved international prominence as a surgeon, he was unhappy in his personal life and deeply frustrated by a failed attempt to introduce medicare to Canada. An uncompromising humanitarian in search of a cause, Bethune became immersed in the Spanish Civil War. In Bethune in Spain, Roderick Stewart and Jesús Majada recount Bethune's achievements in Spain and the events that led to his decision to assist the Loyalist forces. The narrative contains Bethune's letters and reports, some of them reproduced here for the first time, as well as newspaper articles, and interviews with him. It covers his creation and operation of a mobile blood transfusion unit, his rescue of fleeing Loyalist civilians during the Malaga-Almeria road tragedy, and his efforts to aid children orphaned by the War. It also deals with the gruelling public-speaking tour Bethune undertook on his return to Canada in 1937 to plead for intervention in support of democracy in Spain and to raise awareness of atrocities committed against civilians by the fascist-backed Spanish Nationalists. Illustrated with photographs from Bethune's seven months in Spain, Bethune in Spain is a poignant portrait of an early advocate for universal health care, an unwavering communist, and a crusader for the Spanish Republican cause.
Bethune in Spain
by Roderick StewartNorman Bethune (1890-1939) was a man who had everything, and yet had nothing. Although he had achieved international prominence as a surgeon, he was unhappy in his personal life and deeply frustrated by a failed attempt to introduce medicare to Canada. An uncompromising humanitarian in search of a cause, Bethune became immersed in the Spanish Civil War. In Bethune in Spain, Roderick Stewart and Jesus Majada recount Bethune's achievements in Spain and the events that led to his decision to assist the Loyalist forces. The narrative contains Bethune's letters and reports, some of them reproduced here for the first time, as well as newspaper articles, and interviews with him. It covers his creation and operation of a mobile blood transfusion unit, his rescue of fleeing Loyalist civilians during the Malaga-Almeria road tragedy, and his efforts to aid children orphaned by the War. It also deals with the gruelling public-speaking tour Bethune undertook on his return to Canada in 1937 to plead for intervention in support of democracy in Spain and to raise awareness of atrocities committed against civilians by the fascist-backed Spanish Nationalists. Illustrated with photographs from Bethune's seven months in Spain, Bethune in Spain is a poignant portrait of an early advocate for universal health care, an unwavering communist, and a crusader for the Spanish Republican cause.
Betjeman: A Life
by A. N. WilsonJohn Betjeman was by far the most popular poet of the twentieth century; his collected poems sold more than two million copies. As poet laureate of England, he became a national icon, but behind the public man were doubts and demons. The poet best known for writing hymns of praise to athletic middle-class girls on the tennis courts led a tempestuous emotional life. For much of his fifty-year marriage to Penelope Chetwode, the daughter of a field marshal, Betjeman had a relationship with Elizabeth Cavendish, the daughter of the Duke of Devonshire and lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret. Betjeman, a devout Anglican, was tormented by guilt about the storms this emotional triangle caused.Betjeman, published to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of the poet's birth, is the first to use fully the vast archive of personal material relating to his private life, including literally hundreds of letters written by his wife about their life together and apart. Here too are chronicled his many friendships, ranging from "Bosie" Douglas to the young satirists of Private Eye, from the Mitford sisters to the Crazy Gang. This is a celebration of a much-loved poet, a brave campaigner for architecture at risk, and a highly popular public performer. Betjeman was the classic example of the melancholy clown, whose sadness found its perfect mood music in the hymns of a poignant Anglicanism.