On June 27, 1844, a mob stormed the jail in the dusty frontier town of Carthage, Illinois. Clamorous and angry, they were hunting down a man they saw as a grave threat to their otherwise quiet lives: the founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith. They wanted blood.At thirty-nine years old, Smith had already lived an outsized life. In addition to starting the Church of Latter-day Saints and creating his own Golden Bible" – the Book of Mormon – he had worked as a water-dowser and treasure hunter. He'd led his people to Ohio, then Missouri, then Illinois, where he founded a city larger than fledgling Chicago. He was running for President. And, secretly, he had married more than thirty women.In American Crucifixion, Alex Beam tells how Smith went from charismatic leader to public enemy: how his most seismic revelation – the doctrine of polygamy – created a rift among his people; how that schism turned to violence; and how, ultimately,... Views: 36
"Biography at its best aims at resurrection. Anne Boyd Rioux has brought the novelist Constance Fenimore Woolson back to life for us. Hurrah!"?Robert D. Richardson, author of the Bancroft Prize–winning William James: In the Maelstrom of American ModernismConstance Fenimore Woolson (1840–1894), who contributed to Henry James's conception of his heroine Isabelle Archer in The Portrait of a Lady, was one of the most accomplished American writers of the nineteenth century. Yet today the best-known (and most-misunderstood) facts of her life are her relationship with James and her probable suicide in Venice. This first full-length biography of Woolson provides a fuller picture that reaffirms her literary stature.Uncovering new sources, Anne Boyd Rioux evokes Woolson's dramatic life. She was a grand-niece of James Fenimore Cooper and was born in New Hampshire, but her family's ill fortunes drove them west to Cleveland. Raised to be a conventional woman,... Views: 36
When an FBI agent on a spiritual quest of his own is tasked with finding whoever critically wounded a fellow agent's wife, he uncovers a world of Russian organized crime, neo-Nazis, and sex slavery. Views: 36
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author James Swanson delivers a riveting account of the chase for Abraham Lincoln's assassin.Based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and interviews with relatives of the conspirators and the manhunters, CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER is a fast-paced thriller about the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth: a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia. Views: 36
Jess is really struggling with her lessons. She daren't ask her friends for help, because she doesn't want them to find out how stupid she is. But now that she's being made to go to special classes, how long can she keep her secret to herself? "Refreshing, fun and really re-readable!" - CITV Views: 36
Christmas 1917, and as the Lilley family gathers at the Rectory in the Sussex village of Ashden, the mood is far from festive. Caroline's parents refuse to support her love of Belgian Army intelligence officer Captain Yves Rosier, and she is forced to leave abruptly. Phoebe falls in love with a divorced music-hall singer, and she too incurs her parents' disapproval. The new year brings fresh tragedy, and Caroline returns to Ashden as the war ends. The Rectory opens its doors to a new world, its inhabitants strengthened by the grief and happiness shared during the long years of war. Views: 36
The world-famous cosmologist and #1 bestselling author of A Brief History of Time leaves us with his final thoughts on the biggest questions facing humankind. Stephen Hawking was the most renowned scientist since Einstein, known both for his groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology and for his mischievous sense of humor. He educated millions of readers about the origins of the universe and the nature of black holes, and inspired millions more by defying a terrifying early prognosis of ALS, which originally gave him only two years to live. In later life he could communicate only by using a few facial muscles, but he continued to advance his field and serve as a revered voice on social and humanitarian issues. Hawking not only unraveled some of the universe's greatest mysteries but also believed science could be used to fix problems here on Earth. Now, as we face immense challenges on our planet—from climate change to the development of artificial... Views: 36
Project President is a hilarious romp through American electoral history.From short, fat, bald John Adams' wig–throwing tantrums during the 1800 election to Abraham Lincoln's decision to grow a beard in 1860; from John F. Kennedy's choice to forgo the fedora at his inauguration to John Kerry's decision to get Botoxed for the 2004 race; from the Golden Age of Facial Hair (1860–1912) to the Age of the Banker (1912–1960); from Washington's false teeth to George W. Bush's workout regimen, Project President tells the story of America's love affair with presidential looks and appearance, why that often matters more than a politico's positions on the issues, and what might well be coming next."I'm constantly citing the power of dress. It's semiology: our clothes send a message about how we want to be perceived, and where is this more powerful and evident than in elected offices. In Project President, Ben Shapiro captures presidential semiotics with a potent... Views: 36
A brilliant new collection of essays of writers and their craft by the man Joseph Brodsky has called ""the best British author working today"". In Hell and Back,Tim Parks, a celebrated novelist and master of the essay form, offers a wide range of wonderfully challenging, always provocative reflections on literature and the art of writing. In this new collection, Parks turns his attention to classic authors such as Dante, Leopardi, Borges, Beckett, and Christina Stead, as well as contemporary writers including Vikram Seth, W. G. Sebald, José Saramago, and Salman Rushdie, along with a dozen others. The lead essay on Dante sets the tone for the entire collection: erudite, contemplative, witty, and meticulous, it constantly offers new insights into The Inferno, that most celebrated of all poems. In Hell and Back, Tim Parks reminds us just how exciting the essay form can be. Views: 36
Killing Pablo charts the rise and spectacular fall of the Columbian drug lord, Pablo Escobar, the richest and most powerful criminal in history. The book exposes the massive illegal operation by covert US Special Forces and intelligence services to hunt down and assassinate Escobar. Killing Pablo combines the heart-stopping energy of a Tom Clancy techno-thriller and the stunning detail of award-winning investigative journalism. It is the most dramatic and detailed and account ever published of America's dirtiest clandestine war. Views: 36
