485 page hardcover 9 1/2 x 6 1/2 approximate, 3 page center photos in black and white.Cofounder and director of The Living Theatre.

Is Faith Darwin Asbury really Grace Paley? Or is it coincidental that the personal history, politics, and relationships of the fictional Asbury seem to mirror those of the well-known author? And do other characters in Paley's stories represent individuals she has known, in scenes and entire episodes she has experienced? A writer who translates her life into art not only saves her own life, according to Paley, but offers others the revelation of its meaning. That idea is at the core of Judith Arcana's biographical reading of this strongly autobiographical writer. Grace Paley's Life Stories interweaves details about Paley with critical discussions of her works, examining her as a woman, mother, activist, and Jew. Arcana visited and interviewed Paley at her homes in Vermont and New York over a period of several years. She also interviewed Paley's family, friends, and colleagues. Such extensive research is unmatched in Paley scholarship; Arcana's focus on the political crucible of Paley's consciousness is rare in contemporary literary criticism.

A master historian offers an eloquent and personal auto-history of his life and his ideas Twenty years ago, John Lukacs paused to set down the history of his own thoughts and beliefs in Confessions of an Original Sinner, an adroit blend of autobiography and personal philosophy. Now, in Last Rites, he continues and expands his reflections, this time integrating his conception of history and human knowledge with private memories of his wives and loves, and enhancing the book with footnotes from his idiosyncratic diaries. The resulting volume is fascinating and delightful--an auto-history by a passionate, authentic, brilliant, and witty man. Lukacs begins with a concise rendering of a historical understanding of our world (essential reading for any historian), then follows with trenchant observations on his life in the United States, commentary on his native Hungary and the new meanings it took for him after 1989, and deeply personal portraits of his three wives, about whom he has not written before. He includes also a chapter on his formative memories of May and June 1940 and of Winston Churchill, a subject in some of Lukacs's later studies. Last Rites is a richly layered summation combined with a set of extraordinary observations--an original book only John Lukacs could have written. Praise for Confessions of an Original Sinner: "[Lukacs] is an often witty and always fascinating--even entertaining--writer."--Washington Post

In an autobiographical memoir directed to his young son Dylan, the film and theater critic uses stories and anecdotes to present the story of his life and the life lessons he has learned.

Over the course of his career, Jeff Corey (1914-2002) educated movie, television, and theater stars from James Dean to Jane Fonda in the art of acting. Though he worked with some of the most famous talents of his day, one of Corey's greatest pleasures was teaching regular people - accountants, schoolteachers, and lawyers - who had a secret desire to act. In his eyes, anyone could nurture his or her innate "mimetic impulse." Jack Nicholason, one of Corey's most famous students, said, "Acting is life study, and Corey's classes got me into looking at life as an artist." In Improvising Out Loud: My Life Teaching Hollywood How to Act, Jeff Corey narrates his life story first as a successful young actor in Hollywood and later as one of the industry's most revered acting instructors. Corey made a name for himself as a strong character actor in films like The Killers (1946), Home of the Brave (1951). However, everything changed in 1951, when he was summoned before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Corey refused to name names before the committee and was promptly blacklisted, forcing him to walk away from his vibrant career as an actor. Later that year, Corey began work as an acting teacher in a small studio, and almost overnight, he became one of the most sought-after instructors in Hollywood, with students such as Kirk Douglas, Rob Reiner, and Tony Perkins. In 1962, when the blacklist ended, Corey was one of the industry's first trailblazers to seamlessly reboot his acting career and he secured roles in some of the classic films of the era, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), True Grit (1969), and Little Big Man (1970), in which he starred as the legendary Wild Bill Hickok. The major action of Corey's life was to capture the human heart: in conflict, in terror, in love, and in all of its small triumphs. His memoir, which he wrote with his daughter Emily Corey, provides a unique and personal perspective of the man whose teaching inspired some of Hollywood's biggest names to excel in the roles that made them famous--Dust jacket

"This memoir of a radical Jew follows Jack Nusan Porter's journey from his birth in Ukraine during the Holocaust, through the radical 60s and 70s, to the present day, and details his experiences fighting anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, xenophobia, and hate"--

Arthur Szyk (pronounced "Shick") was born in Lodz, Poland, in 1894 and died in New Canaan, Connecticut, in 1951. He was considered the greatest miniaturist and painter-illuminator of his era, and the leading political artist in America during World War II. He was internationally recognized and celebrated, and his works of art continue to be exhibited worldwide. This catalogue of institutional holdings of Arthur Szyk's art was created to provide the best jumping off point for those interested in surveying his originals for the purpose of research, scholarship, and curatorial possibilities. 'Arthur Szyk Preserved' illustrates where Szyk's work can be found today. Ultimately, this catalogue recognizes and celebrates the public institutions that serve as vital caretakers of Arthur Szyk's art and legacy. It is hoped that this publication will encourage them to more fully promote public awareness of Szyk's art and the breadth and beauty of his works in multiple and creative ways.

Amy Sedaris meets Woody Allen in an uproarious memoir of self discovery. In her critically acclaimed memoir Dork Whore, Iris Bahr finally lost her virginity in the summer between high school and Brown University. In this book, she’s ready for love a year later—but not much wiser. Through all of her uproarious capers, she tries to reconcile her craving for mindblowing sex with her desire for a meaningful relationship—all in an attempt to become an adult. Sort of.

The author recounts how a severe stroke altered her life and explains how she learned to adjust to her new limitations

A celebration of the work of one of America's top aviation artists. Many of the works of American artist and illustrator Gil Cohen can be found at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and the Pentagon, as well as in other important public and private collections. After spending decades as a respected illustrator for magazines and book publishers, Cohen chose to turn his attention to aviation and military themes. His more recent paintings vividly depict the human aspects of America's wars, showing soldiers and aviators in battle and at rest. One of Cohen's recurring observations is that, unfortunately, some of humankind's most remarkable feats of engineering are often created for the purpose of war. Cohen's paintings are collected worldwide, and his clients include the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Coast Guard; Paramount Pictures; Random House; Holt, Rinehart & Winston; Bantam Books; Harlequin Books; and Boeing-Sikorsky.

The autobiography of the former governor and senator from Alaska. 564 pages. Hardcover with dust jacket. Liveright Publishing Corporation (ISBN 0871405652).

fine arts dance

America's most innovative developer and luxury retailing pioneer Malcolm Gladwell has called him one of the unrecognized giants of modern retailing, but he is more widely known as the billionaire who went to jail for his role in a price fixing scandal. Clearly Al Taubman has had an extraordinary life. A dyslexic Jewish kid who grew up in Depression-era Detroit, Taubman made several fortunes in businesses as varied as architecture, land speculation, mall development, luxury housing, chain restaurants, and, of course, the fine art auction business.