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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Walter Isaacson

Benjamin Franklin : An American Life

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In this authoritative and engrossing full-scale biography, Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Einstein and Steve Jobs, shows how the most fascinating of America's founders helped define our national character.Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us, the one who seems made of flesh rather than marble. In a sweeping narrative that follows Franklin’s life from Boston to Philadelphia to London and Paris and back, Walter Isaacson chronicles the adventures of the runaway apprentice who became, over the course of his eighty-four-year life, America’s best writer, inventor, media baron, scientist, diplomat, and business strategist, as well as one of its most practical and ingenious political leaders. He explores the wit behind Poor Richard’s Almanac and the wisdom behind the Declaration of Independence, the new nation’s alliance with France, the treaty that ended the Revolution, and the compromises that created a near-perfect Constitution. In this colorful and intimate narrative, Isaacson provides the full sweep of Franklin’s amazing life, showing how he helped to forge the American national identity and why he has a particular resonance in the twenty-first century.

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Primo Levi

The Drowned and the Saved

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The Drowned and the Saved is a must-read book for anyone interested in understanding the Holocaust and its long-term impact. Through his honest and powerful essays, Primo Levi challenges the popular narratives about the Holocaust and sheds light on the experiences of both victims and oppressors. His introspective approach to memory and trauma makes this book a valuable resource for students and literary readers alike. His personal experiences as a survivor bring the Holocaust to life and honor the resiliency of the human spirit.

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Barack Obama

The Audacity of Hope - Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

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#1  NEW YORK TIMES  BESTSELLER • Barack Obama’s lucid vision of America’s place in the world and call for a new kind of politics that builds upon our shared understandings as Americans, based on his years in the Senate “In our lowdown, dispiriting era, Obama’s talent for proposing humane, sensible solutions with uplifting, elegant prose does fill one with hope.”—Michael Kazin,  The Washington Post In July 2004, four years before his presidency, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Obama called “the audacity of hope.”The Audacity of Hope  is Barack Obama’s call for a different brand of politics—a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship   and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces—from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media—that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.At the heart of this book is Barack Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats—from terrorism to pandemic—that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy—where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, Obama says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes—“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”

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Armen Keteyian

Tiger Woods : Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2018

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Tiger Woods is a captivating psychological profile of one of the greatest athletes of all time, who rose to unprecedented fame and fortune, only to have it all come crashing down due to his deeply flawed character. This is a well-researched, impeccably written and unbiased account of one of the most exciting and controversial sports figures in history. Despite his personal failings, Tiger's sheer talent, hard work, and tenacity have made him into a living legend, whose story is sure to inspire and entertain a wide range of readers.

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The School of Life, Stuart Patience, Alain de Botton

Great Thinkers : Simple Tools from 60 Great Thinkers to Improve Your Life Today

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This is a collection of some of the most important ideas of Eastern and Western culture — drawn from the works of those philosophers, political theorists, sociologists, artists and novelists whom we believe have the most to offer to us today. We've worked hard to make the thinkers in this book clear, relevant and charming, mining the history of knowledge to bring you the ideas we think have the greatest important to our times. This book contains the canon of The School of Life, the gallery of individuals across the millennia who help to frame our intellectual project — and we will have succeeded if, in the days and years ahead, you find yourself turning to our thinkers to illuminate the multiple dilemmas, joys and griefs of daily life.

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Michael Lewis

The Undoing Project : A Friendship that Changed the World

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Bestselling author Michael Lewis examines how a Nobel Prize–winning theory of the mind altered our perception of reality.Forty years ago, Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky wrote a series of breathtakingly original studies undoing our assumptions about the decision-making process. Their papers showed the ways in which the human mind erred, systematically, when forced to make judgments about uncertain situations. Their work created the field of behavioral economics, revolutionized Big Data studies, advanced evidence-based medicine, led to a new approach to government regulation, and made much of Michael Lewis’s own work possible. Kahneman and Tversky are more responsible than anybody for the powerful trend to mistrust human intuition and defer to algorithms.The Undoing Project is about the fascinating collaboration between two men who have the dimensions of great literary figures. They became heroes in the university and on the battlefield―both had important careers in the Israeli military―and their research was deeply linked to their extraordinary life experiences. In the process they may well have changed, for good, mankind’s view of its own mind.

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Michael Lewis

The Big Short : Inside the Doomsday Machine

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"The Big Short" is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the 2008 financial crisis. Michael Lewis creates a gripping narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish with his signature blend of humor and indignation. The book's unique feature is its ability to make complex financial jargon accessible to everyone. It is perfect for those who enjoy true stories about finance and economics, or for anyone who wants to understand the underbelly of the American financial system. It's highly recommended for students of business, economics, and finance, as well as anyone interested in modern history and politics.

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J.D. Vance

Hillbilly Elegy : A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

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Hillbilly Elegy could be a good read for someone who wants to understand the struggles of America's working class and the impact of generational neglect. The author shares his personal story of growing up in poverty and struggling with abuse and trauma, while also addressing broader social and political issues. The book has been praised for its frank and unflinching portrayal of a segment of society often overlooked by mainstream media.

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Edmund Morris

Theodore Rex

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Theodore Roosevelt and his two-term presidency (1901-9) deserve a king-size, seize-the-man biography - and Edmund Morris has provided one. "TR" typifies the "can do" American; his famous maxim, of course, was "Speak softly but carry a big stick." Morris presents eyewitness history through the voices of the makers and shakers. His exhilarating narrative will captivate readers, providing welcome confirmation that this nation can produce presidents who bring leadership to great issues, hold to their purpose, and shape the destinies of nations. President McKinley's assassination brought the 43-year-old TR a challenging presidency, one to which Morris is a clearsighted guide. At home, TR had to persuade Congress to curb competition-stifling corporate trusts, monopolistic transcontinental railroads, and unhygienic food industries that saw consumers as sheep. He also faced labor and racial strife. Abroad, the American presence in Cuba and the Philippines brought criticism, the Russo-Japanese conflict threatened major power shifts in the Far East and Europe, and a politically and financially fraught decision on the Central American canal route - Panama or Nicaragua? - had to be made. TR rose to every challenge. Despite the demands of family and social life, he read, wrote, and traveled extensively. Not least, TR put national parks and conservation of natural resources on the legislative agenda.All TR's notable contemporaries - including historian Henry Adams, naturalists John Burroughs and John Muir, robber barons E. H. Harriman and James J. Hill, poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, financier J. P. Morgan, fellow politician William Howard Taft, civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, and novelist Owen Wister - appear onstage, their clear voices projecting the excitement of the day.Morris is blessed with the imagination and skills to write gripping popular history. He doesn't dilute but illuminates events in presenting an account that immediately sparks interest and captures the mind. Readers will note that American interventionism abroad (today's major issue) was much debated during TR's presidency, when major interventional imperatives challenged the new superpower's tradition of relative restraint in foreign affairs.Theodore Rex is the long-awaited second volume of the TR saga. Morris delivered the first volume, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt , in 1979. It won a Pulitzer Prize; Theodore Rex is a solid bet for another. (Peter Skinner)

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Kenan Trebincevic, Susan Shapiro

The Bosnia List : A Memoir of War, Exile, and Return

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A young survivor of the Bosnian War returns to his homeland to confront the people who betrayed his familyAt age eleven, Kenan Trebincevic was a happy, karate-loving kid living with his family in the quiet Eastern European town of Brcko. Then, in the spring of 1992, war broke out and his friends, neighbors and teammates all turned on him. Pero - Kenan's beloved karate coach - showed up at his door with an AK-47 - screaming: You have one hour to leave or be killed! Kenan's only crime: he was Muslim. This poignant, searing memoir chronicles Kenan's miraculous escape from the brutal ethnic cleansing campaign that swept the former Yugoslavia. After two decades in the United States, Kenan honors his father's wish to visit their homeland, making a list of what he wants to do there. Kenan decides to confront the former next door neighbor who stole from his mother, see the concentration camp where his Dad and brother were imprisoned, and stand on the grave of his first betrayer to make sure he's really dead. Back in the land of his birth, Kenan finds something more powerful--and shocking--than revenge.

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Adam Skolnick

One Breath : Freediving, Death, and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits

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Recommendation: "One Breath" is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the risks and rewards of the sport of freediving. Skolnick's masterfully crafted prose provides unparalleled access to the unique individuals who brave this hostile environment to test the limits of human ability. The tragic story of Nick Mevoli's untimely death is a reminder of the life-threatening risks involved, and will leave readers with a newfound appreciation for the courage and dedication of freedivers.

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James Baldwin

The Fire Next Time

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A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, The Fire Next Time galvanized the nation and gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement. At once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin’s early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice, the book is an intensely personal and provocative document. It consists of two “letters,” written on the occasion of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, that exhort Americans, both black and white, to attack the terrible legacy of racism. Described by The New York Times Book Review as “sermon, ultimatum, confession, deposition, testament, and chronicle…all presented in searing, brilliant prose,” The Fire Next Time stands as a classic of our literature.

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Oscar Lewis

The Children of Sanchez : Autobiography of a Mexican Family

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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.

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Christopher Wylie

Mindf*ck: Inside Cambridge Analytica’s Plot to Break the World

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If you're fascinated by the intersection of technology, psychology, and politics, "Mindf*ck: Inside Cambridge Analytica's Plot to Break the World" is a must-read. This gripping account by Christopher Wylie, a former insider, unveils the shocking tactics used by Cambridge Analytica to manipulate public opinion and influence elections. Prepare to have your perceptions challenged as you uncover the dark secrets of the political landscape.

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Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew: One Man’s View Of The World

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In this book, Lee draws on that wealth of experience and depth of insight to offer his views on today's world and what it might look like in 20 years. This is no dry geopolitical treatise. Nor is it a thematic account of the twists and turns in global affairs. Instead, in this broad-sweep narrative that takes in America, China, Asia and Europe, he parses their society, probes the psyche of the people and draws his conclusions about their chances for survival and just where they might land in the hierarchy of tomorrow's balance of power. What makes a society tick? What do its people really believe? Can it adapt? In spare, unflinching prose that eschews political correctness, he describes a China that remains obsessed with control from the centre on its way to an unstoppable rise; an America that will have to share its pre-eminence despite its never-say-die dynamism; and a Europe that struggles with the challenges of keeping its union intact. His candid and often startling views on why Japan is closed to foreigners, why the Arab Spring won't bring one man, one vote to the Middle East, and why preventing global warming is not going to be as fruitful as preparing for it; make this a fresh and gripping read. Lee completes the book by looking into the future of Singapore, his enduring concern and by offering the reader a glimpse into his personal life and his view of death. The book is interspersed with a Q&A section in each chapter, gleaned from conversations he had with journalists from The Straits Times.

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Reza Aslan

Zealot : The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

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Recommendation: Zealot offers a gripping account of Jesus' life, challenging conventional beliefs and shedding new light on the enigmatic figure. Reza Aslan delves into the tumultuous era in which Jesus lived, presenting a politically conscious revolutionary rather than a peaceful spiritual teacher. This thought-provoking book will compel believers and skeptics alike, offering a fresh perspective on one of history's greatest stories.

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Nelson Mandela

Long Walk To Freedom : Film Tie In

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Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is a must-read for those seeking inspiration and understanding of the triumph of human spirit against hardship and oppression. It showcases Mandela's unwavering commitment to justice, dignity, and freedom, making it a timeless classic for all generations. The memoirs recount his journey from a young boy in a South African village to becoming the first democratically elected black president of the country. It is an enthralling, emotive, and uplifting account of the experiences that helped shape Mandela's destiny and of the indomitable human spirit, illuminating the path to triumph over immense adversity.

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Samantha Power

The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir

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Samantha Power's memoir will resonate with you if you're someone who has ever dreamed of making a difference through public service. It's an inspiring look into how determination and a desire to improve the world can take someone from being an observer to a key player on the global stage. The blend of personal narrative with behind-the-scenes insights into international politics makes this a deeply humanizing and compelling read.

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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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This is the inside, behind-the-scenes story of airbnb -- the company reshaping how we travel. Two broke art school graduates set up a platform that – in six short years – became the largest provider of accommodation in the world. Now valued at $25.5 billion, it is in the very top tier of Silicon Valley ‘unicorn’ startups.Yet Airbnb has been controversial – disrupting a $500 billion hotel industry makes you a few enemies – and many regulators and politicians want to shut it down. Hotel owners don’t know whether to copy it or kill it, neighbours of Airbnb rentals complain about transient visitors, hosts report increases of damaged property, and some tech industry analysts think it’s grossly overvalued. Beyond the headlines and the horror stories, Airbnb has changed the terms of travel for a whole generation. People who care more about finding like-minded locals than hotel breakfasts, and which has found a platform to build trust between hosts and guests in a way that hotels have struggled to replicate.This is the first, definitive book to tell the remarkable story behind Airbnb in all its forms–cultural zeitgeist, hotel disruptor, enemy to regulators–and the first in-depth character study of its leader Brian Chesky, the thoughtful, curious 34-year old founder and CEO, by the journalist who knows him best. On the way we’ll discover why their business idea took root, the mistakes they made and how they learned from them, how they have grown surrounded by controversy, the parallels with Uber, and where they are going next.

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Graham Bowley

No Way Down : Life and Death on K2

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No Way Down: Life and Death on K2 is a perfect read for anyone who loves adventure and survival stories. The author, Graham Bowley, provides a gripping and harrowing account on the tragic events that took place on K2 in 2008. Bowley takes readers hour-by-hour through the disastrous climb, giving insight into the climbers' psyche and the harsh realities they faced. The book provides an extraordinary tale of human heroism and endurance that readers won't forget easily.

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Al Álvarez

The Savage God : A Study of Suicide

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Using the untimely death of the poet and friend, Sylvia Plath, as a point of departure, Al Alvarez confronts the controversial and often taboo area of human suicide. "The Savage God" explores the cultural attitudes, theories, truths and fallacies surrounding suicide and refracts them through the windows of philosophy, art and following the black thread leading from Dante, through Donne, Chatterton and the Romantic Agony, to Dada and Pavese. Entwined within this sensitive study is the author's deeply personal account of his own unsuccessful suicide attempt, and together they form the most fascinating and compelling meditation on the "Savage God" at the heart of human existence.

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David de Jong

Nazi Billionaires : The Dark History of Germany's Wealthiest Dynasties

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‘Lucid and damning … an absorbing – and infuriating – tale of complicity, coverup and denial’ PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE, author of EMPIRE OF PAINA groundbreaking investigation of how the Nazis helped German tycoons make billions from the horrors of the Third Reich and World War II – and how the world allowed them to get away with it. In 1946, Günther Quandt – patriarch of Germany’s most iconic industrial empire, a dynasty that today controls BMW – was arrested for suspected Nazi collaboration. Quandt claimed that he had been forced to join the party by his arch-rival, propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, and the courts acquitted him. But Quandt lied. And his heirs, and those of other Nazi billionaires, have only grown wealthier in the generations since, while their reckoning with this dark past remains incomplete at best. Many of them continue to control swaths of the world economy, owning iconic brands whose products blanket the globe. The brutal legacy of the dynasties that dominated Daimler-Benz, cofounded Allianz and still control Porsche, Volkswagen and BMW has remained hidden in plain sight – until now.In this landmark work, investigative journalist David de Jong reveals the true story of how Germany’s wealthiest business dynasties amassed untold money and power by abetting the atrocities of the Third Reich. Using a wealth of untapped sources, de Jong shows how these tycoons seized Jewish businesses, procured slave labourers and ramped up weapons production to equip Hitler’s army as Europe burnt around them. Most shocking of all, de Jong exposes how the wider world’s political expediency enabled these billionaires to get away with their crimes, covering up a bloodstain that defiles the German and global economy to this day.

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Jim Rogers

Street Smarts

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Wall Street legend and bestselling author Jim Rogers offers investing insights and economic, political, and social analysis, drawing on lessons and observations from his lifetime in the markets.  Jim Rogers, whose entertaining accounts of his travels around the world--studying the markets from Russia to Singapore from the ground up--has enthralled readers, investors and Wall Street aficionados for decades. In his engaging memoir Street Smarts, Rogers offers pithy commentary from a lifetime of adventure, from his early years growing up a naïve kid in Demopolis, Alabama, to his fledgling career on Wall Street, to his cofounding of the wildly successful Quantum Fund.In Street Smarts, Rogers takes us through the highlights of his life in the financial markets, from his school days at Yale and Oxford--where despite the fact that he didn’t have enough money to afford the appropriate pair of shoes, he coxed the crew and helped to win the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race as well as the Thames Cup, the first of his three Guiness World Records--to his first heady taste of Wall Street in the mid-1960s, and his years helping to run the most successful hedge fund on Wall Street.In the course of his new book, Rogers offers often surprising observations on how the world works–-and what trends he sees in the future. The age of Wall Street, Rogers claims, when the finance industry drove 25% of America’s growth, is over. Tomorrow’s economy will be driven by those who make things--food, energy, goods and consumables. He explains why Asia will be the dominant economic force in the twenty-first century, and discusses why America and the European Union are in decline, and what we need to do to right our economy and society.

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Charles Darwin

The Origin of Species and the Voyage of the Beagle

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When the eminent naturalist Charles Darwin returned from South America on board the HMS Beagle in 1836, he brought with him the notes and evidence which would form the basis of his landmark theory of evolution of species by a process of natural selection. This theory, published as The Origin of Species in 1859, sparked a fierce scientific, religious, and philosophical debate which continues heatedly today. This seminal work is presented with The Voyage of the Beagle , a vivid travel memoir as well as a detailed scientific field journal. Ordered by place, covering area from Northern Chile to Australia to Cape Verde Islands, this text contains hints of the theories that were later developed in The Origin of Species .

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Bill Simmons, Malcolm Gladwell

Book of Basketball : The NBA According to the Sports Guy

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NEW YORK TIMES  BESTSELLER • The NBA according to The Sports Guy—now updated with fresh takes on LeBron, the Celtics, and more! Foreword by Malcom Gladwell • “The work of a true fan . . . it might just represent the next phase of sports commentary.”— The Atlantic Bill Simmons, the wildly opinionated and thoroughly entertaining basketball addict known to millions as ESPN’s The Sports Guy, has written the definitive book on the past, present, and future of the NBA. From the age-old question of who actually won the rivalry between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the one about which team was truly the best of all time, Simmons opens—and then closes, once and for all—every major pro basketball debate. Then he takes it further by completely reevaluating not only how NBA Hall of Fame inductees should be chosen but how the institution must be reshaped from the ground up, the result being the Simmons’s one-of-a-kind five-level shrine to the ninety-six greatest players in the history of pro basketball. And ultimately he takes fans to the heart of it all, as he uses a conversation with one NBA great to uncover that coveted The Secret of Basketball.Comprehensive, authoritative, controversial, hilarious, and impossible to put down (even for Celtic-haters),  The Book of Basketball  offers every hardwood fan a courtside seat beside the game’s finest, funniest, and fiercest chronicler.

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Martin Brown, Masaji Ishikawa, Risa Kobayashi

A River in Darkness : One Man's Escape from North Korea

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The harrowing true story of one man’s life in—and subsequent escape from—North Korea, one of the world’s most brutal totalitarian regimes.Half-Korean, half-Japanese, Masaji Ishikawa has spent his whole life feeling like a man without a country. This feeling only deepened when his family moved from Japan to North Korea when Ishikawa was just thirteen years old, and unwittingly became members of the lowest social caste. His father, himself a Korean national, was lured to the new Communist country by promises of abundant work, education for his children, and a higher station in society. But the reality of their new life was far from utopian.In this memoir translated from the original Japanese, Ishikawa candidly recounts his tumultuous upbringing and the brutal thirty-six years he spent living under a crushing totalitarian regime, as well as the challenges he faced repatriating to Japan after barely escaping North Korea with his life. A River in Darkness is not only a shocking portrait of life inside the country but a testament to the dignity—and indomitable nature—of the human spirit.

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Heinrich Harrer

Seven Years in Tibet : The Deluxe Edition

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Seven Years in Tibet is a must-read for anyone interested in adventure and travel to exotic locations. Heinrich Harrer's remarkable story of his experiences in Tibet and his relationship with the Dalai Lama is a captivating read that will leave you both inspired and moved. The vivid depictions of life in Tibet before the Chinese Communist takeover and the descriptions of the country's stunning natural beauty make this book truly unforgettable. Highly recommended for anyone who loves tales of adventure and exploration.

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Sonny Liew

The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

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This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the rich and vibrant history of comics in Singapore. Through stunning artwork and an engaging narrative, it showcases the life of pioneering artist Chan Hock Chye, providing a unique and intimate glimpse into the changing political and economic landscape of the country. Winner of multiple prestigious awards, this groundbreaking work is a testament to the deep passion and talent of both the subject and the author. Get ready to be captivated by this captivating biography.

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Lady Colin Campbell

Meghan And Harry - The Real Story

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This book could be a good read for those who have followed the story of Meghan and Harry and are interested in the details behind their decision to step down as senior royals. Lady Colin Campbell's insight provides a unique perspective and a balanced view of the situation. The book delves into the cultural differences that influenced their conduct and ultimately their decision to create a new system. Readers can expect to gain a deeper understanding of why Meghan and Harry's story is so compelling.

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Shelley Frisch, Rüdiger Safranski

Nietzsche : A Philosophical Biography

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A seminal biography, essential reading for anyone studying the philosophy of history's most enigmatic and fascinating thinker. No other modern philosopher has proved as influential as Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and none is as poorly understood. In the first new biography in decades, Rüdiger Safranski, one of the foremost living Nietzsche scholars, re-creates the anguished life of Nietzsche while simultaneously assessing the philosophical implications of his morality, religion, and art. Struggling to break away from the oppressive burdens of the past, Nietzsche invented a unique philosophy based on compulsive self-consciousness and constant self-revision. As groundbreaking as it will be long-lasting, this biography offers a brilliant, multifaceted portrait of a towering figure.

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Graham Allison, Ali Wyne, Robert D. Blackwill

Lee Kuan Yew - The Grand Master's Insights On China, The United States, And The World

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Grand strategist and founder of modern Singapore offers key insights and controversial opinions on globalization, geopolitics, economic growth, and democracy.When Lee Kuan Yew speaks, presidents, prime ministers, diplomats, and CEOs listen. Lee, the founding father of modern Singapore and its prime minister from 1959 to 1990, has honed his wisdom during more than fifty years on the world stage. Almost single-handedly responsible for transforming Singapore into a Western-style economic success, he offers a unique perspective on the geopolitics of East and West. American presidents from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama have welcomed him to the White House; British prime ministers from Margaret Thatcher to Tony Blair have recognized his wisdom; and business leaders from Rupert Murdoch to Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil, have praised his accomplishments. This book gathers key insights from interviews, speeches, and Lee's voluminous published writings and presents them in an engaging question and answer format.Lee offers his assessment of China's future, asserting, among other things, that "China will want to share this century as co-equals with the U.S." He affirms the United States' position as the world's sole superpower but expresses dismay at the vagaries of its political system. He offers strategic advice for dealing with China and goes on to discuss India's future, Islamic terrorism, economic growth, geopolitics and globalization, and democracy. Lee does not pull his punches, offering his unvarnished opinions on multiculturalism, the welfare state, education, and the free market. This little book belongs on the reading list of every world leader--including the one who takes the oath of office on January 20, 2013.

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Ed Caesar

Two Hours : The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon

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Recommended for those interested in the science and history of marathon running, and the human spirit that drives us to achieve the impossible. Ed Caesar chronicles the fascinating journey of the greatest marathoners on earth and their quest to run the sub-two-hour marathon. With exclusive access to the Nike Breaking2 project and the Ineos159 event, readers will also learn about the latest advancements in physiology and technology that have made this once-impossible feat possible.

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Will Durant

The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time

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A wise and witty compendium of the greatest thoughts, greatest minds, and greatest books of all time—listed in accessible and succinct form—by one of the world's greatest scholars.From the “Hundred Best Books” to the “Ten Greatest Thinkers” to the “Ten Greatest Poets,” here is a concise collection of the world’s most significant knowledge. For the better part of a century, Will Durant dwelled upon—and wrote about—the most significant eras, individuals, and achievements of human history. His selections have finally been brought together in a single, compact volume. Durant eloquently defends his choices of the greatest minds and ideas, but he also stimulates readers into forming their own opinions, encouraging them to shed their surroundings and biases and enter “The Country of the Mind,” a timeless realm where the heroes of our species dwell.From a thinker who always chose to exalt the positive in the human species, The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time stays true to Durant's optimism. This is a book containing the absolute best of our heritage, passed on for the benefit of future generations. Filled with Durant's renowned wit, knowledge, and unique ability to explain events and ideas in simple and exciting terms, this is a pocket-size liberal arts and humanist curriculum in one volume.

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Bill Bryson

Down Under

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Down Under by Bill Bryson is a witty and humorous travelogue that takes the reader on an adventure through the vast and dangerous country of Australia. Bryson captures the essence of the country's unique geography and wildlife in an entertaining and informative manner. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a curious armchair explorer, this book will leave you enchanted with the beauty, resilience, and danger of Australia.

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G.I. Gurdjieff

Meetings with Remarkable Men

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The exhilarating, life-affirming call to spiritual arms from world-renowned spiritual teacher G. I. Gurdjieff 'Gurdjieff's voice is heard as a call. He calls because he suffers from the inner chaos in which we live. He calls to us to open our eyes. He asks us why we are here, what we wish for, what forces we obey. He asks us, above all, if we understand what we are . . .' Part adventure narrative, part travelogue, part spiritual guide, Meetings with Remarkable Men is suffused with Gurdjieff's unique perspective on life. With vivacity and charm, he organizes his account around portraits of the remarkable men and women who accompanied him through remote parts of the Near East and Central Asia, and who aided his search for hidden knowledge. Among them are Gurdjieff's own father (a traditional bard), a Russian prince dedicated to the search for Truth, a Christian missionary who entered a World Brotherhood deep in Asia, and a woman who escaped slavery to become a trusted member of Gurdjieff's group of fellow seekers. Meetings with Remarkable Men conveys a haunting sense of what it means to live fully - with conscience, with purpose and with heart.

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Lawrence Wright

Thirteen Days In September - Carter, Begin, And Sadat At Camp David

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Thirteen Days In September could be a good read for history buffs and those interested in real-life diplomacy. The book takes you through the intense negotiations and behind-the-scenes moments of the historic Camp David summit, where President Jimmy Carter played a crucial role in brokering peace between Israel and Egypt. Lawrence Wright's day-by-day account brings to life the challenges, compromises, and triumphs of the summit, making it a captivating and informative read.

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Reza Aslan

Zealot : The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

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From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth. Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher and miracle worker walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the “Kingdom of God.” The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was captured, tortured, and executed as a state criminal. Within decades after his shameful death, his followers would call him God. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most influential and enigmatic characters by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived: first-century Palestine, an age awash in apocalyptic fervor. Scores of Jewish prophets, preachers, and would-be messiahs wandered through the Holy Land, bearing messages from God. This was the age of zealotry—a fervent nationalism that made resistance to the Roman occupation a sacred duty incumbent on all Jews. And few figures better exemplified this principle than the charismatic Galilean who defied both the imperial authorities and their allies in the Jewish religious hierarchy. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against the historical sources, Aslan describes a man full of conviction and passion, yet rife with contradiction; a man of peace who exhorted his followers to arm themselves with swords; an exorcist and faith healer who urged his disciples to keep his identity a secret; and ultimately the seditious “King of the Jews” whose promise of liberation from Rome went unfulfilled in his brief lifetime. Aslan explores the reasons why the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. And he grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself, the mystery that is at the heart of all subsequent claims about his divinity. Zealot yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus of Nazareth’s life and mission. The result is a thought-provoking, elegantly written biography with the pulse of a fast-paced novel: a singularly brilliant portrait of a man, a time, and the birth of a religion.Reza Aslan is an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions. His first book, No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, has been translated into thirteen languages and was cited by Blackwell’s as one of the 100 most important books of the decade. He is also the author of How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization and the End of the War on Terror, as well as the editor of Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East. Born in Iran, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.

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Viktor E. Frankl, Ilse Lasch

Man's Search For Meaning : The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust

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If you're grappling with life's challenges or seeking a deeper understanding of human resilience, Frankl's "Man's Search For Meaning" could be a profound read for you. This book goes beyond the mere narrative of survival; it delves into how finding purpose can be a lifeline in the darkest of times. It's an illuminating exploration of the human spirit that continues to inspire readers to find meaning in their own lives, regardless of circumstance.

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Andrew G. McCabe

The Threat : How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump

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"The Threat" offers a gripping, candid account of Andrew G. McCabe's career in the FBI, from fighting Russian organized crime to preventing terrorist attacks on Americans. McCabe's personal story of his firing under President Trump adds an extra layer of suspense to this compelling narrative. Readers interested in the workings of the FBI and its role in protecting America against both external and internal threats will find this book both informative and captivating.

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Sam Taylor, Lan Yan

The House of Yan : A Family at the Heart of a Century in Chinese History

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Through the sweeping cultural and historical transformations of China, entrepreneur Lan Yan traces her family’s history through early 20th Century to present day.The history of the Yan family is inseparable from the history of China over the last century. One of the most influential businesswomen of China today, Lan Yan grew up in the company of the country's powerful elite, including Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and other top leaders. Her grandfather, Yan Baohang, originally a nationalist and close to Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, Soong May-ling, later joined the communists and worked as a secret agent for Zhou Enlai during World War II. Lan's parents were diplomats, and her father, Yan Mingfu, was Mao's personal Russian translator.Inspite of their elevated status, the Yan's family life was turned upside down by the Cultural Revolution. One night in 1967, in front of a terrified ten-year-old Lan, Red Guards burst into the family home and arrested her grandfather. Days later, her father was arrested, accused of spying for the Soviet Union. Her mother, Wu Keliang, was branded a counter-revolutionary and forced to go with her daughter to a re-education camp for more than seven years, where Lan came of age as a high school student.In recounting her family history, Lan Yan brings to life a century of Chinese history from the last emperor to present day, including the Cultural Revolution which tore her childhood apart. The little girl who was crushed by the Cultural Revolution has become one of the most active businesswomen in her country. In telling her and her family's story, she serves up an intimate account of the history of contemporary China.

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Michael Lewis

The Big Short : Inside the Doomsday Machine

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When the crash of the U. S. stock market became public knowledge in the fall of 2008, it was already old news.

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Michael Lewis

Flash Boys

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This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the inner workings of the financial industry. With a gripping narrative, it exposes the shocking truth behind the scams and manipulations that took place within the banking system. Prepare to be both horrified and fascinated as you delve into the dark underbelly of high finance.

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Simone de Beauvoir

All Said and Done : Autobiography 1962-1972

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'All Said and Done... offers us ten years (1962-72) not so much of experience realised (although this is exceptionally packed with incident) as an imaginative and intellectual transmutation of such experience. It is a deeply serious, wholly absorbing, and marvellously stimulating testimony, which gives a complete feeling of maturity and confidence in the autobiographer who comes through with tremendous honesty and admirable lucidity and precision... it inspires one to live, to look again, to learn more, to know more deeply the people and social systems which constitute our world. It throws open the windows, and simultaneously enables one better to examine the room behind one.' - Kay Dick in the Spectator.

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S. Hussain Zaidi, Vikram Chandra

Dongri to Dubai : Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia

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Dongri to Dubai is a must-read for anyone fascinated by the underworld and its workings. With detailed accounts of notorious gangsters, and an in-depth look into the rise of the Dawood gang, readers are sure to be captivated by the book's narrative. Zaidi's storytelling provides a deep insight into the criminal underworld, its workings and the people within it.

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John Berendt

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil: A Savannah Story

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This book could be a good read for someone who enjoys atmospheric and immersive storytelling. Set in the enchanting city of Savannah, Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil combines mystery, history, and eccentric characters to create a captivating Southern Gothic tale. The author's vivid descriptions and meticulous attention to detail bring the city and its inhabitants to life, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a rich and immersive experience.

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Greg Mortenson

Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan

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In this dramatic story; Greg Mortenson picks up where "Three Cups of Tea" left off in 2003, recounting his ongoing efforts to establish schools for girls in Afghanistan; his extraordinary work in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan after a massive earthquake hit the region in 2005; and the unique ways he has built relationships with Islamic clerics, militia commanders and tribal leaders, even as he was dodging shoot-outs with feuding Afghan warlords and surviving an eight-day armed abduction by the Taliban.For the first time he shares his broader vision to promote peace through education and literacy - woven together with the many fascinating personal stories of the people who have been involved in this remarkable two-decade humanitarian effort.

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Shaun Usher

Letters Of Note - Correspondence Deserving Of A Wider Audience

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Letters of Note is a collection of one hundred and twenty five of the world's most entertaining, inspiring and unusual letters, based on the seismically popular website of the same name - an online museum of correspondence visited by over 70 million people.From Virginia Woolf's heart-breaking suicide letter, to Queen Elizabeth II's recipe for drop scones sent to President Eisenhower; from the first recorded use of the expression 'OMG' in a letter to Winston Churchill, to Gandhi's appeal for calm to Hitler; and from Iggy Pop's beautiful letter of advice to a troubled young fan, to Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter, Letters of Note is a celebration of the power of written correspondence which captures the humour, seriousness, sadness and brilliance that make up all of our lives.Including letters from:Queen Elizabeth II, Elvis Presley, Charles Schulz, Leonardo da Vinci, Iggy Pop, Fidel Castro, Anaïs Nin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Amelia Earhart, Charles Darwin, Roald Dahl, Albert Einstein, Dorothy Parker, John F. Kennedy, Groucho Marx, Charles Dickens, Katharine Hepburn, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Clementine Churchill, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut and many more.

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Paul Nurse

What Is Life? : Five Great Ideas in Biology

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"What Is Life?" is a great read for anyone who is curious about biology and wants to understand the fundamental concepts that make up life. The book uses personal anecdotes and the history of science to introduce readers to the five great ideas of biology: the Cell, the Gene, Evolution by Natural Selection, Life as Chemistry, and Life as Information. Paul Nurse writes with great passion and brings to life the excitement of scientific discovery, making this book an engaging and enlightening read for both experts and non-experts alike.

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Adrian J. Desmond, James R. Moore

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

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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.

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Nina Willner

Forty Autumns : A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall

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"Forty Autumns" is a captivating memoir set in East Germany during the Cold War. It tells the story of five women separated by the Berlin Wall and their eventual reunion after years of longing. The book offers a personal and emotional account of life under Communist rule, as well as insights into the work of an intelligence officer. With vivid descriptions and a strong sense of familial love, "Forty Autumns" is a compelling read for anyone interested in history, espionage, and the human experience.

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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.