2342 results for "Memoir"

Long Way Home

Cameron Douglas
From the scion of Hollywood royalty--son of Michael Douglas, grandson of Kirk Douglas--a moving, often shocking, ultimately inspiring memoir detailing his struggle to regain his dignity, humanity, and place in society after many years of drug abuse and almost eight years in prison. Cameron Douglas is born into wealth, privilege, and comfort. His parents are glamorous jet-setters, his father a superstar, his mother a beautiful socialite, his grandfather a legend. On the surface, his life seems golden. But by the age of thirty, he has taken a hellish dive: he's become a drug addict, a thief, and--after a DEA drug bust--a convicted drug dealer sentenced to five years in prison, with another five years added to his sentence while incarcerated. Eventually he will spend two years in solitary, where he manages, nonetheless, to hold fast to the brutal ethos of prison survival . . . until: he begins to reverse his savage transformation, to understand the psychological turmoil that has tormented him for years, and to prepare for what will be a profoundly challenging, but eventually deeply satisfying and successful, reentry into society at large. Sparing no one in his sphere--least of all himself--Cameron Douglas gives us a raw and unstintingly honest recounting of his harrowing, remarkable, and, in the end, inspiring life story.
Diversified Publishing 2019-10-22 592 pages

A view from a broad

Midler, Bette
Bette Midler, also known as Divine Miss M—the indomitable and incomparable singer, actor, and musical theater extraordinaire, with a career spanning almost half a century—revisits her classic memoir, now with a new introduction. This book was a kind of last hurrah. When I read it, I hear a disarmingly younger, sweeter voice…I am not sure that this little confection captures a whole time, but I think it’s an accurate picture of the spirit and tone of what I was doing in those days...I hope it holds up, and that you find your best younger self in it as I do... With her brassy voice and bold performances making the world finally pay attention, this ambitious Jewish girl from Hawaii, needs no introduction. Grammy award–winning singer, Academy Award–nominee, Broadway star of her critically acclaimed one-woman show, and beloved actress in The Rose, Beaches, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills—Bette Midler is a household name whose career and fans span generations. In A View from A Broad, Bette relives her career through memories of endless rehearsals, her fear of flying, crazy schedules, and wisdom she learned from Thai Gondoliers with her trademark razor-blade wit that her fans have grown to know, love, and expect. Filled with photographs, a new introduction, and heartwarming stories that highlight only a portion of a brilliant career, A View from a Broad is the perfect gift for anyone who loves music, theater, or just plain fun—and will be cherished by the fans of Divine Miss M for years to come.
Simon and Schuster 1981 150 pages

Near Normal Man Survival with Courage, Kindness and Hope

Ben Stern,Charlene Stern
In this memoir, Ben Stern tells his own, unforgettable story as a Holocaust camp survivor who by the age of 24 impossibly survived two ghettos, nine concentration camps, and two death marches. In story after story of near impossible survival, he lives with singular courage and unshakable kindness and hope - his only weapons against the Nazis' determination to destroy everyone and everything Jewish in Europe. Born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1921, Ben is seventeen years old when the Nazis invade his town of Mogielnica. His parents and grandmother beg him to flee: Whatever you do, you save yourself! We hold our breaths and our hearts as we watch Ben's on-the-fly decisions that in a mix of resourcefulness, canniness, and plain luck manage to save him from the brink of annihilation via slavery, starvation, beatings, shootings, whippings, and a certain death sentence from Dr. Mengele himself. Liberated on May 8, 1945, Ben finds he can be free only when he chooses to let go of hatred. Thirty years later, he sparks and leads the resistance when Nazis in America plan to rally in his adopted hometown of Skokie, Illinois. Standing up against tremendous opposition, Ben builds national support, prompting the Nazis to cancel at the last minute. Then, again for a third time, Nazis arrive in Berkeley, California, after the notorious 2017 hate march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Ben refuses to follow city officials' orders to stay home and defies them with a rally of thousands against hatred, once more. As a fierce defender of human rights, Ben inspires students and adults everywhere. His story inspires us to stand up and speak out to change our world for the better.
Redwood Publishing, LLC 2022-09 316 pages

Desert notebooks: a road map for the end of time

Ehrenreich, Ben
"A book about the literal and figurative end of time and what that means for us as conscious beings, Desert Notebooks looks at how both the unprecedented pace of destruction to our environment and our increasingly unstable global socio-political institutions have led to an existential crisis orders of magnitude greater than any humankind has confronted before. As inhabitants of the Anthropocene what might some of our own histories tell us about how to grapple with apocalypse? And how might the geologies and ecologies of desert spaces inform how we see and act towards time? Employing an elegant, discursive style that interweaves memoir with science writing, creation myths, and history, National Magazine Award winner and The Nation columnist Ben Ehrenreich uses the desolate landscape of the American desert -the main locales for the book are Joshua Tree and Las Vegas- as a springboard to examine how we formulate our concepts of time and what it means to confront the looming apocalypse. Desert Notebooks is a moving confrontation with Deep Time and a meditation on landscape in the face of climate change. Faced with an uncertain future, Ehrenreich argues there is comfort in reflecting on the role we humans have played in our own demise in the past. The difference is that this time the clock may finally be running out for good"--
Counterpoint Press 2020 325 pages

Frank A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage

Barney Frank
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE RANDY SHILTS AWARD “I [once] said [to Frank] I was sorry I would never be able to vote for him as the first gay president of the United States. After reading this book, I am sorrier than ever.”—Garry Wills, The New York Review of Books Growing up in Bayonne, New Jersey, Barney Frank made two vital discoveries about himself: he was attracted to government, and to men. He resolved to make a career out of the first and to keep the second a secret. Now, his sexual orientation is widely accepted, while his belief in government is embattled. Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage is his account of America’s transformation—and the tale of a truly momentous career. From the battle over AIDS funding in the 1980s to the 2008 financial crisis, Barney Frank played a key role, and in this feisty and often moving memoir, he candidly discusses the satisfactions, fears, and grudges that come with elected office. He recalls the emotional toll of living in the closet while publicly crusading against homophobia. He discusses painful quarrels with allies; friendships with public figures, from Tip O’Neill to Sonny Bono; and how he found love with his husband, Jim Ready, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to enter a same-sex marriage. The result is the story of an extraordinary political life, an original argument for rebuilding trust in government, and a guide to how change really happens—composed by a master of the art.
Picador 2016-03-01 416 pages

Selected plays of Arthur Laurents

Laurents, Arthur
If he had done nothing more than write the book for the musicalsWest Side StoryandGypsy, Arthur Laurents would be assured a place in the pantheon of American theater. But he has done much more, including directing, screenwriting, and playwriting. Here, for the first time, is an anthology of seven of Laurents' most acclaimed and challenging plays. It begins withHome of the Brave, the play that launched Laurents' career. This wartime drama known for its frank treatment of anti-Semitism and war trauma remains as potent today as it was when it opened on Broadway in 1945. The anthology continues through some of Laurents' most recent work, including2 Lives, a witty, frequently poignant portrait of an elderly gay couple confronting mortality and coming to terms with their lives. Also included areThe Enclave,Jolson Sings Again,My Good Name,Closing Bell, andAttacks on the Heart. Spanning nearly 60 years and covering a wide variety of topical and emotional terrain, this is an important book from an American theater legend. Includes: •Home of the Brave • The Enclave • Jolson Sings Again • My Good Name • Closing Bell • 2 Lives, and • Attacks on the Heart • The first-ever anthology of plays by a giant of American theater • Each play features a new introduction by the author • Laurents' recent memoir was the most highly accliamed theater memoir in years • A revival ofGypsy, starring Bernadette Peters, is playing to sold-out audiences on Broadway • Author Laurents speaks widely on American theater, always to a packed house • Advertising inBack Stagemagazine
Back Stage Books 2005 477 pages

Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel

Shaya, Alon
"Alon Shaya's is no ordinary cookbook. It is a memoir of a culinary sensibility that begins in Israel and wends its way from the U.S.A. (Philadelphia) to Italy (Milan and Bergamo), back to Israel (Jerusalem) and comes together in the American South, in the heart of New Orleans. It's a book that tells of how food saved the author's life and how, through a circuitous path of (cooking) twists and (life-affirming) turns the author's celebrated cuisine--food of his native Israel with a creole New Orleans kick came to be, along with his award-winning New Orleans restaurants: Shaya, Domenica, and Pizza Domenica, ranked by Esquire, Bon Appétit, and others as the best new restaurants in the United States."--
Alfred A. Knopf 2018 412 pages

Socialism: An Economic And Sociological Analysis (1951)

Mises, Ludwig Von
""Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis"" is a seminal work by the Austrian economist and philosopher Ludwig von Mises. Originally published in 1922, this revised edition from 1951 offers a comprehensive critique of socialism, examining its economic and sociological implications. Mises argues that socialism, which seeks to eliminate private ownership of the means of production and replace it with collective ownership, is fundamentally flawed and cannot work in practice. He explores the reasons why socialist economies inevitably lead to inefficiency, misallocation of resources, and ultimately, economic collapse. Mises also examines the social and political implications of socialism, arguing that it leads to the destruction of individual freedom and the growth of authoritarianism. The book remains a classic in the field of economics and political philosophy, and is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of socialist ideology.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
Kessinger Publishing, LLC 2010-09-10 598 pages

Into the blue: boldly going where Captain Cook has gone before

Horwitz, Tony
'One of the most captivating books on Captain Cook I have yet read Horwitz's eye for detail and ear for dialogue are Brysonesque indeed the master had better look to his own laurels.' Tim Bowden, Good Reading 'There is an irresistible momentum to Horwitz's epic journey You will seldom encounter travel writing better than this, and it is no surprise that Into the Blue has rocketed up the best-seller lists.' The Sydney Morning Herald'What a ripping yarn is Into the Blue, all rum, sodomy and the lash. It's also a complex and comprehensive salute to a man who rose from humble origins to become leader of men Compelling, and still a relevant tale, Horwitz has done the good (and bad) captain proud.' The New Zealand HeraldCaptain James Cook's three epic journeys in the eighteenth century were the last great voyages of discovery. Tony Horwitz vividly recounts Cook's voyages and the exotic scenes he encountered: tropical orgies, taboo rituals, human sacrifice, hip-throbbing Tahitian dancers, New Zealand cannibals, Hawaiian surfers, and Australian Aborigines sealed off from the rest of the world for thousands of years. He also explores Cook the man: an impoverished farmboy who broke through the barriers of his class and time to become the greatest navigator in history.Tony Horwitz follows in Cook's footsteps to uncover his legacy, and along the way has many revealing and often amusing adventures of his own. By turns harrowing and hilarious, insightful and entertaining, Into the Blue brings to life a man whose voyages have left an indelible mark on the world as we know it.
Bloomsbury 2002 480 pages

Young Stalin

Sebag Montefiore,Simon Sebag Montefiore
Stalin, like Hitler, remains the very personification of evil but also one of the creators of today’s world. Now in an enthralling biography that reads like a thriller, Simon Sebag Montefiore unveils the shadowy, adventurous journey of the Georgian cobbler’s son who became the Red Tsar.What makes a Stalin? Was he illegitimate? Was his mother whore or saint? Was Stalin a Tsarist agent or Lenin’s chief gangster? Was his most notorious heist planned during his stay in London? Was he to blame for his wife’s death? If he really missed the 1917 Revolution, how did he emerge so powerful?Born in poverty, scarred by his upbringing, exceptional in his studies, this charismatic but dangerous boy was hailed as a romantic poet and trained as a priest but found his mission as fanatical revolutionary. He became the mastermind of bank robberies, protection-rackets, arson, piracy, and murder yet he was, uniquely part-intellectual, part-brigand. Surprisingly, he is also revealed as a scandalously prolific lover, leaving a trail of mistresses (varying from schoolgirls to noblewomen) and illegitimate children. Her is the arch-conspirator and escape-artist whose brutal ingenuity so impressed Lenin that he made Stalin (with Trotsky) his top henchman. The paranoid underworld of Joseph Conrad-style terrorism was Stalin’s natural habitat. Montefiore shows how murderous Caucasian banditry and political gangsterism, combined with pitiless ideology, qualified Stalin to demonstrate the Kremlin – and create the USSR in his flawed image. Based on massive research and astonishing new evidence in archives from Moscow to Georgia, YOUNG STALIN, companion and prequel to bestselling, prizewinning STALIN: THE COURT OF THE RED TSAR, is a chronicle of the Revolution, a pre-history of the USSR – and an intimate biography: this is how Stalin became Stalin.
McArthur 2007 397 pages

Not Becoming My Mother And Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way

Ruth Reichl
Bestselling author Ruth Reichl embarks on a clear-eyed and openhearted investigation of her mother's life, piecing together the journey of a woman she comes to realize she never really knew. Looking to her mother's letters and diaries, Reichl confronts the painful transition her mother made from a hopeful young woman to an increasingly unhappy older one and realizes the tremendous sacrifices she made to make sure her daughter's life would not be as disappointing as her own. Book jacket.
Thorndike Press 2009 147 pages

Life plus 99 Years

Nathan F. Leopold, Jr.
Nathan Leopold Jr. was half of the famed duo Leopold and Loeb, murderers of 14-year old Bobby Franks in 1924 on the south side of Chicago. Life Plus 99 Years is an autobiographical work which commences with the day after Leopold’s sentencing, and which was designed to ingratiate the author with the parole board. As such it is a fascinating multi-layered work – the reader has to work at keeping in mind that the writer was the perpetrator of a heinous crime made all the more horrendous by the fact that its only motivation was the thrill of the idea. A must read for anyone interested in the workings and effects of our criminal justice system.
Doubleday 1958

Confessions of an Heiress A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose

Paris Hilton,Merle Ginsberg
A quick search on the net reveals some 2,400,000 sites about the 23-year-old socialite who is famous for doing little and baring little. But what is it about Paris Hilton that continues to fascinate everyone worldwide and why do or should we care? (oh, but we do). Paris has teamed up with entertainment/fashion/beauty/celebrity writer Merle Ginsberg and Jeff Vespa, Paris's fave photographer, to write her autobiography CONFESSIONS OF AN HEIRESS: A TONGUE-IN-CHIC PEEK AT LIFE BEHIND THE POSE. There are chapters on sister Nicky, the jet/set life, and Paris's cavalcade of paramours including Rick Salomon and the notorious sex tape that "has made me change my life. I used to have fun and dress up and that was my life. But now I'm moving on, I've grown up a lot." Wow. CONFESSIONS OF AN HEIRESS also include a section on how to tell if a guy is only interested in your money. "If they offer to pay for dinner, that's a good sign," Paris advises. "But if they talk about how 'you're so rich,' if they do stuff like that, I can tell they like money more than they like me. But I think girls are more gold-diggers than guys." Ouch. CONFESSIONS OF AN HEIRESS doesn't just include Paris's thoughts on men and money. She also weighs in on nutrition ("Never drink Diet Coke. Diet Coke is for fat people.") and the hardships of travel ("Having a stewardess spill something on you can totally ruin your flight. I hate rude stewardesses. It's like, 'Hello, I'm paying, be nice to me.'"). Like, hello, we think they're called flight attendants now.
Random House Australia 2004 178 pages

The jazzmen: how Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie transformed America

Tye, Larry
"This is the story of three revolutionary American musicians, the maestro jazzmen who orchestrated the chords that throb at the soul of twentieth-century America. Duke Ellington [...], Louis Daniel Armstrong [...], William James Basie [...]. What is far less known about these groundbreakers is that they were bound not just by their music or even the discrimination that they, like nearly all Black performers of their day, routinely encountered. Each defied and ultimately overcame racial boundaries by opening America's eyes and souls to the magnificence of their music. In the process they wrote the soundtrack for the civil rights movement. Based on more than 250 interviews, this exhaustively researched book brings alive the history of Black America in the early- to mid-1900s through the singular lens of the country's most gifted, engaging, and enduring African American musicians." -Från bokens baksida.
Mariner Books 2025-05-13 393 pages