Publisher: Doubleday
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 01/22/2013
ISBN-13: 9780385525756
ISBN-10: 0385525753

Gilded Age railroad magnate Leland Stanford built the first great mansion on Nob Hill in San Francisco in 1876 and hired photographer Eadweard Muybridge -- an eccentric genius who later committed murder -- to document it. In 1880, Stanford persuaded Muybridge to use his stop-motion technique to photograph a galloping horse, hoping to see if all the horse's hooves ever left the ground at once. This series of photographs became the first motion picture and the foundation of Muybridge's early cinematography research, funded by Stanford. Biographer Edward Ball explores the lives and achievements of Muybridge and Stanford in this "skillfully written tale of technology and wealth" (Kirkus Reviews).

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Publisher: Random House
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/20/2012
ISBN-13: 9780812993356
ISBN-10: 0812993357

Grace Coddington, a successful British fashion model in the 1960s, went on to be the creative director of the British Vogue magazine, then of American Vogue. She also featured in the 2009 documentary film The September Issue. Now she tells (almost) all about herself and others in the fashion industry in her memoir, which she delightfully illustrates with pen-and-ink drawings. If Grace doesn't tell you everything you want to know about fashion and fashionistas, read her other books, Grace: 30 Years of Fashion at Vogue and The Catwalk Cats.

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/11/2012
ISBN-13: 9781250009036
ISBN-10: 1250009030

French Emperor Napoleon towers over history in heroic paintings, the iconic Arc de Triomphe, and even his tomb in Paris. But who was the real human being behind these awe-inspiring images? Alan Forrest, historian and author of numerous books on French history, sifts through the historical records and lays out a balanced and very accessible account of Napoleon's life and an analysis of the legend that he created for himself. Napoleon also examines the Little Corporal's successes and errors in his campaign to dominate Europe. If this thorough but compact biography leaves you eager for more details, read Frank McLynn's Napoleon.

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Publisher: Prometheus Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/04/2012
ISBN-13: 9781616145712
ISBN-10: 1616145714

Baltimore native Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court, having had a distinguished legal career before taking his seat on the bench of the highest U.S. court. In Young Thurgood, biographer Larry Gibson presents Marshall's early life after interviewing relatives, classmates, and former colleagues to develop a detailed account of his childhood, his education, and his start as a lawyer. Weaving in the history of race relations in America up through the 1930s, Gibson paints an enlightening picture of the time before Marshall achieved prominence through his work as a Civil Rights lawyer. For a comprehensive biography, read Juan Williams' lively chronicle, Thurgood Marshall.

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Publisher: Yale University Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/15/2012
ISBN-13: 9780300126389
ISBN-10: 0300126387

Geronimo, leader of a group of Chiricahua Apache who were infamous for their brutal raids along the U.S.-Mexico border in the 1870s and '80s, was a complex figure who came to symbolize the Native Americans' efforts to remain free of U.S. Government control. In this detailed and nuanced biography, historian Robert Utley vividly depicts the landscape and geography where Geronimo lived and fought and subtly characterizes the man himself. Geronimo also offers a broader view of Apache culture and customs and brings to life other key leaders, including Cochise and Geronimo's mentor, Mangas Coloradas. Library Journal calls this the "most up-to-date and comprehensive" study of Geronimo and his people.

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The Grammy and Oscar winners are announced in February, making this a big month for entertainers. Celebrate the awards by reading some books on superstars in comedy, music, and acting.

Publisher: Harper
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 02/08/2011
ISBN-13: 9780061241734
ISBN-10: 0061241733

Bestselling historian and biographer Donald Bogle has focused his career on African-Americans in film and television. In Heat Wave, Bogle examines the life and legacy of Grammy-winning singer and theatrical star Ethel Waters, who in 1950 became the second African-American to be nominated for an Academy Award. Her lengthy career took her from vaudeville stages and tent shows to Harlem nightclubs, Broadway, and Hollywood. In her personal life, she battled racism and a difficult childhood and had many love affairs with both men and women. Bogle discusses her life and career frankly, offering a "lush and often lyrical valentine to an extraordinarily talented and complicated artist" (Kirkus Reviews).

First Chapter  

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/08/2009
ISBN-13: 9781439153710
ISBN-10: 143915371X

Best known for her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars movies, Carrie Fisher is also the daughter of glittering film stars Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. But beneath the glamorous Hollywood surface, Fisher's life has been filled with as much tragedy as success. In Wishful Drinking, Fisher recounts with hilarious -- and often biting -- wit her battles with addiction and mental illness, her turbulent romances, and her role as a single mother. When her daughter's about to start dating, Fisher even researches her complicated family tree -- in case the young man turns out to be related. Her no-holds-barred comments "demand to be read aloud to friends," says Publishers Weekly.

First Chapter  

Publisher: Scribner
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/02/2008
ISBN-13: 9781416553656
ISBN-10: 1416553657

Steve Martin is a wildly successful entertainer who has spent years at the top of his field as a stand-up comedian, actor, musician, and author. In this enchanting memoir, he looks back over his career in show biz and reflects on the effort, discipline -- and early frustrations -- that were necessary to achieve his goals. From his time working at Disneyland to his stint as a writer for television's Smothers Brothers to the success he achieved on stage, Martin's autobiography is a "spare, unexpectedly resonant remembrance of things past" (Entertainment Weekly).

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Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/26/2010
ISBN-13: 9780316034388
ISBN-10: 031603438X

Full-speed-ahead Rolling Stones rhythm guitarist Keith Richards bares his soul -- and evaluates the souls of his collaborators -- in this hilarious though often critical autobiography. Revealing details about the careers and personal lives of not only Mick Jagger and other members of the Stones, but also such superstars as Willie Nelson, George Jones, and even Muddy Waters, Life provides a wild and informative tour through the years of Richards' career and the chronicles of modern popular music. From open guitar tunings to a recipe for bangers and mash and everything in between you'll learn all you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask.

First Chapter  

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/03/2011
ISBN-13: 9780399157530
ISBN-10: 0399157530

Who doesn't love Betty White? At age 91, the seven-time Emmy Award-winning actress is still going strong, having launched a successful reality comedy show, Betty White's Off Their Rockers, in 2012. In 2010, following a massive Facebook campaign on the part of her many, many fans, she hosted Saturday Night Live. In this upbeat, engaging memoir, White reviews her childhood, her long career in show business, and her musings on age, love, and friendship, as well as how to survive in the notoriously tough entertainment industry while remaining true to oneself. She also discusses her devotion to animal welfare; you can read more about that aspect of her life in Betty and Friends.

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