Published Oct 2012
Published Mar 2007
Published Nov 1999
Published Mar 1997
Published Sep 2013
Published Mar 2014
Published Aug 2013
Published Jun 2012
Published Sep 2013
While the Three Stooges were the longest active and most productive comedy team in Hollywood, their artistic height coincided with the years Curly was with them, and this is his definitive biography. From 1932 to 1946 Curly was the zaniest of the Stooges, becoming famous for his high-pitched voice, his “nyuk-nyuk-nyuk” and “why, soitenly,” and his astonishing athleticism. He was a true natural, an untrained actor with a knack for improvisation, yet for decades, little information about him was available. Curly’s niece Joan Howard Maurer amassed a wealth of Curly memorabilia—a mixture of written material and rare photographs of Curly’s family, films, and personal life—and her exhaustive research and exclusive interviews resulted in this first and only in-depth look at a crazy comedic genius. Plenty of intimate details are included about his astonishing relationship with his mother, his three marriages, and his interactions with his daughters and friends. The book was so beloved among Three Stooges fans that it even garnered a foreword from Michael Jackson, the King of Pop himself. This new, redesigned edition of a timeless classic is sure to be appreciated by Three Stooges fans new and old.
Published Jul 2011
Published Sep 1989
Published Apr 2008
Published Feb 2010
Published Sep 2005
Published Oct 2004
Published Apr 2002
Published May 2003
Published Jun 2012
Published Sep 2012
Revealing previously unreleased information from the Rod Blagojevich investigation, this narrative—written by two Chicago Tribune reporters who spent years sifting through evidence, compiling documents, and conducting more than 100 interviews with those who have known the former governor—is the most complete telling of the Blagojevich story. Beginning on the streets of Chicago and wending its way into the highest reaches of government, the Blagojevich tale brushes up against some of the nation’s most powerful politicians. Detailing the mechanics of the corruption that brought him down and profiling a fascinating and frustrating character who embodies many of the problems found in modern politics, this account dispenses with the sensationalism that surrounded the case to present the facts about one of the nation’s most notorious politicians. Sentenced to 14 years in prison in December 2011, this is the final word on who the governor was, how he was elected, how he got himself into trouble, and how the feds took him down.
Published Apr 2013
Published May 2014
Published Jun 2008
Earthy, sexy, and vivacious, the life of beloved country singer, Patsy Cline, who soared from obscurity to international fame to tragic death in just thirty short years, is explored in colorful and poignant detail. An innovator—and even a hell-raiser—Cline broke all the boys’ club barriers of Nashville’s music business in the 1950s and brought a new Nashville sound to the nation with her pop hits and torch ballads like “Walking After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces“ and "Crazy.” She is the subject of a major Hollywood movie and countless articles, and her albums are still selling 45 years after her death. Ellis Nassour was the very first to write about Cline and did so with the cooperation of the stars who knew and loved her—including Jimmy Dean, Jan Howard, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Roger Miller, Dottie West, and Faron Young. He was the only writer to interview Cline's mother and husbands. This updated edition features not only a complete discography and a host of never-before-published photographs, but includes an afterword that details controversial claims about her birth, the battle between Cline's siblings for her possessions, the amazing influence Cline had on a new generation of singers and, in Cline’s own words from letters to a devoted friend, her excitement as her career soared to new heights and her marriage descended to new depths.
Published Sep 2012
Published Jul 2013
Published Apr 2008
Published Aug 2009
Published Apr 2005
Published Sep 2001
Published Jun 2007
Published Nov 2008
Published Jul 2002
Published May 2010
An intimate profile of one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century, this first full-length biography of Karen Carpenter details every aspect of her life, from her modest Connecticut upbringing and her rise to stardom in southern California to the real story of her tragic, untimely death. This illuminating depiction of a 1970s icon covers her time as lead singer of the Carpenters—the top-selling American musical act of the decade—and provides insight into their string of 16 consecutive top-20 hits, including "Close to You," "We've Only Just Begun," "Top of the World," and "Superstar," as well as a critical review of her aborted solo career. A behind-the-scenes look into the life of a superstar, from the prolific recordings and the relentless touring to the awards, fame, and fortune, this history also chronicles her struggle with anorexia nervosa and gives important new details from her autopsy that shed new light on her death at age 32. Groups such as Sonic Youth and the Corrs and artists including k. d. lang and Madonna have cited Karen Carpenter among their major influences, and this definitive biography, based on exclusive interviews with nearly 100 of her friends and associates, is a testament to her brief yet remarkable life.
Published Jun 2013
Published Nov 2009
Published Jul 2000
Published Jun 2012
Published Sep 2005
Published Jul 2014
Published Sep 2011
Published Apr 2012
Published Oct 2003
Published Apr 2006
Published Aug 2007
Published Sep 2004
Published May 2014
In moving and refreshingly candid prose, Rescuing Julia Twice tells Traster’s foreign-adoption story, from dealing with the bleak landscape and inscrutable adoption handlers in Siberia, to her feelings of inexperience and ambivalence at being a new mother in her early forties, to her growing realization over months then years that something was "not quite right" with her daughter, Julia, who remained cold and emotionally detached. Why wouldn’t she look her parents in the eye or accept their embraces? Why didn’t she cry when she got hurt? Why didn’t she make friends at school? Traster describes how uncertainty turned to despair as she blamed herself and her mothering skills for her daughter’s troublesome behavioral issues, until she came to understand that Julia suffered from reactive attachment disorder, a serious condition associated with infants and young children who have been neglected, abused, or orphaned in infancy.
Hoping to help lift the veil of secrecy and shame that too often surrounds parents struggling with attachment issues, Traster describes how with work, commitment, and acceptance, she and her husband have been able to close the gulf between them and their daughter to form a loving bond, and concludes by providing practical advice, strategies, and resources for parents and caregivers.
Published Oct 2003
Published Jan 2004
Published Aug 2012
For decades, movies and television shows have portrayed FBI agents as fearless heroes leading glamorous lives, but this refreshingly original memoir strips away the fantasy and glamour and describes the day-to-day job of an FBI special agent. The book gives a firsthand account of a career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation from the academy to retirement, with exciting and engaging anecdotes about SWAT teams, counterterrorism activities, and undercover assignments. At the same time, it challenges the stereotype of FBI agents as arrogant, case-stealing, suit-wearing stiffs with representations of real people who carry badges and guns. With honest, self-deprecating humor, Steve Moore’s narrative details his successes and his mistakes, the trauma the job inflicted on his marriage, his triumph over the aggressive cancer that took him out of the field for 10 years, and his return to the Bureau with renewed vigor and dedication to take on some of the most thrilling assignments of his career.
Published Jan 2009
Published Apr 2011
Published Sep 2008
Updated to include the escapades of the last 16 years of the "queen of the groupies," this rollicking, piquant, and sometimes heartbreaking follow-up to I’m With the Band documents Pamela Des Barres' struggles with postmodern marriage and motherhood. Covering the middle-passage years of the baby-boom generation, this biography portrays a hilarious, inspiring tussle with life’s adventures and adversities, from acting with Sylvester Stallone and dancing with Bob Dylan to making ends meet by rooming with struggling celebrities and selling cosmetics. For all its famous names and insider lore, this is a survivor’s story—about the anguish of coping with loved ones’ addictions, suffering divorce and loss, and the joys and terrors of raising a gifted son—told with grace, charm, and a generous sense of humor.
Published Apr 2009
Published Nov 2010
Published May 2014
Published Oct 2011
Published Sep 2013
Published Sep 2009
Published May 2013
In Hollywood history, no other lawyer has achieved the movie star–like fame and glamour that Greg Bautzer enjoyed. This revealing biography tells, for the first time, the amazing story of a self-made man who for 50 years used his irresistible charm and prodigious legal talent to dominate the courtrooms, boardrooms, and bedrooms of Hollywood. Columnists of the 1930s through 1950s dubbed him “Hollywood Bachelor Number One,” and for good reason. His long-term relationships and momentary conquests were a who’s who of leading ladies. Through exclusive interviews with those who knew him best, the book uncovers the inner workings of not only Bautzer the high-powered Hollywood lawyer—whose clients included billionaire Howard Hughes—but Bautzer the man.
Published Apr 2011
Published Sep 2009
Published Jun 2012
Published Oct 2013
Published May 2013
Published Sep 2012
Equal parts outlaw, renegade, and legend, Waylon Jennings enjoyed a stellar music career for four decades and this no-holds-barred autobiography reveals the story of a man who infused conservative country music traditions with the energy of rock and roll to rewrite the rules of popular music in America. It chronicles all the chapters of Jennings’s incredible life, including his beginnings as a dirt-poor son of a farm laborer; his role as Buddy Holly’s protégé; his influential friendships with such luminaries as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and George Jones; the stunning success ushered in by his platinum 1976 anthology album, Wanted: The Outlaws; the drug habit that nearly destroyed him; and his three failed marriages and the journey that lead him to Jessi Colter, the woman who would become his wife for 25 years. With anecdotes, portraits, and little-known facts about Jennings’s fellow country music stars, this book overflows with the honesty, true humor, and down-home charisma of an authentic honky-tonk hero.
Published Oct 2012
2012 VOYA Nonfiction Honor List Selection
Best known for his general theory of relativity and the famous equation linking mass and energy, E = mc², Albert Einstein had a lasting impact on the world of science, the extent of which is illuminated—along with his fascinating life and unique personality—in this lively history. In addition to learning all about Einstein’s important contributions to science, from proving the existence and size of atoms and launching the field of quantum mechanics to creating models of the universe that led to the discovery of black holes and the big bang theory, young physicists will participate in activities and thought experiments to bring his theories and ideas to life. Such activities include using dominoes to model a nuclear chain reaction, replicating the expanding universe in a microwave oven, creating blue skies and red sunsets in a soda bottle, and calculating the speed of light using a melted chocolate bar. Suggestions for further study, a time line, and sidebars on the work of other physicists of the day make this an incredibly accessible resource for inquisitive children.
Published Apr 2010
Published Aug 2007
Published Oct 2009
Capturing the essence of this exceptional individual through his original writings and hands-on activities from his era, this resource tells the rich story of one of America’s most celebrated Founding Fathers. Beginning with his time as a young printer, this engaging narrative details how Benjamin Franklin became a celebrity with the publication of Poor Richard: An Almanack and how he founded the colonies’ first lending library, volunteer fire company, and postal service. Additionally, his life in science is also highlighted, from his 1751 book Experiments and Observations on Electricity to his proof a year later that lightning was an electrical discharge. Activities range from designing and printing an almanac cover and playing a simple glass armonica (a Franklin invention) to experimenting with static electricity and building a barometer. The text also features a time line, glossary, Web and travel resources, and reading list for further study.
Published Apr 2007
Published Feb 2009
Published Oct 2012
Published Mar 2007
Published Nov 1999
Published Mar 1997
Published Sep 2013
Published Mar 2007
Published Aug 2013
Published Jun 2012
Published Sep 2013
While the Three Stooges were the longest active and most productive comedy team in Hollywood, their artistic height coincided with the years Curly was with them, and this is his definitive biography. From 1932 to 1946 Curly was the zaniest of the Stooges, becoming famous for his high-pitched voice, his “nyuk-nyuk-nyuk” and “why, soitenly,” and his astonishing athleticism. He was a true natural, an untrained actor with a knack for improvisation, yet for decades, little information about him was available. Curly’s niece Joan Howard Maurer amassed a wealth of Curly memorabilia—a mixture of written material and rare photographs of Curly’s family, films, and personal life—and her exhaustive research and exclusive interviews resulted in this first and only in-depth look at a crazy comedic genius. Plenty of intimate details are included about his astonishing relationship with his mother, his three marriages, and his interactions with his daughters and friends. The book was so beloved among Three Stooges fans that it even garnered a foreword from Michael Jackson, the King of Pop himself. This new, redesigned edition of a timeless classic is sure to be appreciated by Three Stooges fans new and old.
Published Jul 2011