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Biography and Memoir July 2024
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| I've Tried Being Nice: Essays by Ann LearyBestselling novelist Ann Leary's (The Foundling) debut essay collection offers a witty and self-deprecating account of the author's attempts to stop being a self-proclaimed "people pleaser," with varying (and relatable) degrees of success. For fans of: Well, This Is Exhausting: Essays by Sophia Benoit. |
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Just add water : my swimming life
by Katie Ledecky
In this candid and inspiring memoir of a true competitor, a three-time Olympian, a seven-time gold medalist and a world record-holder in individual swimming events charts her life in swimming, from discovering the joy of the pool to developing a champion's mindset that has allowed her to persevere. Katie Ledecky will be competing in her fourth Olympics in Paris this summer.
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| The Uptown Local: Joy, Death, and Joan Didion by Cory LeadbeaterCory Leadbeater's moving debut chronicles the transformative decade the author spent working as a personal assistant to writer Joan Didion as she neared the end of her life. Further reading: Joan Didion: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Joan Didion with an introduction by Patricia Lockwood. |
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| Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People by Tiya MilesNational Book Award-winning author Tiya Miles' (All That She Carried) nuanced and demythologizing biography of abolitionist Harriet Tubman offers fresh insights on her life, particularly how her religious faith and ecological knowledge informed her work as an Underground Railroad conductor. Try this next: Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War by Edda L. Fields-Black. |
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| Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell by Ann PowersNPR music critic Ann Powers plumbs the life and career of legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in this thoughtful and lyrical portrait named one of Observer's Best New Biographies of 2024. Further reading: Joni: The Anthology edited by Barney Hoskyns. |
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Books You Might Have Missed
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| Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei; illustrated by Gianluca CostantiniChinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei's debut graphic memoir offers autobiographical sketches and folktales centered around the 12 animal signs of the Chinese zodiac. Italian cartoonist Gianluca Costantini's expressive black-and-white illustrations complement Weiwei's intimate prose. For more insights on the author's life, check out his 2021 memoir 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows. |
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| Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad GoochBrad Gooch's engaging biography of pop art pioneer and activist Keith Haring (1958-1990) draws upon hundreds of interviews with Haring's loved ones and colleagues to present a "thorough, intricately detailed, and enthralling portrait of a singular artist" (Booklist Reviews). Try this next: I've Seen the Future and I'm Not Going: The Art Scene and Downtown New York in the 1980s by Peter McGough. |
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Shakespeare : the man who pays the rent
by Judi Dench
Interweaving anecdotes on audiences, critics, company spirit and rehearsal room etiquette, Dame Judi Dench opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her 70-year career, serving up priceless revelations on everything from the craft of speaking in verse to her personal interpretations of some of Shakespeare's most famous scenes.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Montgomery County Memorial Library System 104 I-45 N. Conroe, Texas 77301 936-539-7814www.countylibrary.org |
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