Biographies & Memoirs

John Osborne, unapologetic rebel and original Angry Young Man, first won acclaim with the 1956 production of his play Look Back in Anger, which completely transformed postwar theater and established him as one of Britain’s greatest playwrights. This startling biography—the first informed by the secret notebooks in which he recorded his otherwise hidden anguish and immobilizing depression—reveals Osborne in all his heartrending complexity.Osborne was born in rented rooms in South London, in 1929, to a tubercular father and a barmaid mother. An ailing child, he learned to box and was later expelled from school for hitting his headmaster. At fifteen, he began as a lowly journalist for Gas World but soon fled to join a repertory theater company. The craft he learned—as an actor and dramatist—would change his life, creating the means of both self-expression and self-concealment. Through five marriages—to actresses Pamela Lane, Mary Ure and Jill Bennett, and critics Penelope Gilliatt and Helen Dawson—his private life generated its own tumult and drama, farce and pathos. An impossible father, he denounced his teenage daughter as smug and suburban, threw her out of the house and never spoke to her again. When he died, on Christmas Eve, 1994, his last written words were “I have sinned.”This impeccably researched biography includes personal interviews with Osborne’s estranged daughter, scores of friends and enemies, and a bombshell of a confession from his alleged male lover. Heilpern, a theater critic himself, presents a contradictory genius—a hopelessly romantic English melancholic, a defiant individualist neither of the right nor of the left, an ogre with charm, a radical who hated change, a patriot who defended national values of language, music and custom. This is an essential, unorthodox, moving and extraordinarily frank portrait of the artist, the man and his times.

Dolly Parton's autobiography is a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration. Her straightforward and humorous writing style allows readers to delve into her life philosophy - the down-home way of living that brought her tremendous success. Readers will find solace in her journey and be motivated to embrace their unique self.

When Kelly Cogswell plunged into New York’s East Village in 1992, she had just come out. An ex–Southern Baptist born in Kentucky, she was camping in an Avenue B loft, scribbling poems, and playing in an underground band, trying to figure out her next move. A couple of months later she was consumed by the Lesbian Avengers, instigating direct action campaigns, battling cops on Fifth Avenue, mobilizing 20,000 dykes for a march on Washington, D.C., and eating fire—literally—in front of the White House. At once streetwise and wistful, Eating Fire is a witty and urgent coming-of-age memoir spanning two decades, from the Culture War of the early 1990s to the War on Terror. Cogswell’s story is an engaging blend of picaresque adventure, how-to activist handbook, and rigorous inquiry into questions of identity, resistance, and citizenship. It is also a compelling, personal recollection of friendships and fallings-out and of finding true love—several times over. After the Lesbian Avengers imploded, Cogswell describes how she became a pioneering citizen journalist, cofounding the Gully online magazine with the groundbreaking goal of offering “queer views on everything.”The first in-depth account of the influential Lesbian Avengers, Eating Fire reveals the group’s relationship to the queer art and activist scene in early ’90s New York and establishes the media-savvy Avengers as an important precursor to groups such as Occupy Wall Street and La Barbe, in France. A rare insider’s look at the process and perils of street activism, Kelly Cogswell’s memoir is an uncompromising and ultimately empowering story of creative resistance against hatred and injustice.

Mayada: Daughter of Iraq is a powerful memoir that details the life of a privileged Iraqi woman who finds herself in a notorious prison, falsely accused of printing anti-government propaganda. The book offers a unique perspective on the terror and horror brought by Saddam Hussein's regime upon the lives and souls of ordinary citizens. This book would be a great read for those interested in memoirs, stories of survival, and the power of sisterhood in the face of adversity.

"Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale: The Final Chapter is an insightful and candid look behind the scenes of one of the longest running and most beloved science fiction shows. It provides a unique perspective into the creative process of writing for television and is a must-read for any Doctor Who fan. The book's most distinctive feature is the intimate and personal correspondence between Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook, which allows readers to see the inner workings of the show and the writers' thoughts and motivations. Overall, this book offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Doctor Who and is highly recommended."

Mike Grogan is an International Speaker and Leadership Coach who believes in the Genius of the Filipino. In this book, Mike shares the 7 POWERFUL LESSONS of SUCCESS that he learned from interviewing 21 WORLD-CLASS FILIPINOS.ANNA MELOTO WILK (President - Human Nature), NOEY LOPEZ (CEO - Starbucks Philippines), FRANCIS KONG (Best-Selling Author), ANTON DIAZ (Founder - Our Awesome Planet), JOSH MAHINAY (Founder - Bag 943) MARK RUIZ (Founder - Hapinoy), BORIS JOAQUIN (CEO - Salt and Light), GINGER ARBOLEDA (Founder - Manila Workshops), ISSA CUEVAS (Director - Gawad Kalinga), LLOYD LUNA (Motivational Speaker), REY BUFI (Founder - The Storytelling Project), BENJIE ABAD (Founder - Karinderia ni Mang Urot) DAVID BONIFACIO (Executive - CBTL Holdings), KRIE REYES LOPEZ (Founder - Messy Bessy), REBECCA BUSTAMANTE (President - Asia CEO Forum), VINCE GOLANGCO (Founder - When in Manila), MARV DE LEON (Founder - Freelance Blend), STEVE BENITEZ (CEO - Bo’s Coffee), POCHOLO GONZALES (CEO – Creative Voices), MARIANNE MENCIAS (Best-Selling Author), TONY MELOTO (Founder - Gawad Kalinga) This book will give you the inspiration, motivation and activation you need to create significant positive change in your life. This is what you have been waiting for. Kick-start your success journey today. Let this book show you way.

Bloomberg by Bloomberg by Michael R. Bloomberg provides a fascinating insight into the world of media and entrepreneurship. It offers valuable advice on how to start and run a successful company, all while telling the story of one man's journey to the top of his industry. This book is great for anyone interested in business, leadership, or simply seeking inspiration from a pioneering figure in the Information Age.

Eight children in three years? Impossible! Kate and Jon Gosselin have learned that, through God, all things are possible―though sometimes slightly improbable. Just three years after giving birth to twin daughters, Kate and Jon learned they were pregnant again―with sextuplets. In Multiple Blessings, Kate candidly chronicles the emotional and exhausting challenges she and Jon faced from the time the babies were conceived through the first two years of their lives. This amazing story of faith provides a heartening lesson in what it means to trust the faithful hand of God to provide the strength and courage to make it through life’s seemingly impossible situations.

“I was fifteen in 1942, and I was five foot three, which is the tallest I ever was. I had jet black hair and a smile as big as day.”Readers and moviegoers have read and seen many growing-up-in-the-big- city-then-being-drafted-into-World-War-II tales, both real and fictional, but none with the visual pizazz and feisty humor of Lucky in Love.Co-created by George L. Chieffet (script) and veteran cartoonist and animator Stephen DeStefano (plot and art), Lucky in Love is almost the flipside to dramatic works on the same theme such as Alan’s War and You’ll Never Know. Elegantly drawn in a supremely confident, lively, cartoony black-and-white style that recalls Milt Gross as well as classic Disney animation and comics, Lucky in Love is a unique coming-of-age story that follows its lovable eponymous hero Lucky Testatuda from his rascally teen years in Hoboken, New Jersey’s Little Italy to his induction into the air force and subsequent wartime experiences.Lucky in Love shows what happens when a feisty young man merges his erotic fantasies with 1940s film myths: Moving from the ’40s to present day (from which an aged, present-day Lucky looks back on his life), the book contrasts Lucky’s vivid fantasy life with the darker reality of World War II (including a masterful set-piece sequence that echoes Harvey Kurtzman’s classic EC war comics) as well as his first fumbling, cash-on-the-barrelhead sexual experiences. ultimately the poignant discoveries Lucky makes on his way to adulthood bestow upon him a very different kind of heroism than that of which he had dreamed...The second and concluding volume, Lucky in Love: Lucky for Life will be released in 2013.

The eminent physician-essayist combines an account of his life as a physician, researcher, and administrator with meditations on the practice and promise of medicine

Hail, Claudio! could be a great read for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes workings of football or sports management. The book provides a detailed account of Claudio Ranieri's rise to success and his perspective on the game, making it a fascinating read for sports fans and aspiring managers alike. The book's unique feature is its focus on Ranieri's ability to learn from his mistakes, making it a compelling story of perseverance and determination.

The book provides deep insight into the lives of 100 influential people of the 20th century, including some that were unexpectedly impactful. The inclusion of the obituaries provides a unique perspective on the legacy of each individual, while the pictures from The Times archive add to the overall experience. A great read for those interested in history or those seeking to learn about the lives of significant figures.

This book is a great read for anyone looking to serve the Lord through media. It offers a practical and inspiring guide to help readers understand God's call into the media world and how they can make a difference in the lives of others. The author draws on his own experiences and offers valuable insights and tips to help readers succeed in their media ministry.

A profound and gorgeously wrought short memoir by acclaimed Nigerian-born author and poet Chris Abani that explores his personal history and complex sense of identity through a meditation on the face.In The Face: Cartography of the Void, acclaimed poet, novelist, and screenwriter Chris Abani has given us a brief memoir that is, in the best tradition of the genre, also an exploration of the very nature of identity. Abani meditates on his own face, beginning with his early childhood that was immersed in the Igbo culture of West Africa. The Face is a lush work of art that teems with original and profound insights into the role of race, culture, and language in fashioning our sense of self. Abani’s writing is poetic, filled with stories, jokes, and reflections that draw readers into his fold; he invites them to explore their own “faces” and the experiences that have shaped them.As Abani so lovingly puts it, this extended essay contemplates “all the people who have touched my face, slapped it, punched it, kissed it, washed it, shaved it. All of that human contact must leave some trace, some of the need and anger that motivated that touch. This face is softened by it all. Made supple by all the wonder it has beheld, all the kindness, all the generosity of life. The Face is a gift to be read, re-read, shared, and treasured, from an author at the height of his artistic powers. Abani directs his gaze both inward and out toward the world around him, creating a self-portrait in which readers will also see their own faces reflected.

In a practical guide to overcoming a debilitating personal history, the author uses his own powerful story to explain how people can move beyond personal suffering and painful memories to regain control of their lives. 225,000 first printing.

In a unique and inspirational book, the head coach of the Chicago Bulls writes about how he motivates and creates unity on the team, using the principles of Zen Buddhism. At the heart of his work is Jackson's philosophy of mindful basketball--and his lifelong quest to bring enlightenment to the competitive world of professional sports.

This book could be a good read for individuals seeking a powerful and inspiring true story of redemption and faith. "Chasing The Dragon" uniquely captures the journey of Jackie Pullinger as she tackles the darkness and despair of Hong Kong's drug dens, ultimately bringing hope and transformation to hundreds of individuals. Readers will be captivated by the author's unwavering belief in the power of faith and her ability to make a difference in the lives of the most marginalized individuals.

Desmond Kon's most confessional writing, relating the story of his death, and his transformed life after his return. In 2007, Desmond Kon died, and came back to life. This is better understood as a near-death experience (NDE). Fresh from studying world religions at Harvard, Desmond’s NDE shared remarkable consistency with other documented NDE accounts, such as encountering otherworldly beings, altered time-space realms, and the classic tunnel of light. Post-NDE symptoms included paranormal sightings. How did Desmond make meaning of his NDE given his academic background in world religions? He even took a class on angelology — how then did he perceive the angelic beings he encountered? Framed as a quasi-memoir, The Good Day I Died is constructed as a self-administered interview, allowing the account its moments of deep intimation. Moving beyond the current literature’s attempts at legitimizing the NDE, The Good Day I Died weaves in excerpts of Desmond’s literary oeuvre, which help shed light on the indelible impact of his NDE. This book represents Desmond’s most confessional writing yet, relating the story of his death, and his transformed life after his return.

Where are all the birds? Why am I in this world? Where are my spectacles?Discover the life of Dr Goh Keng Swee in this fun and unique narrative of successive questions. How did this quiet, shy and curious boy become the man who would spearhead mammoth national projects and impact the lives of all Singaporeans?

For the first time, teen innovator and scientist Jack Andraka tells the story behind his revolutionary discovery. When a dear family friend passed away from pancreatic cancer, Jack was inspired to create a better method of early detection. At the age of fifteen, he garnered international attention for his a four-cent strip of paper capable of detecting pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancers four hundred times more effectively than the previous standard.Jack's story is not just a story of dizzying international success; it is a story of overcoming bullying and depression and finding the resilience to persevere. His account inspires young people, who he argues are the most innovative, to fight for the right to be taken seriously and to pursue their own dreams. Do-it-yourself science experiments are included in each chapter, making Breakthrough perfect for STEM curriculum. But above all, Jack's memoir empowers his generation with the knowledge that we can each change the world if we only have the courage to try.

Kristin van Ogtrop knows she's lucky-fulfilling career, great husband, three healthy kids, and, depending on the hamster count, an impressive roster of pets. You could also say she's half-insane, but name one working mom who isn't. Using stories and insights from her own life, van Ogtrop offers a lexicon for working moms everywhere. Terms and concepts illustrate the highs (kids who know where their soccer cleats are, coworkers who don't hit "Reply All," dogs who helpfully eat whatever falls from the table) and the lows (getting out of the house in the morning, getting along with everyone at the office, getting willful kids into bed) of balancing work and family. Filled with amusing and resonant observations, JUST LET ME LIE DOWN establishes van Ogtrop as the Erma Bombeck of the new millennium.

Recommended for those interested in first-hand accounts of the Vietnam War. This book captures the brutal realities of war and provides insight into the emotional toll it can take on soldiers. The author's candid narrative style allows readers to experience the chaos of combat and the struggles of returning home.

Boy - Tales of Childhood is an enchanting book that will captivate readers of all ages. Dahl's vivid descriptions of his experiences growing up will transport you back to a time when life was simpler. The book is a wonderful blend of humor, adventure, and emotion that will keep you hooked until the very end. It is a must-read for anyone who loves great storytelling and wants to experience the magic of childhood all over again.

This book could be a good read for women who want to achieve work-life balance while still excelling in their careers. Mireille Guiliano's unique perspective as a former senior executive and French woman provides practical advice for navigating the business world while also maintaining pleasure and feeling good. The book combines relatable stories and helpful hints to inspire readers to take charge of their professional and personal lives.

Out of the Ordinary is Jon Ronson at his inimitable hilarious, thought-provoking and with an unerring eye for human frailty not least his own.Jon Ronson s subjects have included people who believe that goats can be killed by the power of a really hard stare, and people who believe that the world is ruled by twelve-foot lizard-men. In Out of the Ordinary , a collection of his journalism from the Guardian , he turns his attention to irrational beliefs much closer to home, investigating the ways in which we sometimes manage to convince ourselves that all manner of lunacy makes perfect sense mainstream, domestic, ordinary insanity.Whether he finds himself promising his son that he will be at his side for ever, dressed in a Santa costume, or trying to understand why hundreds of apparently normal people would suddenly start speaking in tongues in a Scout hut in Kidderminster, he demonstrates repeatedly how we all succumb to deeply irrational beliefs that grow to inform our everyday existence.

Author Richard La Plante had always wanted to ride cross-country to Sturgis, South Dakota-to the famous motorcycle rally that has become the mecca for the American biker. But at the age of 53, still bruised from a divorce, newly remarried, and a father for the first time, he thought the trip would remain an armchair fantasy.Then came the summer of 1999. Pressured by work, another baby on the way, and being temporarily homeless, he made a Escape-out of the armchair and into the saddle.On a borrowed Big Dog motorcycle, he set off for the Black Hills of Dakota. Moments of crazed introspection mixed with the sheer euphoria of the ride all add up to the metaphor of a life's journey.Told in La Plante's humorous and self-deprecating style, Detours is a wild ride, all the way home.

Waris Dirie (the name means desert flower) lives a double life - by day she is a famous model and UN spokeswoman on women's rights in Africa, at night she dreams of her native Somalia. Waris, one of 12 children, was born into a traditional family of desert nomads in East Africa. She remembers her early childhood as carefree- racing camels and moving on with her family to the next grazing spot - until it came her turn to meet the old woman who administered the ancient custom imposed on most Somalian circumcision. Waris suffered this torture when she was just five years old. Then, aged 12, when her father attempted to arrange a marriage with a 60 year old stranger in exchange for five camels - she took flight. After an extraordinary escape through the dangerous desert she made her way to London and worked as a maid for the Somalian ambassador until that family returned home. Penniless and speaking little English, she became a janitor in McDonalds where she was famously discovered by a fashion photographer. Her story is a truly inspirational and extraordinary self-portrait of a remarkable woman whose spirit is as breathtaking as her beauty.

No one understands the complexities of modern life better than Eugene Mirman--claims Eugene Mirman—and anyone seeking guidance from a man who has lived through everything (except the Great Depression, the Spanish-American War, and Jerry Lee Lewis's sex scandal) won't resist this charmingly hysterical guidebook.Become ultra-popular in high school (without "putting out" -- whatever that is) Discover somewhere between four and two thousand ways to overcome social anxiety (closer to four) Start a band, become an artist, or disappoint your parents by getting on a reality television show!

Recommended for those interested in espionage and politics. It provides an insider's perspective into the workings of the CIA and its role in contemporary political affairs.

This book is recommended for those who seek inspiration from real-life stories of triumph against all odds. It explores the life of Helen Keller, a charismatic and high-strung woman who had to overcome the challenges of being blind and deaf. The book highlights her love affair, successful education at Radcliffe College, and her passion for advocating for the disabled. The author explores Keller's relationship with Annie Sullivan, her teacher, and how it influenced her life. The book presents Keller in a unique light that neither condemns her as a fraud nor venerates her as a saint. Readers will be inspired by Keller's story of perseverance and determination to chart her own path in life.

In 1964, NBC clerk Michael Eisner made $65 a week. Though he only took one business course in his life--accounting--he did have a head for as CEO of Disney, he earned over half a billion bucks in 1997. Though he had no foundation in finance, he averted the bloody dismemberment of Disney by takeover sharks when he took over in 1984, and by May 1998 he earned over $80 billion for Disney stockholders. Not bad for a guy who, on his first day in Walt's old office, met a manager of the film division BVD (Buena Vista Distribution) and innocently asked whether "Disney made underwear."In his memoir, Eisner doesn't air quite as much dirty laundry as we could hope he'd be dopey enough to do. Still, it is revealing, and since it's unheard-of for Hollywood potentates to spill any beans at all, this book is required reading for anyone interested in America's major export, popular culture.We learn a fair bit of personal the crucial impact of Eisner's sternly withholding father, who drove Michael to succeed and made him less than effusive himself in praising underlings; his favorite book in youth (The Catcher in the Rye); his encounters with more madcap Hollywood types; his brush with death from heart disease; the day he got the idea for Beverly Hills Cop by getting physically roughed up by a Beverly Hills cop; his plan to add the naughtier cartoon character Mortimer Mouse to Mickey's family.Eisner gives us his negotiating secret (be willing to walk), his view of prerelease audience testing of shows ("it's almost worthless"),his management strategy (incite raucous debate within strict institutional checks and balances, then make gut decisions), the key to success in movies and TV (strong two-man Lew Wasserman and Sid Sheinberg at Universal, Bob Daly and Terry Semel at Warner Bros., and preeminently Eisner and Frank Wells at Disney). Eisner gives a provocative analysis ofwhy Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Ovitz proved disastrous partners for him at Disney, and even confesses to a few screwups of his own (losing his temper and helping to blow the Disney America historical park development). --Tim Appelo

More About DaveA Man Named Dave is the conclusion to a trio of autobiographical books by Dave Pelzer, who to millions of readers of A Child Called "It" and The Lost Boy has become an inspirational figure. A Child Called "It" is the gripping and harrowing account of Pelzer's abuse at the hands of his mother, beginning when he was four years old and continuing until teachers and neighbors were finally able to intervene and he was placed in foster care at age 12. The Lost Boy picks up where A Child Called "It" leaves off and details Pelzer's experiences in foster care and his difficulty navigating the "normal" world with the dark shadows of his abuse and of his mother's actual presence in his life looming over him.In this installment, Pelzer narrates his life from his enlistment in the Air Force at age 18 to the present day. While all three books show the consequences of profound cruelty with a frank immediacy and gut-wrenching, carefully chosen detail, they are -- as the subtitle of this final installment of the trilogy suggests -- ardently inspirational works. Pelzer's thematic focus is forgiveness and the ability of the human spirit to triumph over adversity. Pelzer demonstrates that it is possible to channel feelings and experiences of trauma into positive energy.Pelzer includes just enough flashback and summary material that the reader new to his work has a complete grasp of the scope of his mother's abuse and his experiences in foster care. And those fans who have read his previous work will find A Man Named Dave to be an essential, capping complement to A Child Called "It" and The Lost Boy.A Man Named Dave describes Pelzer's more recent experiences and affords readers access to a more mature, gradually ripening adult perspective during Pelzer's agonizing struggle to confront the demons of his past and conquer them. To read all three works in sequence is, therefore, to experience a voyage from darkness with only a glimmer of hope to full illumination.Throughout A Man Named Dave, Pelzer carries with him a touchstone memory from his childhood, on which he ruminates and to which he returns in his most acute moments of distress. The memory is from his very early childhood, when he and his father had a tender talk alone during a family outing to the Russian River. This is an immensely precious memory for Pelzer, who has an abiding love for the father who mostly stood by or was absent during the long period of his mother's abuse. This treasured fragment from the past serves as a driving force in Pelzer's adult life -- he dreams of building a house on the Russian River and ultimately, living there with his father.Sadly, this is not to be. Pelzer joins the Air Force with the intention of becoming a firefighter, which, for a time, was his father's occupation as well, and while there, he writes letter after letter to his father, who responds only once, in a mostly illegible, scrawling letter that includes no return address. Pelzer fears that his father is lost to alcoholism and vagrant wandering. When Pelzer is finally alerted to the fact that his father is near death, he rushes to be with him. Pelzer's dying father is barely able to communicate, but in spending his final days by his father's side, Pelzer is able to begin to confront his childhood and to form a positive, productive link to his traumatic past. One of his father's final actions is to pass his cherished fire department badge on to his son.The death of Pelzer's father means that he must also confront his mother, who, though she would have little to do with her husband during his decline and death, makes her son feel ostracized and uncomfortable at the funeral. The full-grown Pelzer, an outwardly successful man in an Air Force uniform, must struggle to avoid becoming a craven boy in her presence once again. The narrative is punctuated with such excruciating encounters between Pelzer and his mother. Despite the fact that his mother no longer has any physical or legal power over him, Pelzer is still dominated by her presence. The scenes provide a telling portrayal of the consequences of childhood trauma and illustrate the almost epic immensity of Pelzer's ultimately successful struggle to overcome the legacy of his mother's abuse. Essential to this struggle is that Pelzer realizes despite the welling of powerful emotions inside of him, he must do all he can to not hate his mother or wreak vengeance on her in any form. If he is to "break the cycle" of abuse, he must confront his childhood and its effects on his adult life. It is this triumphal will -- to come to grips with his past and somehow transmute its effects on his character into a positive view of himself and the world he inhabits -- that forces Pelzer to seek out and speak with his mother despite his instinct to run from this past and hide it from others. In his depiction of himself as a young boy, Pelzer showed how he used indomitable spirit to triumph over tyranny. In A Man Named Dave, he will inspire most readers as he makes his voyage to adulthood and a fulfilling life -- all the while struggling with the legacy of his abuse. Part of this legacy is a difficulty with intimacy and attachment. Pelzer hides much of his past from his first wife, Patsy, and is unable to tell her he loves her. His self-doubt contributes to the tumult of their relationship, essentially a mismatch cemented by the discovery that Patsy is pregnant.Ultimately, the birth of his son, Stephen, is the final key to Pelzer's reconciliation with his past. Stephen is a constant reminder to Pelzer of the preciousness of life and the imperative of breaking the chain of abuse so that Stephen will grow up knowing abundant love. In order to provide this love to Stephen, Pelzer must learn to love himself as well.In a touching moment near the book's end, Pelzer walks with his son to the very spot where, as a child, he remembers walking with his own father many years ago and sharing in the natural splendor. The cycle of abuse has been broken, and Pelzer shares his quiet triumph not only with his son but also with his readers.—David S. Rosen

This is a harrowing but ultimately uplifting account of overcoming adversity. Martha Long writes honestly and with great courage about her difficult upbringing and the many challenges she faced growing up in poverty and neglect. Despite the darkness of the subject matter, the book is ultimately a testament to the indomitability of the human spirit. Readers who want to gain insight into the lives of those who have struggled against overwhelming odds will find this a compelling and unforgettable read.

"The book is absolutely excellent . . . a unique fascinating account of the work of one of our leading anthropologists." ―Colin M. Turnbull "Her book is all about people. . . . The publishers say of it that 'field work in its personal and objective dimension is placed under a kind of microscope. The book is a must for all field workers in the social sciences.' That claim does not seem to me excessive." ―Edmund Leach, New York Review of Books"There are few books which are as informative of what it means to be a field-worker in social science as Hortense Powdermaker's Stranger and Friend . This book should be must reading both for scholars and students." ―Seymour M. Lipset, Harvard University" Stranger and Friend is a passionate plea for anthropology as a human discipline as well as a science, as an all-engrossing life experience as well as a profession, and increasingly as a subject in the curriculum of graduate and undergraduate studies." ―Margaret Mead, American Museum of Natural History"This is just the kind of book needed in anthropology today. It tells objectively, but in warm and human terms, how important research was done. It contributes to methodology and to the history of the science of anthropology." ―Charles Wagley, Columbia University"This is an essential book for anyone interested in the problems of an anthropologist at work." ―Cornelius Osgood, Peabody Museum of Natural History

Over the course of twenty-five years, Dr. Helen Morrison has profiled more than eighty serial killers around the world. What she learned about them will shatter every assumption you've ever had about the most notorious criminals known to man.Judging by appearances, Dr. Helen Morrison has an ordinary life in the suburbs of a major city. She has a physician husband, two children, and a thriving psychiatric clinic. But her life is much more than that. She is one of the country's leading experts on serial killers, and has spent as many as four hundred hours alone in a room with depraved murderers, digging deep into killers' psyches in ways no profiler before ever has. In My Life Among the Serial Killers , Dr. Morrison relates how she profiled the Mad Biter, Richard Otto Macek, who chewed on his victims' body parts, stalked Dr. Morrison, then believed she was his wife. She did the last interview with Ed Gein, who was the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho . John Wayne Gacy, the clown-obsessed killer of young men, sent her crazed Christmas cards and gave her his paintings as presents. Then there was Atlanta child killer Wayne Williams; rapist turned murderer Bobby Joe Long; England's Fred and Rosemary West, who killed girls and women in their "House of Horrors"; and Brazil's deadliest killer of children, Marcelo Costa de Andrade. Dr. Morrison has received hundreds of letters from killers, read their diaries and journals, evaluated crime scenes, testified at their trials, and studied photos of the gruesome carnage. She has interviewed the families of the victims -- and the spouses and parents of the killers -- to gain a deeper understanding of the killer's environment and the public persona he adopts. She has also studied serial killers throughout history and shows how this is not a recent phenomenon with psychological autopsies of the fifteenth-century French war hero Gilles de Rais, the sixteenth-century Hungarian Countess Bathory, H. H. Holmes of the late ninteenth century, and Albert Fish of the Roaring Twenties. Through it all, Dr. Morrison has been on a mission to discover the reasons why serial killers are compelled to murder, how they choose their victims, and what we can do to prevent their crimes in the future. Her provocative conclusions will stun you.

Named a Best Book of the Year by Vogue , Los Angeles Times , and The New RepublicNew York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A FRANK, INTELLIGENT, AND DEEPLY MOVING DEBUT MEMOIR The precocious only child of a doctor and a classical musician, Marco Roth was able to share his parents' New York. Theirs was a world that revolved around house concerts, a private library of literary classics, and discussions of the latest advances in medicine―and one that ended when Marco's father started to suffer the worst effects of the AIDS virus that had infected him in the early 1980s. What this family could not talk about for years came to dominate the lives of its surviving members, with surprising and often devastating effects. Written in the tradition of Edmund Gosse, Henry Adams, and J. R. Ackerley, The Scientists is a book that grapples with a troubled intellectual and emotional inheritance―the ways in which we learn from our parents, and then learn to see them separately from ourselves.

This book would be a great read for anyone in the field of education looking to enhance their teaching practice. Through personal anecdotes from other teachers, the book offers insight on how to reflect on one's own practice, articulate values and beliefs, and better understand decision-making processes. It's perfect for teachers who want to grow and improve their teaching skills.

Recommended for those interested in military memoirs and the highly trained world of special forces. This book delivers an up-to-date, comprehensive narrative of SEAL Team 6 and their rigorous training and operations around the world. Don Mann's personal account of his time in the SEALS and his missions with the elite warriors of SEAL Team 6 brings to life the secretive and highly skilled world of America's most elite fighting force.

Recommended for business enthusiasts seeking inspiration. The author shares his journey from a head of Pepsi-Cola to leading Apple Computers and the marketing techniques he used. The book emphasizes on the importance of leadership and innovation in business.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of the complex and influential mother-daughter relationship. The author's use of real-life stories from women of diverse backgrounds makes it relatable and enlightening. The book's emphasis on forgiveness, acceptance, and valuing your mother's role in your life can help readers come to terms with their own relationships.

"The Museum of Broken Relationships" could be a rich and unexpected journey through the remnants of past loves for you, giving a unique perspective on what remains after a relationship ends. Imagine touching a piece of someone's heartbreak and finding common ground in the universal experience of love and loss. This book could be a conversation starter on your coffee table or a comforting companion on your own journey of healing and reflection.

Isabella Dusi, a native Australian, settled in Montalcino, a beautiful mountain eyrie famous for its wine and the proud nature of its inhabitants. Her acceptance into this close-knit community was a hard-won thing and has inspired Isabella to capture the true spirit of Montalcino.  Vanilla Beans & Brodo  tells of the violent history of this medieval village, which has lefts its mark on the character traits of the Montalcinese, and also offers a rare insight into the anxiety, joy, fun, and pressure of daily life as it unfolds with the seasons. An evocative story of the rivalry between village neighborhoods, of football fever and festival pageantry, Isabella Dusi destroys the myth that Tuscan villages are tranquil places, and instead reveals a life infinitely rich and full of dramas.

Recommendation: "The Story Cure" is a must-read for anyone who feels stuck and unproductive in their writing process. Professor Dinty W. Moore offers helpful cures for common writing ailments, such as flat plot and silent voice, backed up with his years of teaching experience. What sets this book apart is Moore's witty and humorous take on the writing life, making it an enjoyable read even for those not currently struggling with writer's block.

The most remarkable thing that happened to the world economy after 9/11 was ...nothing. What would have once meant a crippling shock to the system was absorbed astonishingly quickly, partly due to the efforts of the then Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan. The post 9/11 global economy is a new and turbulent system - vastly more flexible, resilient, open, self-directing, and fast-changing than it was even twenty years ago. "The Age of Turbulence" is an incomparable reckoning with the nature of this new world - how we got here, what we're living through, and what lies over the horizon, for good or ill, channelled through Greenspan's own experiences working in the command room of the global economy for longer and with greater effect than any other single living figure.

When Pico Iyer decided to go to Kyoto and live in a monastery, he did so to learn about Zen Buddhism from the inside, to get to know Kyoto, one of the loveliest old cities in the world, and to find out something about Japanese culture today -- not the world of businessmen and production lines, but the traditional world of changing seasons and the silence of temples, of the images woven through literature, of the lunar Japan that still lives on behind the rising sun of geopolitical power.All this he did. And then he met Sachiko.Vivacious, attractive, thoroughly educated, speaking English enthusiastically if eccentrically, the wife of a Japanese "salaryman" who seldom left the office before 10 P.M., Sachiko was as conversant with tea ceremony and classical Japanese literature as with rock music, Goethe, and Vivaldi. With the lightness of touch that made Video Night in Kathmandu so captivating, Pico Iyer fashions from their relationship a marvelously ironic yet heartfelt book that is at once a portrait of cross-cultural infatuation -- and misunderstanding -- and a delightfully fresh way of seeing both the old Japan and the very new.

"Reminiscences of a Stock Operator is a must-read classic for both seasoned investors and novices. With an engaging storytelling style, the book provides valuable insights into crowd psychology and market timing. Readers will also learn important lessons on the importance of discipline, patience, and risk management in investing. This timeless tale is a must-read for anyone looking to enrich both their life and their portfolio."