Other books that might interest you

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  Golden Lily - 10 Years On -...

  Lijia Xu

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  Golden Lily is the fascinating autobiography from Asia's first ever dinghy sailing gold medallist. It tells of her learning to sail and becoming a full-time athlete at just 10 years old. At that age Lijia Xu was taken away from her parents and enrolled in the gruelling Chinese training regime, a programme meticulously prescribed across all sporting disciplines to catapult the nation's talented youngsters to international champions. It is a rare insight into a shocking world of relentless physical training and unquestioning mental compliance. Lijia's honest and heart-felt account takes you on her journey from physical disabilities and debilitating injuries to learning to think for herself, eventually going on to achieve her dream of becoming an Olympic gold medallist. Now, ten years since its first publication, Lily has updated the story. She tells of her third and final Olympic campaign at Rio 2016 and then training to be a sports journalist and covering Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 as a reporter. Lijia opens up about her secret relationship with her English coach and their subsequent marriage, as well as talking about her post-Olympic sailing including IMOCA 60s, M32s, J80s and Waszps. This is an inspirational story of a young woman's will to succeed despite all that her background threw at her.

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  Doc Watson - A Life in Music

  Eddie Huffman

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  Arthel "Doc" Watson (1923–2012) is arguably one of the most influential musicians Appalachia has ever produced. A musician's musician, Doc grew up on a subsistence farm in the North Carolina mountains during the Depression, soaking up traditional music and learning to play guitar even though he was blind. Rising to fame in the 1960s as part of the burgeoning folk revival scene, Doc became the face of traditional music for many listeners, racking up multiple Grammys and releasing dozens of albums over the course of his long career. Eddie Huffman tells the story of Doc's life and legacy, drawing on extensive interviews and hundreds of hours of archival research. In making the most comprehensive biography of Watson ever, Huffman gives us an affecting and informative portrait of the man they called Doc. 
   
   
   
  Full of fascinating stories—from Doc's first banjo made from his grandmother's cat to the founding of MerleFest—this promises to be the definitive biography of the man and how he came to be synonymous with roots music in America and shows how his influence is still felt in music today.

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  Centenarian - A Diary

  Calvin Tomkins, David Remnick

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  A moving (and wickedly funny) diary of the legendary New Yorker staff writer Calvin Tomkins’s one hundredth year.  Calvin Tomkins and The New Yorker—two of the most storied names in American writing—were both born in the same year, 1925. As the magazine toasted its centenary, Tomkins began keeping a diary of his one hundredth year of life and sixty-fifth year as a staff writer, one whose nearly four hundred pieces amount to one of the fullest accounts of postwar art ever published. The result is Centenarian, a moving, probing, and wickedly entertaining series of reflections on daily life after nearly ten decades on earth. As Tomkins writes, “The first hundred years are the hardest.”   Tomkins confronts with candor the indignities of old age—macular degeneration and short-term memory loss. But he continues to find humor in everyday absurdities, like assistive devices that come with fine-print instructions. He also looks back on his relationships with some of the twentieth century’s greatest artists—from watching Georgia O’Keeffe’s oven explode while she roasted a chicken to surreptitiously slipping a coin into a Robert Rauschenberg collage, inserting a piece of himself into the art whose rise he would chronicle in real time.   As Tomkins observes, “I sometimes think my main complaint about old age is the way it interferes with looking at art and listening to music.” This ever-inquisitive sensibility infuses the pages of Centenarian, offering a singular model for living well and embracing all the world has to offer in one’s hundredth year and beyond. Above all, Centenarian is a love story—a tribute to Tomkins’s wife of nearly forty years, Dodie Kazanjian, who helped him complete his diary as his eyesight began to fail.

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  Joseph - A Story of Love Hate...

  John C. Lennox

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  The life of Joseph detailed in the book of Genesis is a story of love, hate, slavery, power, and forgiveness. Although written thousands of years ago, it has a timeless quality that still probes the depths of the human experience.  In this thoughtful and devotional book, scholar John Lennox emphasizes the major themes present in Joseph’s story—such as suffering, temptation, forgiveness, faith, and God’s sovereignty—and applies them to readers at a personal level. This detailed look at Joseph’s life in its broader context will invite us into a deeper trust of God in the face of suffering and hardship.

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  My Inventions - The...

  Nikola Tesla

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  Introducing the audiobook version of "My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla" - an immersive journey into the life and mind of one of history's greatest inventors. 
  🎧 Tesla's Voice Comes Alive: 🎧 
  Listen to Tesla's own words, expertly narrated, as you dive into his life story, inventions, and philosophies. Experience his autobiography in a captivating auditory format, making his story come alive like never before. 
  🌟 Immerse in His Life Story: 🌟 
  Through the power of audio, you'll be transported into Tesla's early years, his groundbreaking discoveries, and his unwavering pursuit of knowledge. Feel the passion and challenges he faced, vividly narrated to keep you engaged throughout. 
  🔊 Expert Narration: 🔊 
  Our skilled voice actor captures the essence of Tesla, ensuring every moment, invention, and revelation is conveyed with the gravitas it deserves. The narrative style keeps you enthralled, making it a truly immersive experience. 
  🧠 Explore His Innovations: 🧠 
  Gain a deeper understanding of Tesla's revolutionary inventions, from alternating current electricity to wireless communication. His genius comes to life through your imagination, sparking inspiration and admiration. 
  📚 Ideal for Multitasking: 📚 
  Make the most of your time by learning on the go. No matter if you're on your daily commute, working out, or simply unwinding, this audiobook allows you to effortlessly delve into Tesla's life story. 
  🌌 Discover His Philosophies: 🌌 
  Beyond inventions, Tesla shares his philosophical thoughts on the universe, energy, and spirituality. Immerse yourself in his worldview, forging a deeper connection with this extraordinary inventor. 
  Ideal for science enthusiasts, history buffs, or anyone intrigued by the stories of remarkable individuals. Start your journey into the world of this legendary inventor now!

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  Mafia Boss Sam Giancana - The...

  Susan McNicoll

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  Sent to Reformatory at the age of 10, Sicilian-American Sam Giancana lived a gilded life as mobster and mob boss at a pivotal point in history when the mafia decided who ruled America, who lived and who died. 
   
   
  Born in 1908, in The Patch, Chicago, Giancana joined the Forty-Two gang of lawless juvenile punks in 1921 and quickly proved himself as a skilled 'wheel man' (or getaway driver), extortionist and vicious killer. Called up to the ranks of the Outfit, he reputedly held talks with the CIA about assassinating Fidel Castro, shared a girlfriend with John F. Kennedy and had friends in high places, including Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Marilyn Monroe and, some say, the Kennedys, although he fell out with them. 
   
  The story of Sam Giancana will overturn many of your beliefs about America during the Kennedy era. If you want to know Giancana's role in the brother's deaths, and more of the intrigue surrounding that of Marilyn Monroe, this book will fill you in on the murky lives of many shady characters who really ruled the day, both in Chicago and elsewhere.

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