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  Knowing When to Stop - A Memoir

  Ned Rorem

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  A thrilling, poignant, and bold memoir of the early years and accomplishments—both musical and sexual—of renowned contemporary composer Ned RoremNed Rorem, arguably the greatest composer of art songs that America has produced in more than a hundred years, is also revered as a diarist and essayist whose unexpurgated writings are at once enthralling, enlightening, and provocative. In Knowing When to Stop, one of the most creative American artists of our time offers readers a colorful narrative of his first twenty-seven years, expertly unraveling the intriguing conundrum of who he truly is and how he came to be that way. As the author himself writes, “A memoir is not a diary. Diaries are written in the heat of battle, memoirs in the repose of retrospect.” But careful thought and consideration have not dulled the sharp point of Rorem’s pen as he writes openly of his life and loves, his missteps and triumphs, and offers frank and fascinating portraits of the luminaries in his circle: Aaron Copland, Truman Capote, Jean Cocteau, Martha Graham, Igor Stravinsky, Billie Holliday, Paul Bowles, and Alfred C. Kinsey, to name a few. The result is an early life story that is riveting, moving, and intimate—a magnificent self-portrait of one of the great minds of this age.

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  The Tragic Sense of Life - Ernst...

  Robert J. Richards

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  Prior to the First World War, more people learned of evolutionary theory from the voluminous writings of Charles Darwin’s foremost champion in Germany, Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), than from any other source, including the writings of Darwin himself. But, with detractors ranging from paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould to modern-day creationists and advocates of intelligent design, Haeckel is better known as a divisive figure than as a pioneering biologist. Robert J. Richards’s intellectual biography rehabilitates Haeckel, providing the most accurate measure of his science and art yet written, as well as a moving account of Haeckel’s eventful life.

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  Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince...

  Hector Davidson

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  Niccolò Machiavelli, the Renaissance political thinker and diplomat, remains one of the most influential figures in political philosophy, and his ideas continue to shape modern discussions on leadership, power, and governance. His most famous work, The Prince, has long been recognized as a manual for rulers navigating the complexities of political life, emphasizing pragmatic strategies over idealistic visions of statecraft. In the centuries since its publication, Machiavelli’s work has both captivated and provoked scholars, politicians, and leaders, and his theories remain as relevant today as when they were first written. 
  At the heart of Machiavelli's philosophy is his focus on the practical realities of political power. Unlike many political theorists who are concerned with how politics should be ideally structured, Machiavelli emphasized how politics actually works. The Prince offers rulers advice on how to secure and maintain power, often advocating methods that defy traditional moral or ethical considerations. His famous assertion that “the ends justify the means” has become synonymous with political maneuvering that prioritizes results over values, positioning him as both a realist and a controversial figure in political thought. 
  Machiavelli’s impact extends beyond just the realm of politics. His ideas on leadership, human nature, and the strategic use of power have influenced not only political theory but also military strategy, business practices, and even popular culture. His work on statecraft speaks to a deep understanding of human behavior, and his insights into the manipulation of public perception, the nature of fear and loyalty, and the balancing of power dynamics have resonated across various disciplines. Whether used to guide national leadership or inform business strategy, Machiavellian principles are often invoked when discussing tactics for navigating complex, power-driven environments.

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  Maeve Rising - Coming Out Trans...

  Maeve DuVally

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  When Maeve DuVally came out as a transgender woman while working as a corporate communications manager at Goldman Sachs, she knew she couldn't do it quietly. DuVally intimately documents her struggle to be herself in this environment, initially keeping her identity a secret with wardrobe changes in the lobby bathroom after work. Eventually she declares herself and, to her surprise, Goldman Sachs embraces the effort. Surgery follows. When DuVally finally takes those first steps on heels through the corridors of this institution on the way to her first meeting as a woman, the listener cheers. A New York Times story helped her realize she could become a role model for other transgender people and branded Goldman Sachs as a model for corporations assisting their transitioning employees. 
   
   
   
  Before she found her courage, DuVally's life was mired in depression and unconscious struggle. Raised in an Irish Catholic family with a sadistic pathologist father, her upbringing dropped her into an adulthood plagued by alcoholism. At Goldman Sachs, she ascends to a top communications position before her drinking begins to encroach upon her work. Finally, DuVally hits bottom, becoming sober after a lifetime in and out of AA and rehab. Clear at last, she begins to understand the source of her lifelong struggle and takes the bold step to become the woman she is now.

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  The Time is Not Yet Ripe

  Thomas Louis Buvelot Esson

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  Thomas Louis Buvelot Esson (1878 - 1943) was an Australian poet, journalist and playwright. He was born in Edinburgh but moved to Melbourne, Australia when he was three. He attended the University of Melbourne and began working as a journalist and playwright soon after.His best known work is the political comedy, The Time is Not Yet Ripe, first performed in 1912.  It has since come to be acknowledged as an Australian classic, and has often been revived. - Summary Adapted from Wikipedia by Algy PugCast list:Sir Joseph Quiverton:  Algy PugDoris: Beth ThomasEnglish Butler: Frances BrownSir Henry Pilsbury: Jon SmithLady Pilsbury:  ToddHWJohn K. Hill: Nick BulkaSydney Barrett/Socialists: Kristin GjerløwMiss Perkins: Libby GohnOtto/Socialists: Lars RolanderHarry Hopkins/Socialists: Phil BensonPeter Jensen/Socialists: Lars RolanderArthur Gray/Socialists: Peter TuckerBertie Wainwright: Ben Lindsey-ClarkViolet Faulkner: SavannahA Fat Man/Crowd: balaA Cheeky Youth/Crowd: Victoria PA Working Woman/Crowd:  AvailleAn Old Man/Crowd: Robert DixonNarrator: JanetEdited by: ToddHWCoordinated by:  Algy Pug

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  The Unseen Body - A Doctor's...

  Jonathan Reisman M.D.

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  "Petkoff gives a flawless performance of this doctor/naturalist's memoir, conveying both his inquisitiveness and assuredness with aplomb." - AudioFile   "A fascinating, lyrical book... Reisman's experiences in other cultures bring a richness and depth to The Unseen Body. The way he thinks about the body and medicine—the rivers and tributaries, the flowing and unclogging, the top-down organization of the brain—is extraordinary!"—Mary RoachIn this fascinating journey through the human body and across the globe, Dr. Reisman weaves together stories about our insides with a unique perspective on life, culture, and the natural world.Jonathan Reisman, M.D.—a physician, adventure traveler and naturalist—brings listeners on an odyssey navigating our insides like an explorer discovering a new world with The Unseen Body. With unique insight, Reisman shows us how understanding mountain watersheds helps to diagnose heart attacks, how the body is made mostly of mucus, not water, and how urine carries within it a tale of humanity’s origins.Through his offbeat adventures in healthcare and travel, Reisman discovers new perspectives on the body: a trip to the Alaskan Arctic reveals that fat is not the enemy, but the hero; a stint in the Himalayas uncovers the boundary where the brain ends and the mind begins; and eating a sheep’s head in Iceland offers a lesson in empathy. By relating rich experiences in far-flung lands and among unique cultures back to the body’s inner workings, he shows how our organs live inextricably intertwined lives—an internal ecosystem reflecting the natural world around us.Reisman offers a new and deeply moving perspective, and helps us make sense of our bodies and how they work in a way listeners have never before imagined.  A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

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