- Table View
- List View
Apollo Confidential: Memories of Men On the Moon
by Lukas VigliettiThe inside stories of the Apollo program and the live of astronauts, as told to the author by the men themselves—with a forward by astronaut Charlie Duke. Between 1969 and 1972, twelve people walked on the surface of the Moon. Twelve others flew over its majestic surface. They were the sons of ordinary individuals. But they believed anything was possible―and they proved it to the entire world. Fascinated by these men—heroes such as Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and many others—airline pilot Lukas Viglietti personally recorded their testimonies, becoming a close friend and confidant to many of them in the process. Now he shares his exclusive and unprecedented insight into their adventures and the Apollo program overall in Apollo Confidential.
A Plague of Prisons: The Epidemiology of Mass Incarceration in America
by Ernest DruckerThe public health expert and prison reform activist offers &“meticulous analysis&” on our criminal justice system and the plague of American incarceration (The Washington Post). An internationally recognized public health scholar, Ernest Drucker uses the tools of epidemiology to demonstrate that incarceration in the United States has become an epidemic—a plague upon our body politic. He argues that imprisonment, originally conceived as a response to the crimes of individuals, has become &“mass incarceration&”: a destabilizing force that damages the very social structures that prevent crime. Drucker tracks the phenomenon of mass incarceration using basic public health concepts—&“incidence and prevalence,&” &“outbreaks,&” &“contagion,&” &“transmission,&” &“potential years of life lost.&” The resulting analysis demonstrates that our unprecedented rates of incarceration have the contagious and self-perpetuating features of the plagues of previous centuries. Sure to provoke debate and shift the paradigm of how we think about punishment, A Plague of Prisons offers a novel perspective on criminal justice in twenty-first-century America. &“How did America&’s addiction to prisons and mass incarceration get its start and how did it spread from state to state? Of the many attempts to answer this question, none make as much sense as the explanation found in [this] book.&” —The Philadelphia Inquirer
Still the Same Hawk: Reflections on Nature and New York
by John WaldmanThis essay collection draws on natural history, urban ecology, and environmental politics to consider New York City&’s complex relationship to nature. How can a hawk nesting above Fifth Avenue become a citywide phenomenon? Why does a sudden butterfly migration at Coney Island energize the community? What makes the presence of a community garden or an empty lot ripple so differently through the surrounding neighborhood? Is the city an oasis or a desert for biodiversity? Does nature even matter to New Yorkers, who choose to live in a concrete jungle? Still the Same Hawk examines these questions with a rich mix of creative nonfiction that ranges from analytical to anecdotal and humorous. John Waldman&’s sharp, well-crafted introduction presenting dualism as the defining quality of urban nature is followed by compelling contributions from Besty McCully, Christopher Meier, Tony Hiss, Kelly McMasters, Dara Ross, William Kornblum, Phillip Lopate, David Rosane, Robert Sullivan, Anne Matthews, Devin Zuber, and Frederick Buell. Together these pieces capture a wide range of viewpoints, including the myriad and shifting ways New Yorkers experience and consider the outdoors, the historical role of nature in shaping New York&’s development, what natural attributes contribute to New York&’s regional identity, the many environmental tradeoffs made by urbanization, and even nature&’s dark side where &“urban legends&” flourish.
The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume Two: The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Strong Poison, The Five Red Herrings, and Have His Carcase (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries)
by Dorothy L. SayersThe British aristocrat and sleuth takes on four more puzzling whodunits in this beloved series from &“one of the greatest mystery story writers&” (Los Angeles Times). A gentleman needs hobbies. For Lord Peter Wimsey—a Great War veteran with a touch of shell shock—collecting rare books, sampling fine wines, and catching criminals are all most pleasant diversions. In these Golden Age whodunits, &“Lord Peter can hardly be spared from the ranks of the great detectives of the printed page&” (The New York Times). The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club: On Armistice Day, a wealthy general dies in his club, surrounded by fellow veterans—while across town his sister also dies suspiciously, throwing a half-million-pound inheritance into turmoil. Now club member Lord Peter Wimsey must fight an uphill battle to solve the case. Strong Poison: Lord Peter Wimsey comes to the trial of Harriet Vane for a glimpse at one of the most engaging murder cases London has seen in years. There is little doubt the woman will face the hangman. A mildly popular mystery novelist, she stands accused of poisoning her fiancé, a literary author and well-known advocate of free love. But as Lord Peter watches Harriet in the dock, he begins to doubt her guilt—and to fall in love. The Five Red Herrings: In the idyllic village of Kirkcudbright on the Scottish coast, every resident and visitor has two things in common: They either fish or paint (or both), and they all hate Sandy Campbell. So when the painter&’s body is found at the bottom of a steep hill, Wimsey suspects someone&’s taken a creative approach to the art of murder. Have His Carcase: Harriet Vane has gone on vacation to forget her recent murder trial and, more importantly, to forget the man who cleared her name—the dapper, handsome, and maddening Lord Peter Wimsey. But when she finds a dead body on the beach, only the gentleman sleuth can help her solve a murder after all the evidence has washed out to sea.
The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System
by Joseph B. RaskinA fascinating journey into the past—and under the ground—that offers &“an insightful look at the what-might-have-beens of urban mass transit&” (The New York Times). From the day it broke ground by City Hall in 1900, it took about four and half years to build New York&’s first subway line to West 145th Street in Harlem. Things rarely went that quickly ever again. The Routes Not Taken explores the often-dramatic stories behind unbuilt or unfinished subway lines. The city&’s efforts to expand its underground labyrinth were often met with unexpected obstacles—financial shortfalls, clashing political agendas, battles with community groups, and more. After discovering a copy of the 1929 subway expansion map, Joseph B. Raskin began his own investigation into the city&’s underbelly. Here he provides an extensively researched history of the Big Apple&’s unfinished business. The Routes Not Taken sheds light on: *the efforts to expand the Hudson Tubes into a full-fledged subway *the Flushing line, and why it never made it past Flushing *a platform under Brooklyn&’s Nevins Street station unused for more than a century *the 2nd Avenue line—long the symbol of dashed dreams—deferred countless times since the original plans were presented in 1929 Raskin reveals the personalities involved, explaining why Fiorello H. La Guardia couldn&’t grasp the importance of subway lines and why Robert Moses found them old and boring. By focusing on unbuilt lines, he illustrates how the existing system is actually a Herculean feat of countless compromises. Filled with illustrations, this is an enduring contribution to the history of transportation and the history of New York City.
The Lord Peter Wimsey Short Story Collection: Lord Peter Views the Body, Hangman's Holiday, In the Teeth of the Evidence, and Striding Folly (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries)
by Dorothy L. SayersFour volumes of short stories featuring the iconic British aristocrat and sleuth from &“one of the greatest mystery story writers&” (Los Angeles Times). A gentleman needs hobbies. For Lord Peter Wimsey—a Great War veteran with a touch of shell shock—collecting rare books, sampling fine wines, and catching criminals are all most pleasant diversions. In these Golden Age whodunits, &“Lord Peter can hardly be spared from the ranks of the great detectives of the printed page&” (The New York Times). Lord Peter Views the Body: In these early adventures, Lord Peter confronts a stolen stomach, a man with copper fingers, and a deadly adventure at Ali Baba&’s cave, among other conundrums that tax his intellect, humor, acting talent, knowledge of metallurgy, and taste for fine wines. It&’s not easy being a gentleman sleuth, but Lord Peter was born to play the part. Hangman&’s Holiday: Two of the genre&’s most memorable detectives, Lord Peter Wimsey—noble by birth, brilliant by nature—and free-spirited traveling wine salesman Montague Egg, confront menaces from purloined pearls to poisoned port. In the Teeth of the Evidence: In this volume of &“truly remarkable stories,&” a pair of classic Wimsey stories appear alongside five featuring Montague Egg, the eccentric purveyor of wines whose powers of deduction could give His Lordship a run for his money. A handful of other glittering puzzles round out the volume, &“adding much to the already great reputation of Dorothy L. Sayers&” (The New York Times). Striding Folly: Lord Peter confronts land barons, killers, and the terror that comes from raising three young sons. Through it all, his clear thinking never fails him, and he tackles these puzzles with his usual aplomb. He may be a family man now, but like a good wine, a great detective only gets better with age. Ruth Rendell praised Sayers for her &“great fertility of invention, ingenuity and a wonderful eye for detail,&” and P. D. James said, &“She brought to the detective novel originality, intelligence, energy and wit.&” Those same sparkling qualities are on display in these outstanding short stories.
The Miss Silver Mysteries Volume Two: In the Balance, The Chinese Shawl, and Miss Silver Deals with Death (The Miss Silver Mysteries)
by Patricia WentworthThe British governess-turned-sleuth solves three of her most intriguing cases, in this &“timelessly charming&” series (Charlotte MacLeod). Retired governess and teacher Maud Silver has found a new calling: private detection. With her knitting needles and fondness for Tennyson, she may seem an unlikely sleuth, but Scotland Yard would be lost without her. &“Patricia Wentworth has created a great detective in Miss Silver, the little old lady who nobody notices, but who in turn notices everything&” (Paula Gosling, author of the Jack Stryker Mysteries). In the Balance: On a train back to London, Miss Silver meets a frightened new bride. Lisle Jerningham has fled her home after overhearing a seemingly sinister conversation. Her husband&’s first wife died in an apparent accident, and the resultant infusion of cash saved his family home. Now he&’s broke again. Will he attempt a second convenient mishap? The Chinese Shawl: Actress Tanis Lyle may lack professional training, but her natural charisma seems to hypnotize all who meet her. The rising star has just finished filming her first motion picture. Unfortunately, it will turn out to be her last. Who did Tanis fail to charm? The answer could lie with a distant cousin and a long-standing family feud. Miss Silver Deals with Death: In wartime London, the once grand Vandeleur House has been divided into flats, its glorious façade now concealing a nest of intrigue. When one inhabitant reports she&’s being blackmailed by another, Miss Silver is brought in to sort out the suspects from the residents, which include a woman who lost her fiancé after their ship was struck by a Nazi torpedo and a sleepwalking maid with a curious past.
Raised by the Church: Growing up in New York City's Catholic Orphanages
by Edward Rohs Judith EstrineThe true story of a childhood spent in multiple religious institutions in postwar Brooklyn—and what it was like to enter the larger world as an adult. In 1946, Edward Rohs was left by his unwed parents at the Angel Guardian Home to be raised by the Sisters of Mercy. The Sisters hoped his parents would one day return for him. In time they married and had other children, but Ed&’s parents never came back for him—and never signed the legal papers so he could be adopted by another family. Raised by the Church chronicles the life of a bright, mischievous boy raised in five institutions of the Catholic orphanage system in postwar Brooklyn, New York, from infancy until he was discharged in 1965. He was one of thousands taken in by Catholic institutions during the tumultuous post-WWII years: out-of-wedlock infants, children of fathers killed in the war, and children of parents in crisis. Ed describes the Sisters and Brothers who raised him, the food, his companions, and the Catholic community that provided social and emotional support. When Ed finally leaves, he has difficulty adjusting—but slowly assimilates into &“normal&” life, achieving an advanced degree and career success. He hides his upbringing out of shame and fear of others&’ pity. But as he reflects on his youth and talks to the people who raised him, Ed begins to see a larger story intertwined with his own. With original research based on interviews with clergymen and nuns, archival data from the New York Archdiocese, and government records, Raised by the Church tells the social history of an era when hundreds of thousands of Baby Boomers passed through the orphanage system, and &“reminds us that every generation is challenged to find ways to take care of children whose parents cannot do so&” (Catholic News Service).
Walking New York: Reflections of American Writers from Walt Whitman to Teju Cole
by Stephen MillerWalk along with New York&’s most celebrated writers on a tour of the city that inspired them in this &“evolving portrait of New York through the centuries&” (The New York Observer). ONE OF THE NEW YORK OBSERVER&’S TOP 10 BOOKS FOR FALL It&’s no wonder that New York has always been a magnet city for writers. Manhattan is one of the most walkable cities in the world. But while many novelists, poets, and essayists have enjoyed long walks in New York, their experiences varied widely. Walking New York is a study of celebrated writers who walked the streets of New York and wrote about the city in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Though the writers were often irritated, disturbed, and occasionally shocked by what they saw on their walks, they were still fascinated by the city Cynthia Ozick called &“faithfully inconstant, magnetic, man-made, unnatural—the synthetic sublime.&” Returning to New York after an absence of two decades, Henry James loathed many things about &“bristling&” New York, while native New Yorker Walt Whitman both celebrated and criticized &“Mannahatta&” in his writings. This idiosyncratic guidebook combines literary scholarship with urban studies to reveal how this crowded, dirty, noisy, and sometimes ugly city gave these &“restless analysts&” plenty of fodder for their craft. In Walking New York, you&’ll see the city though the eyes of Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, William Dean Howells, Jacob Riis, Henry James, Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, James Weldon Johnson, Alfred Kazin, Elizabeth Hardwick, Colson Whitehead, and Teju Cole.
Rameau's Niece: A Novel
by Cathleen SchineA &“gem of a novel&” that sends up marriage, academia, and literary stardom, by the New York Times–bestselling author of They May Not Mean To, But They Do (Publishers Weekly). In this delightful novel from an author who &“has been favored in so many ways by the muse of comedy,&” we meet Margaret Nathan, the brilliant but forgetful author of an unlikely bestseller (The New York Review of Books). Happily married to a benevolently egotistical, slightly dull but sexy professor, Margaret seems blessed—until she finds herself seduced by an eighteenth-century novel she discovers in the library. Wrapped in its lascivious world, Margaret begins to imitate its protagonist, embarking on a hilarious jaunt around Manhattan in search of renewed passion. Will she find fulfillment through her escapades or settle for her husband? Part romantic comedy, part intellectual parody, Rameau&’s Niece is wise, affecting, and thoroughly entertaining.
The Dishonest Murderer (The Mr. and Mrs. North Mysteries #13)
by Frances Lockridge Richard LockridgeMr. and Mrs. North attempt to solve the case of a New Year&’s Eve murder Freddie Haven has just crossed the Brooklyn Bridge when she sees a man she believes to be her fiancé, Sen. Bruce Kirkhill, on the sidewalk, walking alone through one of Manhattan&’s vilest slums. It seems impossible that the shabby figure is actually Bruce, and Freddie tries to put the sight out of her mind. She prepares herself for her father&’s New Year&’s Eve party, and waits for her husband-to-be to arrive. But the senator never shows. Bruce is found dead in a doorway not far from the Bowery. What was he doing in the wrong part of town, and why was he dressed in a bum&’s shabby suit? Freddie begs for help from Mr. and Mrs. North, amateur sleuths who catch killers between sipping martinis. But is she ready to discover that the senator had a secret the shadows of the Bowery weren&’t dark enough to hide?The Dishonest Murderer is the 13th book in the Mr. and Mrs. North Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
White Fang: Literary Touchstone Classic (Tor Classics Ser. #Vol. 1)
by Jack LondonThis thrilling adventure story from the celebrated author of The Call of the Wild traces a wolf-dog&’s epic journey from savage beast to man&’s best friend Three men traverse the frozen landscape of the Yukon Territory on a sled—two stand upright, one lies dead in a coffin. Stalked by a pack of starving wolves, the travelers are out of ammunition and low on food. When night falls, the wolves will make their final assault. The men&’s time is running short, but White Fang&’s story is just beginning. Part wolf, part dog, White Fang is a hunter without a pack, at home neither in the camp nor in the wilderness. From the banks of the frozen Klondike river to the teeming streets of Gold Rush–era San Francisco, White Fang never stops fighting—first to survive, and then to find a home. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Gospel & the Zodiac: The Secret Truth About Jesus
by Bill Darlison&“Darlison elucidates the zodiac&’s significant place in the Gospels, most specifically in the Book of Mark . . . An intriguing leap into faith&” (Kirkus Reviews). For millennia the world has been driven by the differences between the great patriarchal religions. Western civilization—or Christendom, as it was once called—received its values and its confidence from a belief in God, the Father, and Jesus, his only son. But what if this conviction were founded on an error? Who is the man in the factually inconsistent Gospel stories? And who is the man who makes a brief appearance carrying a jar of water? This extraordinary study by a Unitarian minister suggests that Jesus never existed historically; he was simply a representation of an astrological theology—a representation, simply put, of the zodiac sign of Aquarius. In The Gospel & the Zodiac, Rev. Bill Darlison demonstrates that all the other signs are present too, in perfect zodiacal order. The Gospel story is not the product of historians or eyewitnesses, but an older, mystical text produced by an ancient, esoteric school as a guide to the Age of Pisces. Every bit as revelatory and controversial as it sounds, The Gospel & the Zodiac will shake up the religious status quo, and in doing so, provide both a new look at a religious icon and a deeper understanding of the faith that binds millions together. &“Darlison begins by looking at different scholarly approaches to the gospels, then outlines his astrological interpretation logically and lucidly, matching the zodiacal signs to the narrative of Mark.&” —Fortean Times
To Be the Best (Emma Harte Series #3)
by Barbara Taylor BradfordEmma Harte&’s legacy lives on in a &“lushly detailed&” novel following A Woman of Substance and Hold the Dream from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author (Rave Reviews). The heiress to Emma Harte&’s international retail empire, Paula McGill O&’Neill has grown to fill her legendary grandmother&’s shoes and become the woman she has always wanted to be. Coming into her own, she now keeps her grandmother&’s vision alive with firm, confident control. But unbeknownst to her, Paula faces threats from every side. Two families watch her carefully, each hoping for their own chance at the reins of power, and an old enemy lurks in the shadows, alert to any sign of weakness. When Paula&’s unscrupulous cousin Jonathan returns, even more determined than ever to wrest away everything Paula has fought for, she must marshal all her strength and fortitude to defend her fortune and her family. &“A compulsive read.&” —Daily Mail &“Will keep you up till all hours reading just one more chapter before you can bear to turn out the bedside light.&” —Prima &“A host of dramatic subplots continues the amorous, sorrowful and shady doings of the O&’Neills and the Kallinskis, two families whose fortunes are entwined with the Hartes.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Readers will happily re-acquaint themselves with the sprawling Harte clan . . . A more than satisfactory sequel to the previous segments of this generational tale, with an ending that promises still more to come.&” —Library Journal
Connectome: How the Brain's Wiring Makes Us Who We Are
by Sebastian Seung&“Accessible, witty . . . an important new researcher, philosopher and popularizer of brain science . . . on par with cosmology&’s Brian Greene and the late Carl Sagan&” (The Plain Dealer). One of the Wall Street Journal&’s 10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Year and a Publishers Weekly &“Top Ten in Science&” Title Every person is unique, but science has struggled to pinpoint where, precisely, that uniqueness resides. Our genome may determine our eye color and even aspects of our character. But our friendships, failures, and passions also shape who we are. The question is: How? Sebastian Seung is at the forefront of a revolution in neuroscience. He believes that our identity lies not in our genes, but in the connections between our brain cells—our particular wiring. Seung and a dedicated group of researchers are leading the effort to map these connections, neuron by neuron, synapse by synapse. It&’s a monumental effort, but if they succeed, they will uncover the basis of personality, identity, intelligence, memory, and perhaps disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Connectome is a mind-bending adventure story offering a daring scientific and technological vision for understanding what makes us who we are, as individuals and as a species. &“This is complicated stuff, and it is a testament to Dr. Seung&’s remarkable clarity of exposition that the reader is swept along with his enthusiasm, as he moves from the basics of neuroscience out to the farthest regions of the hypothetical, sketching out a spectacularly illustrated giant map of the universe of man.&” —TheNew York Times &“An elegant primer on what&’s known about how the brain is organized and how it grows, wires its neurons, perceives its environment, modifies or repairs itself, and stores information. Seung is a clear, lively writer who chooses vivid examples.&” —TheWashington Post
Selling to the Affluent: The Professional's Guide To Closing The Sales That Count
by Dr. Thomas J. StanleyFrom the New York Times–bestselling coauthor of The Millionaire Next Door: &“No one better illuminates the who, where, and how of the affluent market&” (J. Arthur Urciuoli, former chairman at Merrill Lynch). In the bestselling classic The Millionaire Next Door, Dr. Thomas J. Stanley showed his readers where to look for the wealthy. In Selling to the Affluent, he shows us how to persuade them. This book provides an insightful roadmap of the motivations and purchasing patterns of the affluent—and delivers a strategy for salespeople to leverage that information to the best advantage. This book outlines all phases of the sales process, from approaching wealthy prospects to pinpointing their wants and needs—frequently different from those of less affluent markets—and selling both tangible and intangible products. It profiles several key demographics within the wealthy subset—including business owners, men and women, and the retired. It&’s the most detailed and inclusive manual on the market for selling to the wealthy. &“Dr. Stanley&’s strategies consider the real needs of the high income professionals—needs that go beyond any product or service. These needs are psychological and revolve around the recognition of the individual&’s extraordinary level of achievements. He provides some terrific insights as to how to solicit and maintain business by unconventional, but highly effective means.&” —Carolyn J. Cole, chairman and founder of The Cole Group and The institute of Economics and Finance &“Selling to the Affluent is well written, relevant, and exciting; it presents an important complementary extension to Marketing to the Affluent.&” —William D. Danko, PhD, coauthor of The Millionaire Next Door
Everything and More: A Novel of Shopping and Terrorism
by Geoff Nicholson&“A darkly comic cornucopia set in a mythic London department store&” from the author of Hunters & Gatherers, &“a comic satirist of biting precision&” (Kirkus Reviews). &“Powered by a fast-moving plot, this latest exuberant fantasy concerns a department store, a female employee-turned-terrorist upon whom the reclusive proprietor exercises his droit de seigneur, and a porter who stumbles upon the hidden tunnels in which the building&’s architect entombed himself in the 1930s. Nicholson has a wonderful ear for the unintentionally funny clichés of modern speech and manners.&” —The Sunday Telegraph &“An off-beat tale with a sardonic edge, Nicholson&’s brightly lit black comedy takes place in Haden Brothers, a monstrous London department store that is a combination of Harrod&’s, Kafka&’s Castle and the Marx Brothers&’ The Big Store . . . An exhaustively entertaining farce.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) &“It is the black humor and the satire that win us over to Nicholson&’s novels. Haden&’s sexual romps, Chalmers&’ desire to recreate Vietnam in the store, the greed of both customers and management and poor little Charlie Mayhew who finally discovers his art form (but how pitiful it is)—no-one is safe from Nicholson&’s savagery. Read it and join Charlie, Anton, Arnold Haden and Edward Zander in a trip through the bowels of consumer society.&” —The Modern Novel &“Nicholson&’s minor characters—slimy personnel manager Derek Snell, paramilitary security chief Ray Chalmers, Anton Heath, the anarchist-wanna-be foreman of the work-averse porters, and Vita&’s kleptomaniac mother, who worked for the store herself years ago—are small Dickensian gems, and Nicolson&’s clockwork emporium provides a vivid setting for this very British yet universal comedy of modern manners and morals.&” —Booklist
The Shapeshifters: A Novel
by Stefan SpjutThis tale of missing children and mythic monsters is &“a fantastic novel in every sense of the word&” (Karl Ove Knausgård). Summer 1978. A young boy disappears without a trace from a summer cabin. His mother claims he was carried away by a giant. He is never found. Twenty-five years later, another child goes missing. This time there&’s a lead, a single photograph taken by Susso Myrén. She&’s devoted her life to the search for trolls, legendary giants known as stallo who can control human thoughts and assume animal form. Convinced that the fabled beasts are real, she follows the trail of missing children to northern Sweden. But humans, some part stallo themselves, have been watching over the creatures for generations, and this hidden society of protectors won&’t hesitate to close its deadly ranks. Mixing folklore and history, suspense and the supernatural, The Shapeshifters is an extraordinary journey into a frozen land where myth bleeds into reality. &“Spjut has accomplished the masterstroke of writing convincingly about the existence of trolls and other mythical creatures in the Nordic forests . . . all this unfolds in a language that captures the everyday reality we know so well, with such precision and exquisite style that the words seem to sparkle on the page.&” —Karl Ove Knausgård, author of My Struggle &“A fun, cunning crime thriller . . . If you enjoy the novels of Michael Koryta or Tana French&’s The Secret Place . . . you might eat up The Shapeshifters.&” —Chicago Tribune &“Spjut turns Scandinavian mythology upside down in a shades-of-gray world built for lovers of fantastical suspense.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Exhibitionist: Living Museums, Loving Museums
by Karl KatzThe renowned curator gives a personal tour of his journey from archeology to the Met, the Jewish Museum, and helping found the Israel Museum. In The Exhibitionist, museum director Karl Katz discusses his tireless, impassioned work spanning six decades and numerous countries. As a young man, Karl traveled to the newly-formed state of Israel to pursue archaeology, only to be thrust into the role of directing the Bezalel National Art Museum in Jerusalem. From that early trial by fire to his many leadership roles at the Museum of Tolerance, the International Center of Photography, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and elsewhere, Katz found innovative ways to make museums inviting, educational, living, and vibrant. A book for lovers of history and art criticism, as well as collectors, curators, administrators, and students, The Exhibitionist is filled with a wide range of discussions both cultural and personal. Katz discusses the exhibits, the discoveries, and the incredible people he worked with along the way, from his mentor Teddy Kollek, the mayor of Jerusalem and founder of the Israel Museum, to Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis and Broadway showman Billy Rose.
The Holocaust: The Human Tragedy
by Martin GilbertThe renowned historian weaves a definitive account of the Holocaust—from Hitler&’s rise to power to the final defeat of the Nazis in 1945. Rich with eyewitness accounts, incisive interviews, and first-hand source materials—including documentation from the Eichmann and Nuremberg war crime trials—this sweeping narrative begins with an in-depth historical analysis of the origins of anti-Semitism in Europe, and tracks the systematic brutality of Hitler&’s &“Final Solution&” in unflinching detail. It brings to light new source materials documenting Mengele&’s diabolical concentration camp experiments and documents the activities of Himmler, Eichmann, and other Nazi leaders. It also demonstrates comprehensive evidence of Jewish resistance and the heroic efforts of Gentiles to aid and shelter Jews and others targeted for extermination, even at the risk of their own lives. Combining survivor testimonies, deft historical analysis, and painstaking research, The Holocaust is without doubt a masterwork of World War II history. &“A fascinating work that overwhelms us with its truth . . . This book must be read and reread.&” —Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prizing–winning author of Night
Down for the Count: Dirty Elections and the Rotten History of Democracy in America
by Andrew GumbelThe updated edition of Steal This Vote—a rollicking history of US voter suppression and fraud from Jacksonian democracy to Citizens United and beyond. In Down for the Count, award-winning journalist Andrew Gumbel explores the tawdry history of elections in the United States. From Jim Crow to Tammany Hall to the Bush v. Gore Florida recount, it is a chronicle of votes bought, stolen, suppressed, lost, miscounted, thrown into rivers, and litigated up to the Supreme Court. Gumbel then uses this history to explain why America is now experiencing the biggest backslide in voting rights in more than a century. First published in 2005 as Steal This Vote, this thoroughly revised and updated edition reveals why America faces so much trouble running clean, transparent elections. And it demonstrates how the partisan battles now raging over voter IDs, campaign spending, and minority voting rights fit into a long, largely unspoken tradition of hostility to the very notion of representative democracy. Interviewing Democrats, Republicans, and a range of voting rights activists, Gumbel offers an engaging and accessible analysis of how our democratic integrity is so often corrupted by racism, money, and power. In an age of high-stakes electoral combat, billionaire-backed candidacies, and bottom-of-the-barrel campaigning, this book is more important than ever. &“In a riveting and frightening account, Gumbel . . . traces election fraud in America from the 18th century to the present . . . [the issues he] so winningly addresses are crucial to the future of democracy.&” —Publishers Weekly, on Steal This Vote
King Devil
by Charlotte MacLeodA historical mystery set in early twentieth-century New England from the acclaimed author of the Peter Shandy series. Upon graduating from an academy for respectable young ladies, Lavinia Tabard heads to the New England countryside and her rich cousin Zilpha&’s summer cottage with the low expectations of a charity case. Lavinia intends to endure Zilpha&’s saccharine sweetness and her &“companion&” Tetsy&’s bullying ways only until she can plan an escape that doesn&’t involve marriage. A welcome distraction comes when, as she works on a grave rubbing at the local cemetery, Lavinia notices something strange about the dates on the stone. Her questions lead to the doorsteps of several interesting neighbors, including a self-made young architect with a temper as fiery as his red hair. Hayward Clinton and his partner have an office on Zilpha&’s property, an awkward situation that won&’t change until the mysterious disappearance of the business&’s original owner is solved. It&’s a case too curious for Lavinia to resist—but someone will stop at nothing to ensure that she does. King Devil is an entertaining tale of suspense from the acclaimed author of the Peter Shandy Mysteries, as well as the Boston-set Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn series.
The African Svelte: Ingenious Misspellings That Make Surprising Sense
by Daniel Menaker&“For language lovers, this book, with all its verbal tangles and wit, is sure to, in its own words, &‘pass mustard&’&” (Poets & Writers). Inspired by Daniel Menaker&’s tenure at the New Yorker, this collection of comical, revelatory errors foraged from the wilds of everyday English comes with commentary by the author, illustrations by Roz Chast, and a foreword from Billy Collins. During his time at the renowned magazine, Menaker happened across a superb spelling mistake: &“The zebras were grazing on the African svelte.&” Fascinated by the idea of unintentionally meaningful spelling errors, he began to see that these gaffes—neither typos nor auto-corrects—are sometimes more interesting than their straight-laced counterparts. Through examples he has collected over the course of his decades-long career as an editor and writer, he brings us to a new understanding of language—how it&’s used, what it means, and what fun it can be. Illustrated by the inimitable Roz Chast, with a foreword by former poet laureate Billy Collins, The African Svelte offers thoughtful and intelligent exit Jesus. With both uniquely happy accidents and familiar fumbles like &“for all intensive purposes&” and &“doggy-dog world,&” readers delighted by language will find themselves turning the pages with baited breath to discover fresh howlers that have them laughing off their dairy airs.
The Eastern Shore: A Novel
by Ward JustA novel about journalism and one man&’s moral choices, &“evoking the rhythms of Ernest Hemingway&’s early fiction . . . A quietly affecting, mournful achievement&” (Richmond Times-Dispatch). Ned Ayres has never wanted anything but a newspaper career. His defining moment comes early, when Ned is city editor of his hometown paper. One of his beat reporters fields a tip: William Grant, the town haberdasher, married to the bank president&’s daughter and the father of two children, once served six years in Joliet. The story runs—Ned offers no resistance to his publisher&’s argument that the public has a right to know. The consequences, swift and shocking, haunt him throughout a long career—until eventually, as the editor of a major newspaper in post-Kennedy Washington, DC, Ned has reason to return to the question of privacy and its many violations.
A Man of His Word: The Complete Series (A Man of His Word #1)
by Dave DuncanA young couple battles forces determined to keep them apart in this high fantasy series by &“one of the leading masters of epic fantasy&” (Publishers Weekly). These four fantasy novels of love and adventure follow the exploits of childhood friends Inos and Rap as their feelings are tested by the direst of circumstances. But while abduction, magic, and imprisonment conspire to separate them, the two remain steadfast in their determination to be together. Magic Casement: Inos enjoys an idyllic childhood with her friend Rap, but friendship between a princess and a stable boy can never be simple. Soon, they are thrust into adulthood and a magical world full of infinite surprises. Faery Lands Forlorn: When Inos is abducted through the magic casement and Rap tries to follow her, they arrive in two very strange new lands. With Rap in Faerie and Inos in Zark, they are at opposite ends of the world, but that doesn&’t stop the young stable boy from heading to Zark to rescue his princess. And Inos is equally determined to head home to Krasnegar to claim her kingdom. Perilous Seas: Hunted by the fearsome warlock wardens who rule the world, Inos is convinced that Rap has died. Little does she know, he is alive and, with the aid of his magic wand, trying to bring happiness to his beloved queen. But when the evil Nordland raider, Kalkor, arrives in port, Rap&’s plans begin to fall apart. Emperor and Clown: With Inos married to the wrong man and Rap dying in a dungeon, their cause seems hopeless. Only Aunt Kade refuses to admit defeat. Taking events into her own hands, she knows exactly the five men she can coerce into helping her . . .