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Biographies & Memoirs

Explore the stories of remarkable lives in our Biographies & Memoirs section at Thryft. Discover firsthand accounts of influential figures and captivating memoirs that'll inspire and educate. Our collection is carefully curated to ensure you find the perfect narrative to delve into.

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The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Thryft
Anne Fadiman

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

$8.90 from $5.90 Save up to 34%

"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" is a profound exploration into the clash between two worlds - the Hmong culture's deeply rooted traditions and the stark rationality of Western medicine. Understanding this book could open your eyes to the complexities of cultural assimilation and the often overlooked nuances in healthcare. It's a must-read if you're interested in the ways in which cultural differences impact lives in very real, tangible ways.

$8.90 from $5.90 Save up to 34%

In stock

Lament from Epirus: An Odyssey Into Europe's Oldest Surviving Folk Music - Thryft
Christopher C. King

Lament from Epirus: An Odyssey Into Europe's Oldest Surviving Folk Music

$17.90 from $12.90 Save up to 28%

If the mysterious allure of old-world folk tunes strikes a chord with you, "Lament from Epirus" could be your next treasured find. Following Christopher King's deep dive into Epirus's haunting music, this book explores a rich cultural tradition that blooms from the roots of human expression itself. It's as much about the pursuit of lost art forms as it is about understanding how music can touch the deepest parts of our soul.

$17.90 from $12.90 Save up to 28%

In stock

Tracing It Home Journeys Around a Chinese Family - Thryft
Lynn Pan

Tracing It Home Journeys Around a Chinese Family

$8.90 from $4.90 Save up to 51%

If you're drawn to intimate explorations of cultural heritage, "Tracing It Home" can offer you a profound journey. The book shines in its ability to weave the global Chinese diaspora experience with a deeply personal story. Lynn Pan creates a tapestry of history and memoir that feels both educational and emotionally resonant, making it a great read for those interested in personal narratives set against the backdrop of larger historical movements.

$8.90 from $4.90 Save up to 51%

In stock

The Oxford Companion to Beer
New
Garrett Oliver, Tom Colicchio

The Oxford Companion to Beer

from $21.90

If you’ve found yourself fascinated by the frothy depths of a beer glass, The Oxford Companion to Beer could be your new best friend. Imagine an all-encompassing journey that not only dives into the beverage’s rich history but also explores the nuances that go into brewing it. Whether you're a casual sipper or a homebrew hero, this tome is like a beer festival in book form, serving up a world of knowledge with a side of cultural zest. Cheers to that!

from $21.90

In stock

A Walk with a White Bushman
New
Laurens van der Post

A Walk with a White Bushman

from $8.90

"A Walk with a White Bushman" invites you on a profound intellectual stroll with Laurens van der Post. This isn't just a book; it's an intimate conversation with a man deeply contemplative about humanity's capacity for both creation and destruction. It could resonate with you if you're looking to explore the depths of human nature and our place in the world.

from $8.90

In stock

500 Famous Chinese Names - Thryft
Cao Jia Wei, Luo Tong

500 Famous Chinese Names

$21.90 from $12.90 Save up to 43%

If you're interested in Chinese culture or pondering a name with depth for a new baby, this guide deftly navigates through the intricacies of Chinese characters and their meanings. It’s an enlightening journey through language and history, giving you not just a name, but a story to cherish.

$21.90 from $12.90 Save up to 43%

In stock

The Children of Sanchez : Autobiography of a Mexican Family - Thryft
Oscar Lewis

The Children of Sanchez : Autobiography of a Mexican Family

from $8.99

The Children of Sanchez offers a raw and powerful look into the everyday struggles of a Mexican family living in a poverty-stricken area. It presents a firsthand account of the experiences of a family living below the poverty line and the impact it has on their relationships, mental health, and ability to survive. It is a thought-provoking read that will open your eyes to a world that often goes unnoticed.

from $8.99

Out of stock

Darwin's Sacred Cause : Race, Slavery and the Quest for Human Origins - Thryft
Adrian J. Desmond, James R. Moore

Darwin's Sacred Cause : Race, Slavery and the Quest for Human Origins

from $13.13

In this remarkable book Adrian Desmond and James Moore, world authorities on Darwin, give a completely new explanation of how Darwin came to his famous view of evolution, which traced all life to an ancient common ancestor. Darwin was committed to the abolition of slavery, in part because of his family's deeply held beliefs. It was his 'Sacred Cause' and at its core lay a belief in human racial unity. Desmond and Moore show how he extended to all life the idea of human brotherhood held by those who fought to abolish slavery, so developing our modern view of evolution.Through massive detective work among unpublished family correspondence, manuscripts and rare works, the authors back up their compelling claim. Leading apologists for slavery in Darwin's day argued that blacks and whites had originated as separate species, with whites superior. Creationists too believed that 'man' was superior to other species. Darwin abhorred such 'arrogance'; he declared it 'more humble & ... true' to see humans 'created from animals'. Darwin gave all the races - blacks and whites, animals and plants - a common origin and freed them from creationist shackles. Evolution meant emancipation.Darwin's Sacred Cause restores Darwin's humanitarianism, tarnished by atheistic efforts to hijack his reputation and creationist attempts to smear him. Desmond and Moore argue that only by understanding Darwin's Christian abolitionist inheritance can we shed new light on the perplexing mix of personal drive, public hesitancy and scientific radicalism that led him finally in 1871 to publish The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex . The result is an epoch-making study of this eminent Victorian.

from $13.13

Out of stock

From Here to Eternity : Traveling the World to Find the Good Death - Thryft
Caitlin Doughty, Landis Blair

From Here to Eternity : Traveling the World to Find the Good Death

$8.47 from $5.93 Save up to 30%

"From Here to Eternity is a great read for those interested in cultural practices surrounding death. Caitlin Doughty takes the reader on a journey to explore funeral customs around the world, giving insight into diverse beliefs and traditions. The book questions the conventional American funeral industry, advocating for more personal and individualized ways to take care of our loved ones after death. The distinctive feature of this book is its inclusion of beautiful illustrations by Landis Blair, making it an even more engaging and unique read."

$8.47 from $5.93 Save up to 30%

Out of stock

The English - Thryft
Jeremy Paxman

The English

from $1.34 Save 4%

This book is an excellent read for someone interested in understanding the complexities of English identity. Paxman provides a thorough exploration of the subject matter, covering everything from history to current events with wit and insight. His interviews with various people add depth to the book and make it an engaging read for those who want to learn more about English culture and society.

from $1.34 Save 4%

Out of stock

A Pattern of Islands - Thryft
Arthur Grimble

A Pattern of Islands

from $3.88

This remarkable book is the story of those dramatic and romantic atolls in the Central Pacific - the Gilbert and Ellice Island - woven into the travel-autobiography of the author, who, the day after his wedding in 1913, left England with his wife for the remotest corner of the British Empire where a 'cadet' of the Colonial Administration Service has never before been seen.

from $3.88

Out of stock

Bury Me Standing : The Gypsies and Their Journey - Thryft
Isabel Fonseca

Bury Me Standing : The Gypsies and Their Journey

from $7.79

A masterful work of personal reportage, this volume is also a vibrant portrait of a mysterious people and an essential document of a disappearing culture.  Fabled, feared, romanticized, and reviled, the Gypsies—or Roma—are among the least understood people on earth. Their culture remains largely obscure, but in Isabel Fonseca they have found an eloquent witness. In Bury Me Standing , alongside unforgettable portraits of individuals—the poet, the politician, the child prostitute—Fonseca offers sharp insights into the humor, language, wisdom, and taboos of the Roma. She traces their exodus out of India 1,000 years ago and their astonishing history of persecution: enslaved by the princes of medieval Romania; massacred by the Nazis; forcibly assimilated by the communist regimes; evicted from their settlements in Eastern Europe, and most recently, in Western Europe as well. Whether as handy scapegoats or figments of the romantic imagination, the Gypsies have always been with us—but never before have they been brought so vividly to life. Includes fifty black and white photos.

from $7.79

Out of stock

While the Gods Were Sleeping Indian Edition - Thryft
Elizabeth Enslin

While the Gods Were Sleeping Indian Edition

from $8.62

Love and marriage brought American anthropologist Elizabeth Enslin to a world she never planned to make her own: a life among Brahman in-laws in a remote village in the plains of Nepal. As she faced the challenges of married life, birth, and childrearing in a foreign culture, she discovered as much about human resilience, and the capacity for courage, as she did about herself.While the Gods Were Sleeping: A Journey Through Love and Rebellion in Nepal tells a compelling story of a woman transformed in intimate and unexpected ways. Set against the backdrop of increasing political turmoil in Nepal, Enslin s story takes us deep into the lives of local women as they claim their rightful place in societyand make their voices heard."

from $8.62

Out of stock

The Sorcerer's Burden : The Ethnographic Saga of a Global Family - Thryft
Paul Stoller

The Sorcerer's Burden : The Ethnographic Saga of a Global Family

$12.45 from $5.40 Save up to 57%

This book emerges from the author's 35 years of research and thought about the Songhay people of Niger. This ethnographic novel follows the life of Omar Dia, the oldest son of a West African sorcerer. When his father falls ill and dies, the great sorcerer vomits a small metal chain onto his chest. Following the path of his ancestors, Omar swallows the chain, becoming his father's successor, which means that he takes on the sorcerer's burden. The book also describes how custodians of traditional knowledge are creatively adapting to the forces of globalization―all in a highly accessible narrative text.

$12.45 from $5.40 Save up to 57%

Out of stock

The Price Of Altruism : George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness - Thryft
Oren Harman

The Price Of Altruism : George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness

$9.95 from $6.96 Save up to 30%

The Price of Altruism is an absorbing read that delves into the scientific quest for understanding human kindness. Harman expertly weaves together personal, political, and scientific narratives to paint a vivid picture of George Price's extraordinary life and his pivotal role in the field of evolutionary biology. The book highlights how Price's work bridged the gap between altruism and selfishness, and sheds light on the complex interplay between evolutionary theory and broader societal and political issues. Recommended for anyone interested in the fascinating landscape where science, politics, and ideology intersect.

$9.95 from $6.96 Save up to 30%

Out of stock

Clifford Geertz - Culture Custom And Ethics - Thryft
Fred Inglis

Clifford Geertz - Culture Custom And Ethics

from $5.07

Recommendation: - Geertz's groundbreaking theory of symbolic action challenges traditional scientific inquiry in the human sciences, making it an essential read for those interested in new perspectives on culture and society. - This comprehensive overview of Geertz's work provides a lively introduction to his influential essays, such as the celebrated and controversial analysis of the Balinese cock fight, which sparks engaging debates. - With a focus on cultural studies, this book offers a refreshing approach to understanding the intricate relationship between culture and politics, challenging conventional concepts and offering a more nuanced perspective. Highly recommended for students and scholars in anthropology and cultural studies.

from $5.07

Out of stock

Dive Into Real-Life Stories

Biographies and memoirs offer unparalleled insights into the lives and minds of individuals who've shaped our world. Be it political icons, celebrities, or unsung heroes, Thryft brings you a rich assortment of stories that reveal extraordinary experiences and life lessons. Embark on a journey through time as you explore the personal tales that have influenced history and culture.