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Biography and Memoir April 2019
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| The Pianist from Syria by Aeham AhmadWhat it's about: Born a second-generation Palestinian refugee in Syria, accomplished pianist Aeham Ahmad sought solace in music as the ongoing Syrian civil war tore his adopted homeland apart.
Author alert: Readers may remember Ahmad from the widely-circulated videos of him playing piano in a rubble-strewn Damascus; in 2015, he won the International Beethoven Prize for Human Rights.
Is it for you? This day-to-day account of the conflict -- and Ahmad's eventual immigration to Germany -- is both wrenching and inspiring. |
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To stop a warlord : my story of justice, grace, and the fight for peace
by Shannon Sedgwick Davis
An award-winning human-rights advocate shares the true story of her unconventional alliance with a Ugandan general to stop a warlord whose resistance army had displaced millions, conscripted tens of thousands of child soldiers and killed over 100,000 people.
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Finding my voice : my journey to the West Wing and the path forward
by Valerie Jarrett
The longest-serving senior advisor in the Obama White House shares her experiences as an Iran-born African-American woman as well as a family member, lawyer, public servant and government leader at a dynamic period in American history.
From her work ensuring equality for women and girls, advancing civil rights, reforming our criminal justice system, and improving the lives of working families, to the real stories behind some of the most stirring moments of the Obama presidency, Jarrett shares her forthright, optimistic perspective on the importance of leadership and the responsibilities of citizenship in the twenty-first century, inspiring readers to lift their own voices.
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| The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose by Chris Wilson with Bret WitterWhat it's about: At 17, Chris Wilson was sentenced to life in prison after killing a man in self-defense. Though his sentence was commuted after 10 years, he spent the intervening time working on his "Master Plan" for success, completing an Associate's Degree and learning new languages.
A fresh start: Once released, Wilson started a business that hires ex-convicts and found fulfillment as a motivational speaker.
Who it's for: readers who enjoy uplifting stories of second chances. |
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| Game of Crowns: Elizabeth, Camilla, Kate, and the Throne by Christopher AndersenWhat it is: an engaging collective biography of the three most powerful women in the British monarchy -- reigning queen Elizabeth II; Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Why you might like it: Bestselling royal biographer Christopher Andersen's "catnip for royal watchers" (Vanity Fair) offers a dishy and detailed examination of the monarchy's possible futures following Elizabeth's death or abdication. |
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| Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire by Julia BairdWhat it is: a lively and sympathetic portrait of Queen Victoria, Britain's second-longest reigning monarch (after Elizabeth II).
Read it for: journalist Julia Baird's thoughtful myth-debunking -- contrary to popular belief, Victoria did not shirk her royal duties following the death of her beloved husband Prince Albert.
Reviewers say: "readers will feel as though the story of the famous British queen is being told for the first time" (Booklist). |
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| Daughters of the Winter Queen: Four Remarkable Sisters, the Crown of Bohemia... by Nancy GoldstoneStarring: Elizabeth Stuart, a granddaughter of Mary, Queen of Scots whose disastrous political marriage precipitated the Thirty Years' War; Elizabeth's four spirited daughters, whom she raised in exile during the Dutch Golden Age.
Why it matters: Elizabeth's determination to maintain her daughters' royal power and influence still resonates, as every British monarch since George I can be traced "in unbroken line" to this lesser-known family. |
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Royal renegades : the children of Charles I and the English Civil Wars
by Linda Porter
A collective portrait of Charles I's six surviving children shares insights into their personalities, legacies and rivalries to examine how they were used in the parliamentary campaign against their father and were relegated to difficult marriages before Charles II eventually succeeded his father on the English throne more than a decade later. By the award-winning author of Katherine the Queen.
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The royal Stuarts : a history of the family that shaped Britain
by Allan Massie
In this fascinating and intimate portrait of the Stuarts, author Allan Massie takes us deep into one of history's bloodiest and most tumultuous reigns. Exploring the family's lineage from the first Stuart king to the last, The Royal Stuarts is a panoramic history of the family that acted as a major player in the Scottish Wars of Independence, the Union of the Crowns, the English Civil War, the Restoration, and more.
Drawing on the accounts of historians past and present, novels, and plays, this is the complete story of the Stuart family, documenting their path from the salt marshes of Brittany to the thrones of Scotland and England and eventually to exile. The Royal Stuarts brings to life figures like Mary, Queens of Scots, Charles I, and Bonnie Prince Charlie, uncovering a family of strong affections and fierce rivalries. Told with panache, Allan Massie's The Royal Stuarts is the gripping true story of backstabbing, betrayal, and ambition gone awry.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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