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Biography and Memoir October 2018
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Small Fry
by Lisa Brennan-Jobs
What it is: a poignant memoir about the complicated family dynamics between the author and her father, Apple founder Steve Jobs.
What sets it apart: the pair's lifelong rocky relationship was instigated by Jobs' denial of paternity, a claim later rebuked by DNA testing.
Further reading: Artist Chrisann Brennan (Brennan-Jobs' mother) wrote the 2013 memoir The Bite in the Apple, also about her relationship with Jobs.
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Marilyn Monroe : the private life of a public icon
by Charles Casillo
The author of The Marilyn Diaries draws on new research and interviews to reveal how Monroe's traumatic childhood contributed to her struggle with bipolar disorder and impacted her career and personal life.
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| Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio VargasWhat it's about: In a stirring narrative bookended by removal proceedings, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas chronicles his journey as an undocumented immigrant in America "as if to dare the attorney general to come find him" (Kirkus Reviews).
Want a taste? "After 25 years of living illegally in a country that does not consider me one of its own, this book is the closest thing I have to freedom." |
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Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist
by Eli Saslow
What it's about: Derek Black grew up espousing white nationalist views under the tutelage of his father, Stormfront founder Don Black, and his godfather, Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Everything changed when he enrolled in college, meeting classmates from all walks of life who challenged and transformed his beliefs.
About the author: Eli Saslow is a Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter for the Washington Post and the author of Ten Letters: The Stories Americans Tell Their President.
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The astronaut maker : how one mysterious engineer ran human spaceflight for a generation
by Michael Cassutt
"One of the most elusive and controversial figures in NASA's history, George W. S. Abbey was called "the Dark Lord," "the Godfather," and "UNO" (unidentified NASA official) by those within NASA. From young pilot and wannabe astronaut to engineer, bureaucrat, and finally director of the Johnson Space Center ("mission control"), Abbey's story has never been fully told--until now. This fascinating account takes readers inside NASA to learn the real story of how Abbey rose to power and wielded it out of the spotlight. Informed by countless hours of interviews with Abbey and his family, friends, adversaries, and former colleagues, The Astronaut Maker is the ultimate insider's account of ambition and power politics at NASA"
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Lands of lost borders : a journey on the Silk Road
by Kate Harris
An Oxford-trained scientist and award-winning writer presents an evocative travelogue and memoir of her journey by bicycle along the Silk Road and how it became synonymous with humanity's exploration of boundaries.
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Sign my name to freedom : a memoir of a pioneering life
by Betty Reid Soskin
In Betty Reid Soskin’s 96 years of living, she has been a witness to a grand sweep of American history. In her lifetime, Betty has seen the nation begin to break down its race and gender biases, watched it nearly split apart in the upheavals of the civil rights and Black Power eras, and, finally, lived long enough to witness both the election of an African-American president and the re-emergence of a militant, racist far right.
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Baseball Cop
by Anonymous
A decorated Boston Police Department member who worked in security for the Red Sox describes his work on suppressed cases involving drug use, identity fraud and human trafficking.
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Been so long : my life and music
by Jorma Kaukonen
A candid memoir by the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna co-founder and guitarist traces his life and relationships with fellow artists while discussing his present-day work at the instructional Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp.
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Arthur Ashe : A Life
by Raymond Arsenault
The first comprehensive, authoritative biography of American icon Arthur Ashe—the Jackie Robinson of men’s tennis—a pioneering athlete who, after breaking the color barrier, went on to become an influential civil rights activist and public intellectual.
Based on prodigious research, including more than one hundred interviews, Raymond Arsenault’s insightful and compelling biography puts Ashe in the context of both his time and the long struggle of African-American athletes seeking equal opportunity and respect.
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Elizabeth Warren : her fight. Her work. Her life
by Antonia Felix
Traces the iconic Senator's rise from her hardscrabble origins in the American Midwest to a leader in progressive politics, sharing stories from her career as well as her insights into the economic realities of today.
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In pieces
by Sally Field
The Academy Award-winning actress shares insights into her difficult childhood, the artistic pursuits that helped her find her voice and the powerful emotional legacy that shaped her journey as a daughter and mother.
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Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
What it is: the first biography written about philanthropist Eliza Hamilton, the devoted wife of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.
Is it for you? Fans of Broadway sensation Hamilton will be captivated by this charming cradle-to-grave account of Eliza's remarkable life.
Don't miss: Author Tilar J. Mazzeo posits that Alexander's scandalous affair with Maria Reynolds was a ruse to mask his financial misdeeds -- and that Eliza protected his secrets.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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