Other books that might interest you

• 

  Bright Galaxies Dark Matter and...

  Ashley Jean Yeager

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  We now know that the universe is mostly dark, made up of particles and forces that are undetectable even by our most powerful telescopes. The discovery of the possible existence of dark matter and dark energy signaled a Copernican-like revolution in astronomy: not only are we not the center of the universe, neither is the stuff of which we're made. Astronomer Vera Rubin (1928–2016) played a pivotal role in this discovery. By showing that some astronomical objects seem to defy gravity's grip, Rubin helped convince the scientific community of the possibility of dark matter. In Bright Galaxies, Dark Matter, and Beyond, Ashley Jean Yeager tells the story of Rubin's life and work, recounting her persistence despite early dismissals of her work and widespread sexism in science. 
   
   
   
  Yeager describes Rubin's childhood fascination with stars, her education at Vassar and Cornell, and her marriage to a fellow scientist. At first, Rubin wasn't taken seriously; she was a rarity, a woman in science, and her findings seemed almost incredible. Still, she continued her groundbreaking work, driving a scientific revolution. She received the National Medal of Science in 1993, and has since been memorialized with a ridge on Mars, an asteroid, a galaxy, and most recently, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory—the first national observatory named after a woman.

  Show book

• 

  Bogart and Huston - Their Lives...

  Nat Segaloff

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  From 1941 to 1953, director John Huston and actor Humphrey Bogart made one classic film after another, from The Maltese Falcon to The African Queen. Here is the story of their close but combative friendship that produced some of the best movies ever made. 
   
   
   
  Every time they made a movie together, they made a classic—or so it seemed for star Humphrey Bogart and writer/director John Huston. Their six collaborations include many of the "golden age" hits from Hollywood's fabled film legacy: The Maltese Falcon, Across the Pacific, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Key Largo, The African Queen, and Beat the Devil. 
   
   
   
  At the same time, both men led fiercely separate lives—except when they were making pictures together. Sometimes they agreed and sometimes they argued, always keeping their eyes on the results. What did each man bring to the collaboration, and how did their films together reflect their disparate personalities? 
   
   
   
  Their friendship was as dramatic as any of their movies. It survived nine marriages, a world war, the blacklist, leeches, alcohol, and Jack L. Warner. Here is the story of these two legendary talents, their films, their lives, their foes, and their devotion to each other.

  Show book

• 

  Above the Ground - A True Story...

  Dan Lawton

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  “The fascinating true story of [Kevin Barry] Artt . . . and how his life was pummeled and turned upside down by being dragged unjustly into ‘the Troubles.’” —Los Angeles Daily JournalThe account of a man convicted for a murder that he did not commit, Above the Ground: A True Story of the Troubles in Northern Ireland takes readers through one of the darkest periods in Northern Ireland’s history, highlighting themes of injustice, perseverance, and hope through Kevin Barry Artt’s escape and struggle.In this deep and exposing novel, readers are shown for the first time, the true story of the murder of British prison official Albert Miles by Irish Republican Army assassins and the best efforts of former IRA men and the British government to keep hidden the secrets of their dirty war during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. No matter where you stand regarding the bloody conflict, Above the Ground will have you turning the pages to keep revealing the truth. Filled with courtroom drama and true crime, you will not want to put this new release down!“Lawton’s account, honed by years on Kevin Barry Artt’s legal team, brings an advocate’s insight and dedication to exposing injustice. A must-read for anyone interested in Irish history, true crime, or courtroom drama.” —The Irish Echo “A startling, memorable forensic analysis and account of British rule in Ireland.” —Seamus Deane, Irish historian and writer“One of the best books ever written by an American about Northern Ireland and a must-read for those interested in promoting peace.” —Nancy Soderberg, former deputy assistant to President Clinton for national security affairs and author of The Superpower Myth

  Show book

• 

  The Art of Losing

  Ruby Lang

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Gia Franchetti is being haunted by her adoptive father who died disappointed with his life—and Gia’s. To make sure she doesn’t look back with the same regrets, Gia makes plans to move from her hometown, Boston, to China, her country of origin, to learn more about herself and her background.
  But while following her father’s ghost, Gia meets musician Cal Webb. Cal is gorgeous, sweet, and has his life (and piano) planted firmly in Boston. The two fall recklessly into a relationship knowing there is an expiration date. As the unlikely couple draws closer, Gia starts to wonder if she’s chasing one dream only to abandon the possibility of love.
  Content warning: This novella deals with grief, death, and cancer. It also depicts on-page sex, alcohol use, and complicated family dynamics.

  Show book

• 

  Are You Thinking What I'm...

  Kenneth Radley

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Kenneth Radley's Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? A patchwork journey through my life... so far - is a richly layered, deeply personal memoir told in an engaging patchwork style - weaving together reflections from across six decades of an expansive life. 
  From his early life we are taken through some rapid development in the 1960s. Then the tectonic socio-cultural shifts throughout the 1970s. And later appearing in more than 30 feature films, performing as B1 in the highly successful and culturally iconic Bananas in Pyjamas, to selling wine, cab driving, fronting a hard-hitting rock band in the Melbourne pub scene, teaching, building houses, playing and umpiring Australian football and navigating family life within the creative industries - Radley crafts a collection of vivid vignettes that balance wit, philosophical inquiry, and grounded realism. 
  Readers interested in Australian cultural history, performance, and television and film will find rare, behind-the-scenes gems throughout. Anecdotes involving the Bananas years, working on set from an actor's perspective, creative struggles, the joy and passion in his work. The reader is treated to some fascinating encounters with industry characters that offer unique insights and deep reflections. 
  The regular moments of humour feel lived-in rather than performed, full of well-timed understatement and irony. 
  This work offers so much more than a timeline of events; it becomes a meditation on memory, cultural change, identity, work, and the intersections between art, family life and self-discovery. 
  It is a fascinating, authentic and heartfelt piece reflecting the complexity, fun and humour of a man that is truly thankful for his life and filled with genuine love and appreciation of those close to him. 
  it is quite a journey... so far.

  Show book

• 

  America’s Greatest First Ladies

  Editors Charles River

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  American presidents have shaped the course of global affairs for generations, but as the saying goes, behind every great man there’s a great woman. While the First Ladies often remain overshadowed by their husbands, some have carved unique niches in their time and left their own lasting legacy. Dolley Madison helped establish the role of the First Lady in the early 1800s, Eleanor Roosevelt gave voice to policy issues in a way that made her a forerunner of First Ladies like Hillary Clinton, and Jackie Kennedy created glamorous trends that made her more popular than her husband.  
  	Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton may have been the most politically active First Ladies in American history, but Abigail Adams was the first to act as political advisor for her husband and the first to be dubbed “Mrs. President”. Indeed, Abigail was politically inclined to degree highly unusual among women of the 18th and 19th century, and she had originally impressed her future husband John because she was so well versed in poetry, philosophy and politics. Abigail was also very progressive, championing women’s rights and abolition long before they became widely held views even in traditionally liberal Massachusetts.  
  	In addition to being instrumental in decorating the White House, Dolley Madison also set the standard for the First Lady’s traditional hosting and ceremonial duties. 150 years later, Jackie Kennedy was largely credited for helping boost her husband’s popularity during their time in the White House, but the same could easily be said about Dolley, who was renowned for her social graces and her hospitality. Having helped boost her husband’s popularity during his presidency, Dolley went about maintaining his legacy after 1836, collecting and organizing the papers and notes of the Constitution’s most influential drafter, and eventually selling them to the government in full. 

  Show book