Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Becoming Charlemagne - Europe...

  Jeff Sypeck

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  On Christmas morning in the year 800, Pope Leo III placed the crown of imperial Rome on the brow of a Germanic king named Karl. With one gesture, the man later hailed as Charlemagne claimed his empire and forever shaped the destiny of Europe. Becoming Charlemagne tells the story of the international power struggle that led to this world-changing event.Illuminating an era that has long been overshadowed by legend, this far-ranging book shows how the Frankish king and his wise counselors built an empire not only through warfare but also by careful diplomacy. With consummate political skill, Charlemagne partnered with a scandal-ridden pope, fended off a ruthless Byzantine empress, nurtured Jewish communities in his empire, and fostered ties with a famous Islamic caliph. For 1,200 years, the deeds of Charlemagne captured the imagination of his descendants, inspiring kings and crusaders, the conquests of Napoléon and Hitler, and the optimistic architects of the European Union.In this engaging narrative, Jeff Sypeck crafts a vivid portrait of Karl, the ruler who became a legend, while transporting readers far beyond Europe to the glittering palaces of Constantinople and the streets of medieval Baghdad. Evoking a long-ago world of kings, caliphs, merchants, and monks, Becoming Charlemagne brings alive an age of empire building that continues to resonate today.

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  London Journal

  James Boswell

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  Between the years of 1762 and 1763, James Boswell kept a journal of his time in London. During his time, he met the renowned writer, moralist, and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, with whom Boswell would form a close relationship.This account, told with much detail and candor, was one of the various journals written by Boswell, but it is the journal that has undergone the least amount of censorship, leading it, and the racy material within, to be deemed a bestseller upon publication.

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  Witnessing History - One Chinese...

  Jennifer Zeng

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  This memoir of a Falun Gong practitioner arrested in China is a “powerful reminder of what can happen when government power runs unchecked” (Booklist).   Zheng Zeng was a graduate in science from Beijing University, a wife, a mother, and a Communist Party member. After a difficult emotional period, she found comfort in a spiritual practice known as Falun Gong, a form of qigong rooted in exercise and meditation and based on simple tenets of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. It quickly improved her life—and then shattered it, when the government began a crackdown on Falun Gong and arrested her.   After twice being held at a detention center and refusing to recant, she was sentenced without trial to reeducation through forced labor. Her “enlightenment”—in part undertaken by fellow prisoners incarcerated for prostitution, pornography, and drug addiction—took the form of beatings, torture with electric prods, starvation, sleep deprivation, and forced labor. She was compelled to knit for days at a time, her hands bleeding, to produce goods contracted for sale in the US market. Many Falun Gong practitioners died under the harsh conditions. Zheng Zeng was lucky.   Thousands of others have been deprived by an oppressive Chinese government of their freedom of speech and assembly and the freedom to believe as they choose. This is a testament to her ordeal and theirs.  

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  Tide Feather Snow - A Life in...

  Miranda Weiss

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  "Tide, Feather, Snow is about the resplendence and subtleties of coastal Alaska, and about one woman’s attempt to be fully present in them. Weiss serves as a skilled and poetic witness to a place undergoing incessant change." — Anthony Doerr, author of The Shell Collector 
  A memoir of moving to Alaska—and staying—by a writer whose gift for writing about place and natural beauty is reminiscent of John McPhee and Jonathan Raban.An extreme landscape in both its beauty and challenges, Alaska is a place where know-how is currency and a novice's mistakes can be fatal. But it is a place for glorious reinvention—a refuge for those desperate to escape . . . and for those looking for something more.Miranda Weiss, a young woman who grew up landlocked in a well-kept East Coast suburb, moved to Homer, Alaska, with her boyfriend, determined to make a place for herself in this unfamiliar country where the years are marked by seasons of fish, and where locals carry around the knowledge of tides, boats, and weather as ballast. In Tide, Feather, Snow, Weiss introduces readers to the memorable people and peculiar beauty of Alaska's vast landscape, as she takes us along on her remarkable personal journey of adventure, physical challenge, and culture clash.

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  The Last Holiday - A Memoir

  Gil Scott-Heron

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  “Engrossing and even at times uplifting, Scott-Heron’s self-portrait grants us insights into one of the most influential African American musicians of his generation.” —Booklist   The stunning memoir of Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Holiday has been praised for bringing back to life one of the most important voices of the last fifty years. The Last Holiday provides a remarkable glimpse into Scott-Heron’s life and times, from his humble beginnings to becoming one of the most influential artists of his generation.   The memoir climaxes with a historic concert tour in which Scott-Heron’s band opened for Stevie Wonder. The Hotter than July tour traveled cross-country from late 1980 through early 1981, drumming up popular support for the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. King’s birthday, January 15, was marked with a massive rally in Washington.   A fitting testament to the achievements of an extraordinary man, The Last Holiday provides a moving portrait of Scott-Heron’s relationship with his mother, personal recollections of Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Clive Davis, and other musical figures, and a compelling narrative vehicle for Scott-Heron’s insights into the music industry, the civil rights movement, governmental hypocrisy, and our wider place in the world. The Last Holiday confirms Scott-Heron as a fearless truth-teller, a powerful artist, and an inspiring observer of his times.   “Leave it to Scott-Heron to save some of his best for last. This posthumously published memoir is an elegiac culmination to his musical and literary career. He’s a real writer, a word man, and it is as wriggling and vital in its way as Bob Dylan’s Chronicles: Volume One.” —The New York Times   “Even after his death, Scott-Heron continues to mesmerize us in this brilliant and lyrical romp through the fields of his life. . . . [A] captivating memoir.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

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  Wildcat Memories - Inside...

  Doug Brunk

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  “There is nothing like Kentucky Basketball. Wildcat Memories allowed me to feel what Kentucky Basketball is really all about” (Jay Bilas, ESPN).   Since the tenure of Coach Adolph Rupp, the University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team has been a virtual powerhouse, repeatedly dominating the Southeastern Conference and garnering eight national titles. UK basketball is a homegrown tradition for sports enthusiasts, fostering a community that thrives on the camaraderie of fandom and devotedly cheers for its players in both victory and defeat. The individuals who have coached, played for, and inspired the Wildcats are important figures in Kentucky history and continue to motivate future athletes and passionate fans.  Wildcat Memories illuminates the intimate connection between the UK basketball program and the commonwealth. Author Doug Brunk brings together some of the program’s greatest coaches, players, and personalities to reflect on Kentuckians who provided inspiration, guidance, and moral support during their tenure as Wildcats. Featuring personal essays and behind-the-scenes stories from Kentucky legends Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones, Dan Issel, Joe B. Hall, Kyle Macy, and Tubby Smith, as well as more recent players like Patrick Patterson, Darius Miller, and John Wall, this heartfelt collection is an inside look at the people—on and off the court—who’ve made UK basketball so extraordinary.Includes photos

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