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Biography and Memoir January 2018
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| The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months that Changed the World by A.J. BaimeWhat it is: a thoroughly researched biography of President Harry S. Truman that focuses on the first 120 days of his term.
What sets it apart: Author A.J. Baime chronicles this period in minute detail, painting a vivid portrait of an effective leader. Many people, including Truman himself, thought he was unprepared for the job, but he faced major world events with decisiveness.
Key events: Truman's negotiations with Soviet leader Josef Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill; the decision to use nuclear bombs on Japan in August 1945. |
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Nobu: A Memoir
by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
The acclaimed celebrity chef and international restaurateur shares the dramatic story of his life, from his devotion to his family to his struggles with depression, while reflecting on the Japanese philosophies and passion that have rendered him one of the world's most respected fusion culinary artists.
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Gold Dust Woman: A Biography of Stevie Nicks
by Stephen Davis
An in-depth portrait of the classic rock artist includes coverage of such topics as her role in the stardom of Fleetwood Mac, the affairs that inspired her greatest songs, her struggles with addiction and her successful solo career. By the author of Hammer of the Gods.
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Hoosier Aviator Paul Baer: America's First Combat Ace
by Tony Garel-frantzen
Indiana native Paul Baer was an American pilot of many firsts. Born into a modest midwestern family in the late 1800s, Baer grew up short and shy in Fort Wayne. Not short on ambition, he volunteered to join a new breed of combatant: the fighter pilot. Dogfighting in the skies over France during World War I, Baer earned a giant reputation as the first-ever American to shoot down an enemy plane and the first to earn the title of “combat ace” for earning five victories—before being shot down himself. Author Tony Garel-Frantzen celebrates the 100th anniversary of Baer's aerial heroics with rarely seen images, a previously unpublished POW letter from Baer himself and a look at the restless raptor's life of roaming.
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| President McKinley: Architect of the American Century by Robert W. MerryWhat it is: A comprehensive and detailed political biography of William McKinley that analyzes McKinley's role in post-Civil War American politics as well as his presidency. Topics of note: Cut short by an assassin's bullet, McKinley's presidency was overshadowed by that of his successor, Theodore Roosevelt. However, Merry argues that McKinley initiated America's development into an imperial power.
Further reading: Stephen Kinzer's The True Flag details the growth of U.S. imperialism, starting with Roosevelt's presidency. |
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| Counting Backwards: A Doctor's Notes on Anesthesia by Henry Jay PrzybyloWhat it's about: Anesthesiologist Henry Jay Przybylo recounts his three decades of experience in the specialty. He provides engaging anecdotes as well as musing about the history of anesthesia, which has developed enormously since its 19th-century beginnings but is not yet fully understood. Why you might like it: Przybylo's enthusiasm for his work draws readers in to this informative book. |
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The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir
by Jenifer Lewis
The "Mega Diva" star of Black-ish traces her personal journey from poverty to fame, sharing provocative insights into her battles with undiagnosed mental illness and sex addiction while citing the support of loving friends and the philosophies about self-acceptance that enabled her successes.
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| Becoming Hitler: The Making of a Nazi by Thomas WeberWhat it is: a revisionist biography of Adolf Hitler by an award-winning historian, who portrays him as an awkward, small-time Bavarian loner who found his calling in demagoguery.
What sets it apart: Author Thomas Weber shows the young Hitler between 1918 and 1926, teaching himself how to rise from failure and become a political manipulator par excellence.
Further reading: Peter Range Ross' 1924; Volker Ullrich's Hitler. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Michigan City Public Library 100 E. 4th Street Michigan City, Indiana 46360 219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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