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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Siddhartha Mukherjee

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer

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The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificent, profoundly humane "biography" of cancer—from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence.The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries of discoveries, setbacks, victories, and deaths, told through the eyes of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely , resourceful adversary.Riveting, urgent, and surprising, The Emperor of All Maladies provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments. It is an illuminating book that offers hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer.--back cover

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Jose Antonio Vargas

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen

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This powerful memoir by Jose Antonio Vargas sheds light on the hidden struggles of undocumented immigrants in America. Through his personal experiences, Vargas captures the heartbreaking reality of living in constant fear and the resilience it takes to navigate a society that considers you an outsider. With raw honesty and vulnerability, he invites readers to question their own perceptions and understand the true meaning of home. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to empathize with the undocumented immigrant experience and advocate for change.

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Catherine Guthrie

Flat : Reclaiming My Body from Breast Cancer

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"A darn good read .” —Christiane Northrup, M.D., ob/gyn physician and New York Times bestselling authorA feminist breast cancer memoir of medical trauma, love, and how she found the strength to listen to her body.As a young, queer woman, Catherine Guthrie had worked hard to feel at home in her body. However, after years writing about women’s health and breast cancer, Guthrie is thrust into the role of the patient after a devastating diagnosis at age thirty-eight. At least , she thinks, I know what I'm up against .She was wrong. In one horrifying moment after another, everything that could go wrong does—the surgeon gives her a double mastectomy but misses the cancerous lump, one of the most effective drug treatments fails, and a doctor's error may have unleashed millions of breast cancer cells into her body.Flat is Guthrie’s story of how two bouts of breast cancer shook her faith in her body, her relationship, and medicine. Along the way, she challenges the view that breasts are essential to femininity and paramount to a woman’s happiness. Ultimately, she traces an intimate portrayal of how cancer reshapes her relationship with Mary, her partner, revealing—in the midst of crisis—a love story.Filled with candor, vulnerability, and resilience, Guthrie upends the “pink ribbon” narrative and offers a unique perspective on womanhood, what it means to be “whole,” and the importance of women advocating for their desires. Flat is a story about how she found the strength to forge an unconventional path—one of listening to her body—that she’d been on all along.

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Regina Brett

Life's Little Detours : 50 Lessons to Find and Hold onto Happiness

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Writing with a deft touch, cancer survivor Regina Brett shares her 50 lessons on how to find and hold on to happiness.

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Lori Gottlieb

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone : A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed

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Lori Gottlieb's "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" provides a unique perspective on therapy, taking readers behind the scenes of therapeutic sessions. Gottlieb's own struggles and experiences as both a therapist and a patient make for an engaging and insightful read. The book showcases the transformative power of therapy and validates the emotional struggles we face as humans.

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Frank McCourt

Angela's Ashes : A Memoir of a Childhood

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Imbued on every page with Frank McCourt's astounding humor and compassion. This is a glorious book that bears all the marks of a classic."When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." So begins the Pulitzer Prize winning memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. Frank's mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank's father, Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy—exasperating, irresponsible and beguiling—does nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he can provide: a story. Frank lives for his father's tales of Cuchulain, who saved Ireland, and of the Angel on the Seventh Step, who brings his mother babies. Perhaps it is story that accounts for Frank's survival. Wearing rags for diapers, begging a pig's head for Christmas dinner and gathering coal from the roadside to light a fire, Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors—yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance and remarkable forgiveness. Angela's Ashes, imbued on every page with Frank McCourt's astounding humor and compassion, is a glorious book that bears all the marks of a classic.

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Jung Chang

Empress Dowager Cixi : The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

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A woman, an Empress of immense wealth who was largely a prisoner within the compound walls of her palaces, a mother, a ruthless enemy, and a brilliant strategist: Chang makes a compelling case that Cixi was one of the most formidable and enlightened rulers of any nation. Cixi led an intense and singular life. Chosen at the age of 12 to be a concubine by the Emperor Xianfeng, she gave birth to his only male heir who at four was designated Emperor when his father died in 1861. In a brilliant move, the young woman enlisted the help of the Emperor's widow and the two women orchestrated a coup that ousted the regents and made Cixi sole Regent. Untrained and untaught, the two studied history and politics together, ruling the huge nation from behind a curtain. When her boy died, Cixi designated a young nephew as Emperor, continuing her reign till her death in 1908. Chang gives us a complex, riveting portrait of Cixi through a reign as long as that of her fellow Empress, Victoria, whom she longed to meet: her ruthlessness in fighting off rivals; her curiosity to learn; her reliance on Westerners who she placed in key positions; and her sensitivity and desire to preserve the distinctiveness of China's past while overturning traditions (she, as Chang reveals--not Mao, as he claimed--banned footbinding) and exposing its culture to western ideas and technology.

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Ben Mezrich

Sex on the Moon

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Thad Roberts, a fellow in a prestigious NASA programme had an idea - a romantic, albeit crazy, idea. He wanted to give his girlfriend the moon. Literally. Thad convinced his girlfriend and another female accomplice, both NASA interns, to break into an impenetrable laboratory at NASA's headquarters - past security checkpoints, and electronically locked door with cipher security codes and camera-lined hallways - and help him steal the most precious objects in the Apollo moon rocks from every moon landing in history. Was Thad Roberts - undeniably gifted, picked for one of the most competitive scientific posts imaginable - really what he seemed? And what does one do with an item so valuable that it's illegal even to own? Based on meticulous research into thousands of pages of court records, FBI transcripts and documents, and scores of interviews with the people involved, Mezrich - with his signature high-velocity swagger - has reconstructed the madcap story of genius, love, and duplicity all centred on a heist that reads like a Hollywood thrill ride.

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Robert Jobson

Prince Philip's Century 1921-2021 : The Extraordinary Life of the Duke of Edinburgh

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This book is a must-read for those wanting to understand the extraordinary life of Prince Philip. Robert Jobson provides a detailed account of his life and achievements while respecting the delicate balance of his supporting role to the Queen. The book showcases his determination to modernize and promote environmental campaigns while encouraging young people to achieve their objectives through the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. In summary, this biography tells the story of a remarkable man who is known the world over but whose greatest achievement was to be a loyal husband, companion, father, and grandfather.

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John Waters

Carsick

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John Waters is putting his life on the line. Armed with wit, a pencil-thin moustache, and a cardboard sign that reads 'I'm Not Psycho', he hitchhikes across America from Baltimore to San Francisco, braving lonely roads and treacherous drivers. But who should we be more worried about, the delicate film director with genteel manners or the unsuspecting travelers transporting the Pope of Trash? Along the way, Waters fantasizes about the best and worst possible a friendly drug dealer hands over piles of cash to finance films with no questions asked, a demolition-derby driver makes a filthy sexual request in the middle of a race, a gun-toting drunk terrorizes and holds him hostage, and a Kansas vice squad entraps and throws him in jail. So what really happens when this cult legend sticks out his thumb and faces the open road? Laced with subversive humour and warm intelligence, Carsick is an unforgettable ride with a wickedly funny companion - and a celebration of America's weird, astonishing, and generous citizens.

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Donnie Eichar

Dead Mountain - The Untold True Story Of The Dyatlov Pass Incident

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This book is perfect for the mystery enthusiast who loves diving deep into true events. With access to personal journals, government records, and interviews, the author skillfully weaves together the hikers' story, the investigators' efforts, and his own investigations. Prepare to be captivated by the eerie details and the author's journey into the heart of the Russian winter.

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Hyeonseo Lee, David John

The Girl with Seven Names : A North Korean Defector's Story

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This book is a gripping and harrowing account of one woman's journey to escape the oppressive regime of North Korea. It provides a rare and intimate insight into the hardships and brutality of life under a dictatorship, as well as the resilience and courage it takes to seek freedom. Hyeonseo Lee's story is not only a testament to the strength of the human spirit, but also a reminder of the power of hope and the determination to build a better life against all odds.

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Jonathan Harr

The Lost Painting : The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece

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The Lost Painting tells the story of an Italian graduate student Francesca Cappelletti, who discovers a clue that leads to the search for a lost painting. This book is perfect for art enthusiasts who love a good mystery and want to learn about Caravaggio's life and paintings. Harr's narrative style creates suspense and adventure that keep readers hooked until the very end.

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Albert Einstein

The World As I See It

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In a group of essays, letters, and speeches, Einstein relates his views on politics, religion, morality, and the place of science in the modern world

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Anthony Ray Hinton

The Sun Does Shine : How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row (Oprah's Book Club Summer 2018 Selection)

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**WINNER OF THE 2019 MOORE PRIZE ****THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**‘A riveting account of the multiple outrages of the criminal justice system of Alabama. A harrowing masterpiece’ Guardian‘Hinton somehow navigates through his rage and despair to a state of forgiveness and grace’ IndependentAt age 29, Anthony Ray Hinton was wrongfully charged with robbery and murder, and sentenced to death by electrocution for crimes he didn’t commit. The only thing he had in common with the perpetrator was the colour of his skin.Anthony spent the next 28 years of his life on death row, watching fellow inmates march to their deaths, knowing he would follow soon.Hinton’s incredible story reveals the injustices and inherent racism of the American legal system, but it is also testament to the hope and humanity in us all.‘You will be swept away in this unbelievable, dramatic true story’ Oprah Winfrey

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Stuart Jeffries

Grand Hotel Abyss : The Lives of the Frankfurt School

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“Marvelously entertaining, exciting and informative.” — Guardian“An engaging and accessible history.” — New York Review of BooksThis group biography is “an exhilarating page-turner” and “outstanding critical introduction” to the work and legacy of the Frankfurt School, and the great 20th-century thinkers who created it ( Washington Post ).In 1923, a group of young radical German thinkers and intellectuals came together to at Victoria Alle 7, Frankfurt, determined to explain the workings of the modern world. Among the most prominent members of what became the Frankfurt School were the philosophers Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, and Herbert Marcuse. Not only would they change the way we think, but also the subjects we deem worthy of intellectual investigation. Their lives, like their ideas, profoundly, sometimes tragically, reflected and shaped the shattering events of the twentieth century.Grand Hotel Abyss combines biography, philosophy, and storytelling to reveal how the Frankfurt thinkers gathered in hopes of understanding the politics of culture during the rise of fascism. Some of them, forced to escape the horrors of Nazi Germany, later found exile in the United States. Benjamin, with his last great work—the incomplete Arcades Project —in his suitcase, was arrested in Spain and committed suicide when threatened with deportation to Nazi-occupied France. On the other side of the Atlantic, Adorno failed in his bid to become a Hollywood screenwriter, denounced jazz, and even met Charlie Chaplin in Malibu.After the war, there was a resurgence of interest in the School. From the relative comfort of sun-drenched California, Herbert Marcuse wrote the classic One Dimensional Man , which influenced the 1960s counterculture and thinkers such as Angela Davis; while in a tragic coda, Adorno died from a heart attack following confrontations with student radicals in Berlin.By taking popular culture seriously as an object of study—whether it was film, music, ideas, or consumerism—the Frankfurt School elaborated upon the nature and crisis of our mass-produced, mechanized society. Grand Hotel Abyss shows how much these ideas still tell us about our age of social media and runaway consumption.

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William N. Thorndike Jr.

The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success : Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success

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This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding what it takes to be a successful CEO. Through the stories of eight unconventional CEOs, it reveals a completely different approach to corporate management. These CEOs prioritize long-term shareholder returns, have exceptional capital allocation skills, and value cash flow over reported earnings. By charting their own course and focusing on per share value, they achieved extraordinary performance that outperformed the market by a factor of twenty. If you're looking for a refreshing and counterintuitive perspective on leadership and investing, this book is for you.

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Anne Frank

The Diary of a Young Girl

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Anne Frank's extraordinary diary, written in the Amsterdam attic where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years, has become a world classic and a timeless testament to the human spirit. Now, in a new edition enriched by many passages originally withheld by her father, we meet an Anne more real, more human, and more vital than ever. Here she is first and foremost a teenage girl—stubbornly honest, touchingly vulnerable, in love with life. She imparts her deeply secret world of soul-searching and hungering for affection, rebellious clashes with her mother, romance and newly discovered sexuality, and wry, candid observations of her companions. Facing hunger, fear of discovery and death, and the petty frustrations of such confined quarters, Anne writes with adult wisdom and views beyond her years. Her story is that of every teenager, lived out in conditions few teenagers have ever known.

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Usain Bolt

Faster than Lightning: My Autobiography

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A must-read for sports enthusiasts and aspiring athletes; Bolt's humble beginnings and infectious charisma make his journey to international stardom a fascinating and inspiring read.

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Demi Lovato

Staying Strong : 365 Days a Year

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Staying Strong: 365 days a year by Demi Lovato could be a good read for young people dealing with mental health issues or those in need of daily affirmations for emotional support and motivation. It is unique as it is an honest and personal collection of Demi’s most powerful insights, providing readers with a daily dose of motivation, goal-setting, and self-reflection. The book is a testament to Demi's struggles, advocacy for young people, and her ability to stand up and fight back in the face of adversity.

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Azar Nafisi

Reading Lolita in Tehran : A Memoir in Books

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Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the girls in Azar Nafisi's living room risked removing their veils and immersed themselves in the worlds of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. In this extraordinary memoir, their stories become intertwined with the ones they are reading. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny and a celebration of the liberating power of literature.

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Marianne Boucher

Talking To Strangers - A Memoir Of My Escape From A Cult

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This book could be a good read for you if you are fascinated by stories of escape and redemption. Marianne's captivating graphic memoir takes you on a journey into the depths of a cult, showcasing the power of brainwashing and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a chilling account of manipulation, but ultimately a story of strength and reclaiming one's identity.

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Marjane Satrapi, Anjali Singh

Persepolis 2 : Story of a Return

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Persepolis 2 could be a good read for those interested in the history and culture of Iran, as well as the experiences of young people growing up in challenging and uncertain times. Marjane's journey is one of rebellion and growth, as she struggles to find her place in the world while also challenging the oppressive forces around her. Through her art and her relationships, she explores themes of identity, belonging, and self-discovery that many readers will find relatable and inspiring. However, the book is also a sobering reminder of the human cost of fundamentalism and repression, and may be difficult for some readers to stomach. Overall, Persepolis 2 is a powerful and thought-provoking memoir that offers valuable insights into a fascinating period in Iranian history.

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Omar Saif Ghobash

Letters to a Young Muslim

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**A New York Times Editor's Pick**From the Ambassador of the UAE to Russia comes Letters to a Young Muslim, a bold and intimate exploration of what it means to be a Muslim in the twenty-first century.In a series of personal and insightful letters to his sons, Omar Saif Ghobash offers a vital manifesto that tackles the dilemmas facing not only young Muslims but everyone navigating the complexities of today’s world. Full of wisdom and thoughtful reflections on faith, culture and society. This is a courageous and essential book that celebrates individuality whilst recognising it is our shared humanity that brings us together.Written with the experience of a diplomat and the personal responsibility of a father; Ghobash’s letters offer understanding and balance in a world that rarely offers any. An intimate and hopeful glimpse into a sphere many are unfamiliar with; it provides an understanding of the everyday struggles Muslims face around the globe.*One of Time 's Most Anticipated Books of 2017, a Bustle Best Nonfiction Pick for January 2017, a Chicago Review of Books Best Book to Read in January 2017, a Stylist Magazine Best Book of 2017, included in New Statesman 's What to Read in 2017*

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Bela Shayevich, Svetlana Alexievich

Secondhand Time - An Oral History Of The Fall Of The Soviet Union

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The magnum opus and latest work from Svetlana Alexievich, the 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature—a symphonic oral history about the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the emergence of a new RussiaWhen the Swedish Academy awarded Svetlana Alexievich the Nobel Prize, it cited her for inventing “a new kind of literary genre,” describing her work as “a history of emotions—a history of the soul.” Alexievich’s distinctive documentary style, combining extended individual monologues with a collage of voices, records the stories of ordinary women and men who are rarely given the opportunity to speak, whose experiences are often lost in the official histories of the nation.In Secondhand Time, Alexievich chronicles the demise of communism. Everyday Russian citizens recount the past thirty years, showing us what life was like during the fall of the Soviet Union and what it’s like to live in the new Russia left in its wake. Through interviews spanning 1991 to 2012, Alexievich takes us behind the propaganda and contrived media accounts, giving us a panoramic portrait of contemporary Russia and Russians who still carry memories of oppression, terror, famine, massacres—but also of pride in their country, hope for the future, and a belief that everyone was working and fighting together to bring about a utopia. Here is an account of life in the aftermath of an idea so powerful it once dominated a third of the world.A magnificent tapestry of the sorrows and triumphs of the human spirit woven by a master, Secondhand Time tells the stories that together make up the true history of a nation. “Through the voices of those who confided in her,” The Nation writes, “Alexievich tells us about human nature, about our dreams, our choices, about good and evil—in a word, about ourselves.”

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Åsne Seierstad

One of Us : The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway

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A harrowing and thorough account of the massacre that upended Norway, and the trial that helped put the country back togetherOn July 22, 2011, Anders Behring Breivik detonated a bomb outside government buildings in central Oslo, killing eight people. He then proceeded to a youth camp on the island of Utøya, where he killed sixty-nine more, most of them teenage members of Norway’s governing Labour Party. In The Island, the journalist Åsne Seierstad tells the story of this terrible day and what led up to it. What made Breivik, a gifted child from an affluent neighborhood in Oslo, become a terrorist?     As in her bestseller The Bookseller of Kabul, Seierstad excels at the vivid portraiture of lives under stress. She delves deep into Breivik’s troubled childhood, showing how a hip-hop and graffiti aficionado became a right-wing activist and Internet game addict, and then an entrepreneur, Freemason, and self-styled master warrior who sought to “save Norway” from the threat of Islam and multiculturalism. She writes with equal intimacy about Breivik’s victims, tracing their political awakenings, aspirations to improve their country, and ill-fated journeys to the island. By the time Seierstad reaches Utøya, we know both the killer and those he will kill. We have also gotten to know an entire country—famously peaceful and prosperous, and utterly incapable of protecting its youth.

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William Cookson

Guide to the Cantos of Ezra Pound

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In this essential guide to one of the most difficult yet rewarding poems of the twentieth century, William Cookson (who began corresponding with Pound as a schoolboy in 1957) draws on a deep and intimate knowledge of Pound's life and work. This edition incorporates much new information and has been substantially revised and expanded. William Cookson gives lucid critical overviews to the various sections of the poem, clarifying its purpose and structure and explaining the views on literature, history and economics that inform Pound's poetry. His detailed commentary on each canto addresses the major stumbling-blocks for readers by translating foreign phrases, identifying quotations and explaining allusions.

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Camas Davis

KILLING IT - Learning The Art Of Butchery

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Recommendation: This book is perfect for those who want to learn the intricate and beautiful art of butchery through a historical perspective. The author provides a step-by-step guide on how to cut different types of meat and explains the background behind the various techniques. This book is perfect for those who want to take their culinary expertise to the next level.

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Leigh Gallagher

The Airbnb Story : How Three Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions of Dollars ... and Plenty of Enemies

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The Airbnb Story tells the captivating tale of how Airbnb came to be one of the largest providers of accommodations in the world in less than a decade. This book is fit for entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts who are looking to learn more about one of Silicon Valley's top-tier startups. It not only captures the remarkable journey of Airbnb, but also dives into the disruptive nature of the hotel industry. Leigh Gallagher provides insights into the controversies that the company has faced, along with the challenges that arose as a result of public rental in private neighbourhoods. The book also takes an in-depth look at Brian Chesky, the curious co-founder and CEO of Airbnb. Anyone looking to be inspired by unconventional ideas would find this book an exciting read.

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Samantha Irby

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life. : Essays

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Sometimes you just have to laugh, even when life is a dumpster fire. With We Are Never Meeting in Real Life., "bitches gotta eat" blogger and comedian Samantha Irby turns the serio-comic essay into an art form. Whether talking about how her difficult childhood has led to a problem in making "adult" budgets, explaining why she should be the new Bachelorette--she's "35-ish, but could easily pass for 60-something"--detailing a disastrous pilgrimage-slash-romantic-vacation to Nashville to scatter her estranged father's ashes, sharing awkward sexual encounters, or dispensing advice on how to navigate friendships with former drinking buddies who are now suburban moms--hang in there for the Costco loot--she's as deft at poking fun at the ghosts of her past self as she is at capturing powerful emotional truths.Chapter titles:My Bachelorette application --A blues for Fred --The miracle porker --Do you guys pay your fucking bills or what? --You don't have to be grateful for sex --A Christmas carol --Happy birthday --A case for remaining indoors --A total attack of the heart --A civil union --Mavis --Fuck it, bitch. Stay fat --Nashville hot chicken --I'm in love and it's boring --A bomb, probably --The real housewife of Kalamazoo --Thirteen questions to ask before getting married --Yo, I need a job --Feelings are a mistake --We are never meeting in real life

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John Glatt

The Prince of Paradise : The True Story of a Hotel Heir, His Seductive Wife, and a Ruthless Murder

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"The Prince of Paradise" is a gripping true crime story that explores the dark underbelly of wealth and privilege. Glatt's writing is masterful, painting a vivid picture of the luxurious lifestyle of Ben Novack Jr. and the depravity of his ex-stripper wife Narcy. The twisting plot, which encompasses the murder of Novack Jr., the death of his mother, and the involvement of their own daughter, will keep you on the edge of your seat. A must-read for fans of true crime and anyone intrigued by the shadow side of paradise.

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John le Carré

The Pigeon Tunnel - Stories From My Life

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“Recounted with the storytelling élan of a master raconteur — by turns dramatic and funny, charming, tart and melancholy.” -Michiko Kakutani,  The New York TimesThe New York Times bestselling memoir from John le Carré, the legendary author of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy ;  The Spy Who Came in from the Cold ; and  The Night Manager , now an Emmy-nominated television series starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.  John le Carré’s new novel , A Legacy of Spies,  is now available.From his years serving in British Intelligence during the Cold War, to a career as a writer that took him from war-torn Cambodia to Beirut on the cusp of the 1982 Israeli invasion to Russia before and after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, le Carré has always written from the heart of modern times. In this, his first memoir, le Carré is as funny as he is incisive, reading into the events he witnesses the same moral ambiguity with which he imbues his novels. Whether he's writing about the parrot at a Beirut hotel that could perfectly mimic machine gun fire or the opening bars of Beethoven’s Fifth; visiting Rwanda’s museums of the unburied dead in the aftermath of the genocide; celebrating New Year’s Eve 1982 with Yasser Arafat and his high command; interviewing a German woman terrorist in her desert prison in the Negev; listening to the wisdoms of the great physicist, dissident, and Nobel Prize winner Andrei Sakharov; meeting with two former heads of the KGB; watching Alec Guinness prepare for his role as George Smiley in the legendary BBC TV adaptations of  Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy  and Smiley’s People ; or describing the female aid worker who inspired the main character in  The Constant Gardener , le Carré endows each happening with vividness and humor, now making us laugh out loud, now inviting us to think anew about events and people we believed we understood.Best of all, le Carré gives us a glimpse of a writer’s journey over more than six decades, and his own hunt for the human spark that has given so much life and heart to his fictional characters.

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Chrissie Wellington

A Life Without Limits : A World Champion's Journey

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"A Life Without Limits" is an inspiring read for anyone looking for motivation to overcome obstacles and push themselves to their physical and mental limits. Chrissie's remarkable achievement of becoming a world champion Ironman triathlete in only her second event at the Ironman level, and her unwavering determination to bounce back from setbacks, makes this book a must-read for all sports enthusiasts. The book highlights how passion and resilience can triumph over any obstacle and encourages readers to strive for excellence in every aspect of their life.

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Eugene O'Kelly, Corinne O'Kelly

Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life

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THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Chasing Daylight is the honest, touching, and ultimately inspirational memoir of former KPMG CEO Eugene O'Kelley, completed in the three-and-a-half months between his diagnosis with brain cancer and his death in September 2005. Its haunting yet extraordinarily hopeful voice reminds us to embrace the fragile, fleeting moments of our lives-the brief time we have with our family, our friends, and even ourselves. This paperback edition features a new foreword by his wife, Corinne O'Kelley and a readers' group guide and questions. “Voicing universal truths . . . shared . . . simply and clearly.”-Janet Malin, New York Times “Words to live by.”-Kerry Hannon, USA Today “One of the most unexpected and touching books you're likely to read this year.”-Edward Nawotka, Bloomberg News “An honest, thought-provoking memoir . . . O'Kelly has many lessons to teach us on how to live.”-Steve Powers, Houston Chronicle “[A] well-written and moving book.”-TheEconomist.com

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Sheila Kohler

Once We Were Sisters : A Memoir

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ONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S BEST NEW BOOKS "A searing and intimate memoir about love turned deadly." --The BBC "An intimate illumination of sisterhood and loss." --People When Sheila Kohler was thirty-seven, she received the heart-stopping news that her sister Maxine, only two years older, was killed when her husband drove them off a deserted road in Johannesburg. Stunned by the news, she immediately flew back to the country where she was born, determined to find answers and forced to reckon with his history of violence and the lingering effects of their most unusual childhood--one marked by death and the misguided love of their mother. In her signature spare and incisive prose, Sheila Kohler recounts the lives she and her sister led. Flashing back to their storybook childhood at the family estate, Crossways, Kohler tells of the death of her father when she and Maxine were girls, which led to the family abandoning their house and the girls being raised by their mother, at turns distant and suffocating. We follow them to the cloistered Anglican boarding school where they first learn of separation and later their studies in Rome and Paris where they plan grand lives for themselves--lives that are interrupted when both marry young and discover they have made poor choices. Kohler evokes the bond between sisters and shows how that bond changes but never breaks, even after death. "A beautiful and disturbing memoir of a beloved sister who died at the age of thirty-nine in circumstances that strongly suggest murder. . . . Highly recommended." --Joyce Carol Oates

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Henry Fraser

The Little Big Things : The Inspirational Memoir of the Year

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"The Little Big Things" is an inspiring memoir that teaches readers how to find the positive in every situation, no matter how dire. Henry Fraser's story of overcoming his paralysis will motivate readers to embrace life and conquer their own challenges. The unique aspect of this book is Henry's message that every day is a good day, and readers will finish feeling empowered to face any obstacle with a positive mindset. Highly recommended for anyone looking for inspiration and motivation to conquer their own challenges.

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Pierre Rigoulot, Kang Chol-Hwan

The Aquariums of Pyongyang

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The Aquariums of Pyongyang is a must-read for those interested in learning about the atrocities that occur in North Korean concentration camps. Kang Chol-Hwan's account of his personal suffering is a moving and eye-opening insight into the horrors faced by thousands of detained individuals in North Korea's gulags. This book serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship and provides an important historical and political perspective on the country's regime.

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John Muir

My First Summer In The Sierra

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In the summer of 1869, John Muir, a young Scottish immigrant, joined a crew of shepherds in the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. The diary he kept while tending sheep formed the heart of this book and eventually lured thousands of Americans to visit Yosemite country.First published in 1911, My First Summer in the Sierra incorporates the lyrical accounts and sketches he produced during his four-month stay in the Yosemite River Valley and the High Sierra. His record tracks that memorable experience, describing in picturesque terms the majestic vistas, flora and fauna, and other breathtaking natural wonders of the area.Today, Muir is recognized as one of the most important and influential naturalists and nature writers in America. This book, the most popular of the author's works, will delight environmentalists and nature lovers with its exuberant observations.

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Eddie Jones

My Life and Rugby : The Autobiography

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The book would be a great read for rugby enthusiasts who want to learn from one of the most experienced and celebrated coaches in Rugby Union. Eddie Jones shares his challenges and successes, including his inside story of England's 2019 World Cup campaign. This autobiography by Eddie Jones is a candid and honest account of his life and his journey towards being one of the best coaches in the world of rugby.

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Anthony Bourdain

A Cook's Tour

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Anthony Bourdain, life-long line cook and bestselling author of "Kitchen Confidential", sets off to eat his way around the world. But being Anthony Bourdain, this was never going to be a conventional culinary tour. Bourdain heads out to Saigon where he eats the still-beating heart of a live cobra, and travels deep into landmined Khmer Rouge territory to find the rumoured Wild West of Cambodia (Pailin). Other stops include dining with gangsters in Russia, a medieval pig slaughter and feast in northern Portugal, the Basque All Male Gastronomique Society in Saint Sebastian, rural Mexico with his Mexican sous-chef, a pilgrimage to the French Laundry in the Napa Valley and a return to his roots in the tiny fishing village of La Teste, where he first ate an oyster as a child. Written with the inimitable machismo and humour that has made Tony Bourdain such a sensation, "A Cook's Tour" is an adventure story sure to give you indigestion.

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Marcus Butler

Hello Life!

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Hello Life! is a fun and relatable read for young adults who need a little guidance. Marcus Butler is refreshingly honest about his own life experiences and offers practical advice on everything from relationships to nutrition. Readers will enjoy his humorous anecdotes and feel inspired to make positive changes in their own lives.

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Anna Faris, Chris Pratt

Unqualified

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Recommendation: Unqualified is a hilarious and heartwarming book by the popular actress, Anna Faris. Through funny stories about her own romantic misadventures, she offers unique advice for navigating the unpredictable waters of love. This book is perfect for anyone looking for a candid, offbeat take on the challenges of finding love.

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Rosecrans Baldwin

Paris, I Love You But You're Bringi

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Paris, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down would be a great read for anyone who has ever dreamed of moving to a foreign country but found the reality to be different than expected. Baldwin's honest and funny memoir captures the challenges and frustrations of living in Paris as an American expat. The unique feature of the book is its ability to balance the romanticized idea of Paris with the harsh realities of navigating a new culture and language. It is a must-read for anyone seeking a realistic and entertaining glimpse into expat life.

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Tina Brown

The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992

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Recommendation: - Entertaining and insightful, this book offers a behind-the-scenes look into the competitive world of New York media in the 80s and 90s. Tina Brown's diary takes readers on a wild ride, filled with juicy scoops and scandalous covers that defined an era. With its witty observations and insider anecdotes, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the glamour and drama of the publishing industry.

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Dave Bruno

The 100 Thing Challenge : How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul

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Dave Bruno relates how he remade his life and regained his soul by getting rid of almost everything. But The 100 Thing Challenge is more than just the story of how one man started a movement to unhook himself from consumerism by winnowing his life’s possessions down to 100 things in one year. It’s also an inspiring, invigorating guide to how we all can begin to live simpler, more meaningful lives.

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Mike Hayes

Never Enough : A Navy Seal Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning

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In Never Enough , Mike Hayes―former Commander of SEAL Team TWO―helps readers apply high-stakes lessons about excellence, agility, and meaning across their personal and professional lives.Mike Hayes has lived a lifetime of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. He has been held at gunpoint and threatened with execution. He’s jumped out of a building rigged to explode, helped amputate a teammate’s leg, and made countless split-second life-and-death decisions. He’s written countless emails to his family, telling them how much he loves them, just in case those were the last words of his they’d ever read. Outside of the SEALs, he’s run meetings in the White House Situation Room, negotiated international arms treaties, and developed high-impact corporate strategies.Over his many years of leadership, he has always strived to be better, to contribute more, and to put others first. That’s what makes him an effective leader, and it’s the quality that he’s identified in all of the great leaders he’s encountered. That continual striving to lift those around him has filled Mike’s life with meaning and purpose, has made him secure in the knowledge that he brings his best to everything he does, and has made him someone others can rely on.In Never Enough , Mike Hayes recounts dramatic stories and offers battle- and boardroom-tested advice that will motivate readers to do work of value, live lives of purpose, and stretch themselves to reach their highest potential.

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Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg

How Google Works

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Seasoned Google executives Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg provide an insider's guide to Google, from its business history and disruptive corporate strategy to developing a new managment philosophy and creating a corporate culture where innovation and creativity thrive.Seasoned Google executives Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg provide an insider's guide to Google, from its business history and disruptive corporate strategy to developing a new managment philosophy and creating a corporate culture where innovation and creativity thrive.Google Executive Chairman and ex-CEO Eric Schmidt and former SVP of Products Jonathan Rosenberg came to Google over a decade ago as proven technology executives. At the time, the company was already well-known for doing things differently, reflecting the visionary-and frequently contrarian-principles of founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. If Eric and Jonathan were going to succeed, they realized they would have to relearn everything they thought they knew about management and business.Today, Google is a global icon that regularly pushes the boundaries of innovation in a variety of fields. How Google Works is an entertaining, page-turning primer containing lessons that Eric and Jonathan learned as they helped build the company. The authors explain how technology has shifted the balance of power from companies to consumers, and that the only way to succeed in this ever-changing landscape is to create superior products and attract a new breed of multifaceted employees whom Eric and Jonathan dub "smart creatives."Covering topics including corporate culture, strategy, talent, decision-making, communication, innovation, and dealing with disruption, the authors illustrate management maxims ("Consensus requires dissension," "Exile knaves but fight for divas," "Think 10X, not 10%") with numerous insider anecdotes from Google's history, many of which are shared here for the first time.In an era when everything is speeding up, the best way for businesses to succeed is to attract smart-creative people and give them an environment where they can thrive at scale. How Google Works explains how to do just that.

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Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow

The Last Lecture : Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams - Lessons in Living

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"The Last Lecture" strikes a personal chord as it distills the life lessons Randy Pausch wanted to leave behind, particularly about achieving dreams and facing obstacles. The author doesn't focus on his impending death but chooses to highlight the vitality of life and the importance of legacy. It's an inspiring read that offers perspective on what truly matters, making it a powerful and motivating book for anyone looking to reflect on their own life and aspirations.

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Paramahansa Yogananda

Autobiography of a Yogi

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This is the first time that an authentic hindu yogi has written his life story for a western audience. Describing in vivid detail his many years of spiritual training under a christlike master-sri yukteswar of serampore, bengal-yogananda has here revealed a fascinating and little-known phase of modern india. The subtle but definite laws by which yogis perform miracles and attain complete self-mastery are explained with a scientific clarity. There are colorful chapters on the author's visits to mahatma gandhi, sri jagadis chandra bose, and rabindranath tagore. The section dealing with yogananda's western experiences includes a chapter on his great friend, luther burbank, and an account of the author's pilgrimage to bavaria in 1935 to meet therese neumann, the amazing catholic stigmatist. After establishing a high school with yoga training at ranchi, india, yogananda came to america in 1920 as the indian delegate to the international congress of religious liberals. He has lectured extensively in the united states and abroad, and is the founder of a yoga institute of encinitas, california. Yogananda is a graduate of calcutta university; he writes not only with unforgettable sincerity but with an incisive wit.

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Steve Dublanica

Waiter Rant - Behind The Scenes Of Eating Out

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Most restaurant customers are nice people, but a few are socially maladjusted psychopaths who relish giving their waiters a hard time. 'Waiter Rant' gives the inside scoop on what really goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant, how to be a good customer and get great service.

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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.