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Biography and Memoir June 2025 |
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| Mark Twain by Ron ChernowIn his well-researched latest, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow (Alexander Hamilton) offers a nuanced and richly detailed portrait of writer Mark Twain that's been deemed a "monumental achievement" (Booklist) and "essential reading" (Kirkus Reviews). For fans of: Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin. |
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Ingenious : a biography of Benjamin Franklin, scientist
by Richard Munson
"Benjamin Franklin was one of the preeminent scientists of his time. Driven by curiosity, he conducted cutting-edge research on electricity, heat, ocean currents, weather patterns, chemical bonds, and plants. But today, Franklin is remembered more for his political prowess and diplomatic achievements than his scientific creativity. In 'Ingenious', Richard Munson recovers this vital part of Franklin's story, reveals his modern relevance and offers a compelling portrait of a shrewd experimenter, clever innovator and visionary physicist whose fame opened doors to negotiate French support and funding for American independence. Munson's riveting narrative explores how science underpins Franklin's entire story--from tradesman to inventor to nation-founder"
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The harder I fight the more I love you : a memoir
by Neko Case
Chronicles the Grammy-nominated artist's evolution from an isolated, poverty-stricken childhood in rural Washington to a revered international figure, emphasizing themes of loneliness, nature, camaraderie, and the transformative impact of music and art on personal identity amidst obstacles.
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I will scream to the world
by Jaha Dukureh
A young Gambian woman's journey from surviving female genital mutilation and forced marriage to becoming a global activist and fighting to eradicate these practices worldwide, all while pursuing political leadership and advocating for human rights.
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Out of the darkness : the mystery of Aaron Rodgers
by Ian O'Connor
Drawing on original interviews to answer the most penetrating questions about the league's most enigmatic player, a New York Times best-selling author takes on four-time the NFL MVP, revealing all sides of an all-time great and delivering a portrait of acomplex man that will forever shape the way he's viewed
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George Harrison : the reluctant Beatle
by Philip Norman
"Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, particularly in his early decades, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates owing to his lower-class background and, typically, wasallowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote. Now, acclaimed Beatles biographer Philip Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions. Compared to songwriting luminaries John Lennon and Paul McCartney he was considered a minor talent, yet he composed such masterpieces as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here Comes the Sun," and his solo debut album "All Things Must Pass" achieved enormous success, appearing on many lists of the100 best rock albums ever. Modern music critics place him in the pantheon of sixties guitar gods alongside Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, and Jimmy Page. Harrison railed against the material world yet wrote the first pop song complaining about income tax. He spent years lovingly restoring his Friar Park estate as a spiritual journey, but quickly mortgaged the property to help rescue a film project that would be widely banned as sacrilegious, Monty Python's Life of Brian. Harrison could be fiercely jealous, but not only did he stay friends with Eric Clapton when Clapton fell in love with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, the two men grew even closer after Clapton walked away with her. Unprecedented in scope and filled with numerous color photos, this rich biography captures George Harrison at his most multi-faceted: devoted friend, loyal son, master guitar player, brilliant songwriter, cocaine addict, serial philanderer, global philanthropist, student of Indian mysticism, self-deprecating comedian, and, ultimately, iconic artist and man beloved by millions"
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| The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari ShapiroThis debut memoir-in-essays from NPR's All Things Considered co-host and former White House correspondent Ari Shapiro offers an incisive behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind Shapiro's reportage and is equal parts amusing and affecting. For fans of: All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists by Terry Gross. |
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A memoir of my former self : a life in writing
by Hilary Mantel
"In addition to her celebrated career as a novelist, Hilary Mantel contributed for years to newspapers and journals, unspooling stories from her own life and illuminating the world as she found it. "Ink is a generative fluid," she explains. "If you don'tmean your words to breed consequences, don't write at all." A Memoir of My Former Self collects the finest of this writing over four decades. Her subjects are wide-ranging, sharply observed, and beautifully rendered. She discusses nationalism and her ownsense of belonging; our dream life popping into our conscious life; the mythic legacy of Princess Diana; the many themes that feed into her novels--revolutionary France, psychics, Tudor England; and other novelists, from Jane Austen to V.S. Naipaul. She writes about her father and the man who replaced him; she writes fiercely and heartbreakingly about the battles with her health that she endured as a young woman, and the stifling years she found herself living in Saudi Arabia. Here, too, is her legendaryessay "Royal Bodies," on our endless fascination with the current royal family. From her unusual childhood to her all-consuming interest in Thomas Cromwell that grew into the Wolf Hall trilogy, A Memoir of My Former Self reveals the shape of Hilary Mantel's life in her own luminous words, through "messages from people I used to be." Filled with her singular wit and wisdom, it is essential reading from one of our greatest writers"
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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