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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Peter Sagan

My World

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My World could be a good fit for fans of professional cycling, memoirs and sports biographies. The book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the life of Peter Sagan; his training regimes, the pressure he faces and his passion for the sport. Readers will find relatable stories of elation and disappointment, and an authentic account of the sacrifices and hard work it takes to be a world-class cyclist.

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Susan Massotty, Otto H. Frank, Anne Frank

The Diary of a Young Girl : The Definitive Edition

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The book is a poignant and heart-wrenching account of the life of Anne Frank during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. It is a must-read for anyone interested in history, human resilience, and survival stories. The most unique and distinctive feature of the book is its ability to portray the daily struggles and emotions of a teenager, making it relatable and accessible to young adults. Readers are bound to be moved by Anne's frank and honest account of her experiences, which highlights the importance of hope, love, and faith in the darkest of times.

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Melissa De Silva

Others Is Not A Race

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Recommended for readers seeking insightful portrayal of identity exploration. De Silva's writing is a beautiful blend of narrative fiction and creative non-fiction, offering the reader a personal account of the author's experience growing up as a Eurasian in Singapore. The book delves into questions about what it means to be Eurasian in a culturally diverse nation like Singapore, where the community is often misunderstood or overlooked. It offers a thought-provoking journey of self-discovery that readers can relate to in exploring their own identity.

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Lilly Singh

How to Be a Bawse : A Guide to Conquering Life

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From actress, comedian, and YouTube sensation Lilly Singh (aka ||Superwoman||) comes the definitive guide to being a bawse—a person who exudes confidence, reaches goals, gets hurt efficiently, and smiles genuinely because they’ve fought through it all and made it out the other side. Told in her hilarious, bold voice that’s inspired over nine million fans, and using stories from her own life to illustrate her message, Lilly proves that there are no shortcuts to success. WARNING: This book does not include hopeful thoughts, lucky charms, and cute quotes. That’s because success, happiness, and everything else you want in life needs to be fought for—not wished for. In Lilly’s world, there are no escalators, only stairs. Get ready to climb.

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Carolyn Gusoff

Help Me - A Vulnerable Girl. A Dungeon Hell. A Staggering True Story Of Survival

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"Help Me" would be a good read for those interested in true crime and survival stories. Katie's story of being kidnapped and locked in a dungeon at a young age, enduring horrific abuse, and her eventual rescue as well as her journey of healing, is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The most distinctive feature of the book is how Katie's story sheds light on the prevalence of child abuse and neglect, which often goes unnoticed or ignored. Readers are likely to review the book as a powerful and eye-opening account of human resilience and the importance of speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

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Barbara Demick

Nothing to Envy : Ordinary Lives in North Korea

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An eye-opening account of life inside North Korea--a closed world of increasing global importance--hailed as a "tour de force of meticulous reporting" (The New York Review of Books)NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST - NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST In this landmark addition to the literature of totalitarianism, award-winning journalist Barbara Demick follows the lives of six North Korean citizens over fifteen years--a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il (the father of Kim Jong-un), and a devastating famine that killed one-fifth of the population.Demick brings to life what it means to be living under the most repressive regime today--an Orwellian world that is by choice not connected to the Internet, where displays of affection are punished, informants are rewarded, and an offhand remark can send a person to the gulag for life. She takes us deep inside the country, beyond the reach of government censors, and through meticulous and sensitive reporting we see her subjects fall in love, raise families, nurture ambitions, and struggle for survival. One by one, we witness their profound, life-altering disillusionment with the government and their realization that, rather than providing them with lives of abundance, their country has betrayed them.Praise for Nothing to Envy"Provocative . . . offers extensive evidence of the author's deep knowledge of this country while keeping its sights firmly on individual stories and human details."--The New York Times"Deeply moving . . . The personal stories are related with novelistic detail."--The Wall Street Journal"A tour de force of meticulous reporting."--The New York Review of Books"Excellent . . . humanizes a downtrodden, long-suffering people whose individual lives, hopes and dreams are so little known abroad."--San Francisco Chronicle"The narrow boundaries of our knowledge have expanded radically with the publication of Nothing to Envy. . . . Elegantly structured and written, [it] is a groundbreaking work of literary nonfiction."--John Delury, Slate"At times a page-turner, at others an intimate study in totalitarian psychology."--The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat Pray Love : One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (internation al export edition)

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Eat Pray Love is a soulful memoir about one woman’s journey to self-discovery, where she leaves behind all materialistic pleasures and seeks out what brings true happiness in life. Elizabeth Gilbert beautifully captures her experiences of exploring pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and striking the balance in Indonesia. This book will inspire readers to embark on a similar journey of self-discovery and appreciate the simple things in life that bring joy and fulfillment. Its unique feature is the author’s ability to take readers along with her on a transformative journey.

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Charles B. Handy

Myself And Other More Important Matters

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The author of The Age of Unreason , The Empty Raincoat , and The Elephant and the Flea , shares more of his best-selling brand of wisdom concerning the big choices in life.In Charles Handy’s most ambitious book yet, the well-known business guru draws on the lessons of his own life to help us map out the main stages of our lives, and shows us how to navigate through the tough decisions we have to make at every phase. He gives us his personal thoughts on life’s big questions and turning points, mining his own experience to tell us what he’s learned along the way.From lessons his father taught him at the Vicarage in Kildare where he grew up, to what he learned in Borneo in his days working for Royal Dutch Shell, and later, in America where corporate scandals have shaken our understanding of what is ethical and what is acceptable in business, and finally in Italy, where on a whim he decided to buy and fix up an old house in Tuscany.Throughout the book, he asks us to look at what we value — is it money? Family? Time? What is the role of work in our life? What do we find fulfilling? As our working lives blend ever more into the rest of who we are, Charles Handy has emerged as an invaluable social thinker. It is hard to imagine a better or wiser guide to life’s big questions.

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Maya Angelou

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

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This book could be a good read for you if you are seeking an empowering and thought-provoking memoir. Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" takes you on a journey through her childhood and early youth, capturing the struggles and triumphs of a black girl in 1930s America. Her powerful storytelling and vivid descriptions will immerse you in her world, while her resilience and courage will inspire you to overcome any obstacles in your own life. Get ready to be moved and uplifted as you witness her journey of self-discovery and liberation.

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Eleanor Roosevelt, Anne Frank, Barbara Mooyaart-Doubleday

The Diary of a Young Girl

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The Diary of a Young Girl tells the story of a young Jewish girl hiding in Amsterdam during World War II. It is a heart-wrenching tale of a girl growing up in confinement, navigating the difficulties of her situation while still holding on to hope for a better future. Her diary provides an intimate and personal perspective of the horrors of the Holocaust. This book is a must-read for those interested in history, diary literature, and the endurance of the human spirit.

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William Finnegan

Barbarian Days

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Surfing only looks like a sport. To devotees, it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a mental and physical study, a passionate way of life. William Finnegan first started surfing as a young boy in California and Hawaii. Barbarian Days is his immersive memoir of a life spent travelling the world chasing waves through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa, Peru and beyond. Finnegan describes the edgy yet enduring brotherhood forged among the swell of the surf; and recalling his own apprenticeship to the world's most famous and challenging waves, he considers the intense relationship formed between man, board and water.Barbarian Days is an old-school adventure story, a social history, an extraordinary exploration of one man's gradual mastering of an exacting and little-understood art. It is a memoir of dangerous obsession and enchantment.

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John Grogan

Marley & Me : Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

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Recommended for pet lovers seeking heartwarming humor. Marley's antics will make you laugh and his loyalty will make you tear up.

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Amy Bloom

In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful memoir of a love that leads two people to find a courageous way to part—and a woman’s struggle to go forward in the face of loss—that “enriches the reader’s life with urgency and gratitude” ( The Washington Post )“A pleasure to read . . . Rarely has a memoir about death been so full of life. . . . Bloom has a talent for mixing the prosaic and profound, the slapstick and the serious.”— USA TodayONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Publishers WeeklyONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Time, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, USA Today, Real Simple, Prospect (UK), She Reads, Kirkus ReviewsAmy Bloom began to notice changes in her husband, Brian: He retired early from a new job he loved; he withdrew from close friendships; he talked mostly about the past. Suddenly, it seemed there was a glass wall between them, and their long walks and talks stopped. Their world was altered forever when an MRI confirmed what they could no longer ignore: Brian had Alzheimer’s disease.Forced to confront the truth of the diagnosis and its impact on the future he had envisioned, Brian was determined to die on his feet, not live on his knees. Supporting each other in their last journey together, Brian and Amy made the unimaginably difficult and painful decision to go to Dignitas, an organization based in Switzerland that empowers a person to end their own life with dignity and peace.In this heartbreaking and surprising memoir, Bloom sheds light on a part of life we so often shy away from discussing—its ending. Written in Bloom’s captivating, insightful voice and with her trademark wit and candor, In Love is an unforgettable portrait of a beautiful marriage, and a boundary-defying love.Shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize

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Jill Bolte Taylor

My Stroke Of Insight - A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

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Unabridged CDs • 5 CDs, 5 1?2 hours A brain scientist’s personal experience with a stroke and her journey to a full recovery.

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Matt Haig

Notes on a Nervous Planet

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This book would be a great read for individuals who are struggling with anxiety and stress in our fast-paced technological world. Matt Haig provides a personal perspective on how to maintain mental well-being and stay human in the face of overwhelming negativity. This book is unique in its ability to blend memoir with self-help advice, making it a refreshing and relatable read.

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Frank McCourt

Tis - A Memoir

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A #1 New York Times bestseller and the eagerly anticipated sequel to the Pulitzer Prize–winning Angela’s Ashes , this masterpiece from Frank McCourt tells of his American journey from impoverished immigrant to brilliant teacher and raconteur.Frank McCourt’s glorious childhood memoir, Angela’s Ashes, has been loved and celebrated by readers everywhere for its spirit, its wit and its profound humanity. A tale of redemption, in which storytelling itself is the source of salvation, it won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Rarely has a book so swiftly found its place on the literary landscape.And now we have ’Tis, the story of Frank’s American journey from impoverished immigrant to brilliant teacher and raconteur. Frank lands in New York at age nineteen, in the company of a priest he meets on the boat. He gets a job at the Biltmore Hotel, where he immediately encounters the vivid hierarchies of this “classless country,” and then is drafted into the army and is sent to Germany to train dogs and type reports. It is Frank’s incomparable voice—his uncanny humor and his astonishing ear for dialogue—that renders these experiences spellbinding.When Frank returns to America in 1953, he works on the docks, always resisting what everyone tells him, that men and women who have dreamed and toiled for years to get to America should “stick to their own kind” once they arrive. Somehow, Frank knows that he should be getting an education, and though he left school at fourteen, he talks his way into New York University. There, he falls in love with the quintessential Yankee, long-legged and blonde, and tries to live his dream. But it is not until he starts to teach—and to write—that Frank finds his place in the world. The same vulnerable but invincible spirit that captured the hearts of readers in Angela’s Ashes comes of age.As Malcolm Jones said in his Newsweek review of Angela’s Ashes, “It is only the best storyteller who can so beguile his readers that he leaves them wanting more when he is done...and McCourt proves himself one of the very best.” Frank McCourt's ’Tis is one of the most eagerly awaited books of our time, and it is a masterpiece.

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Alexa Chung

It

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In It, her first book, the global fashion-trendsetter Alexa Chung shares her own very personal inspirations, musings and eclectic sense of style.A truly one-off collection of Alexa's writing, doodles and photographs, It combines stories of early style inspirations such as her grandpa and the Spice Girls, discussion of figures of obsession like Jane Birkin and Annie Hall, and reflects on heartbreak, how to get dressed in the morning, the challenges of taking a good selfie, and more. Interspersed with pages from Alexa's notebooks and many a photo of a good night out, It appears in real cloth, with hand-crafted marbled endpages covered in polkadots, stripy head and tail bands, and luxiouriously creamy paper. Witty, charming and with a refreshingly down-to-earth attitude, It is a must-have for anyone who loves fashion, worries about growing up, or loves just about everything Alexa Chung.

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Shaun Bythell

The Diary of a Bookseller

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Shaun Bythell owns The Bookshop, Wigtown - Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop. It contains 100,000 books, spread over a mile of shelving, with twisting corridors and roaring fires, and all set in a beautiful, rural town by the edge of the sea. A book-lover's paradise? Well, almost ... In these wry and hilarious diaries, Shaun provides an inside look at the trials and tribulations of life in the book trade, from struggles with eccentric customers to wrangles with his own staff, who include the ski-suit-wearing, bin-foraging Nicky. He takes us with him on buying trips to old estates and auction houses, recommends books (both lost classics and new discoveries), introduces us to the thrill of the unexpected find, and evokes the rhythms and charms of small-town life, always with a sharp and sympathetic eye.

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Jang Jin-sung

Dear Leader : North Korea's senior propagandist exposes shocking truths behind the regime

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SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERDear Leader contains astonishing new insights about North Korea which could only be revealed by someone working high up in the regime. It is also the gripping story of how a member of the inner circle of this enigmatic country became its most courageous, outspoken critic.Jang Jin-sung held one of the most senior ranks in North Korea's propaganda machine, helping tighten the regime's grip over its people. Among his tasks were developing the founding myth of North Korea, posing undercover as a South Korean intellectual and writing epic poems in support of the dictator, Kim Jong-il.Young and ambitious, his patriotic work secured him a bizarre audience with Kim Jong-il himself, thus granting him special status as one of the 'Admitted'. This meant special food provisions, a travel pass and immunity from prosecution and harm. He was privy to state secrets, including military and diplomatic policies, how the devastating 'Scrutiny' was effected, and the real position of one of the country's most powerful, elusive men, Im Tong-ok. Because he was praised by the Dear Leader himself, he had every reason to feel satisfied with his lot and safe.Yet he could not ignore his conscience, or the disparity between his life and that of those he saw starving on the street. After breaking security rules, Jang Jin-sung, together with a close friend, was forced to flee for his life: away from lies and deceit, towards truth and freedom.

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Tobias Wolff

This Boy's Life : A Memoir

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This book is ideal for readers who enjoy introspective memoirs that delve into the complex themes of self-discovery. Wolff explores his tumultuous childhood in this heart-warming, and at times heart-wrenching, memoir that is bound to captivate readers with its honest portrayal of adolescence.

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Bill Clinton

My Life

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My Life is a must-read for those interested in American politics, especially the presidency of Bill Clinton. It provides a detailed account of his life and experiences, from his childhood to his presidency. The book is unique in its honesty about his personal and political struggles, including the various scandals that threatened his presidency. This book is a fascinating insight into one of the most important figures in modern history, and a reminder that even presidents are human.

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Misty Copeland

Life in Motion : An Unlikely Ballerina

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Misty Copeland's biography, "Life in Motion," is a must-read for anyone who is passionate about ballet or is looking for inspiration to chase their dreams. This book provides an inside look into the world of ballet and how Misty Copeland, despite her challenging life and upbringing, was able to achieve her dreams. The book is a reflection of passion, dedication, and resilience. Copeland's story is unique and inspiring, making this a great read for anyone looking for inspiration in their own life's journey.

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Rafael Nadal John Carlin

Rafa: My Story

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"Rafa: My Story is an honest and intimate account of the life of one of the greatest tennis players of all time. It's a must-read for Nadal fans who want to gain a deeper understanding of their hero beyond his on-court achievements. The book provides a rare glimpse into the private life of a man who embodies true sportsmanship, and his journey to becoming a legend is truly inspiring."

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Mitch Albom

Tuesdays with Morrie : An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson

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Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague.  Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it.For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded, and the world seemed colder.  Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you, receive wisdom for your busy life today the way you once did when you were younger?Mitch Albom had that second chance.  He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life.  Knowing he was dying, Morrie visited with Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college.  Their rekindled relationship turned into one final "class": lessons in how to live.Tuesdays with Morrie is a magical chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift with the world.

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Amy Chua

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (Chua)

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great read about children raised in a Chinese household

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Mindy Kaling

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? ( And Other Concerns)

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Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck - impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence "Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I'll shut up about it?" Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you've come to the right book, mostly!In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door - not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

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David Lebovitz

The Sweet Life in Paris : Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City

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From the New York Times bestselling author of  My Paris Kitchen and L'Appart, a deliciously funny, offbeat, and irreverent look at the city of lights, cheese, chocolate, and other confections.Like so many others, David Lebovitz dreamed about living in Paris ever since he first visited the city and after a nearly two-decade career as a pastry chef and cookbook author, he finally moved to Paris to start a new life. Having crammed all his worldly belongings into three suitcases, he arrived, hopes high, at his new apartment in the lively Bastille neighborhood. But he soon discovered it's a different world en France .From learning the ironclad rules of social conduct to the mysteries of men's footwear, from shopkeepers who work so hard not to sell you anything to the etiquette of working the right way around the cheese plate, here is David's story of how he came to fall in love with—and even understand—this glorious, yet sometimes maddening, city.When did he realize he had morphed into un vrai parisien ? It might have been when he found himself considering a purchase of men's dress socks with cartoon characters on them. Or perhaps the time he went to a bank with 135 euros in hand to make a 134-euro payment, was told the bank had no change that day, and thought it was completely normal. Or when he found himself dressing up to take out the garbage because he had come to accept that in Paris appearances and image mean everything.Once you stop laughing, the more than fifty original recipes, for dishes both savory and sweet, such as Pork Loin with Brown Sugar–Bourbon Glaze, Braised Turkey in Beaujolais Nouveau with Prunes, Bacon and Bleu Cheese Cake, Chocolate-Coconut Marshmallows, Chocolate Spice Bread, Lemon-Glazed Madeleines, and Mocha–Crème Fraîche Cake, will have you running to the kitchen for your own taste of Parisian living.

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Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken : A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

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Unbroken is a remarkable biography that tells the extraordinary story of Louis Zamperini's survival, resilience, and redemption during World War II. It is a powerful, moving, and inspiring testament to human endurance that will leave readers in awe and admiration of Zamperini's tenacity and strength. This book is perfect for anyone looking to read an amazing true story of a man who refused to be broken, even in the face of unimaginable hardship.

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Primo Levi, Raymond Rosenthal

The Periodic Table

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The Periodic Table by Primo Levi is an impassioned response to the Holocaust: Consisting of 21 short stories, each possessing the name of a chemical element, the collection tells of the author's experiences as a Jewish-Italian chemist before, during, and after Auschwitz in luminous, clear, and unfailingly beautiful prose. It has been named the best science book ever by the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and is considered to be Levi's crowning achievement.

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Raynor Winn

The Salt Path : The 85-Week Sunday Times Bestseller from the Million-Copy Bestselling Author

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This memoir showcases the strength of human resilience, and the way nature can offer solace and healing to even the deepest wounds. Raynor Winn's personal journey on the South West Coast Path is filled with inspiration and affirmation - a book that will uplift and move readers to find the beauty in their own journeys.

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Ruth Reichl

Garlic & Sapphires

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Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's delicious and compulsively readable account of her experience undercover in her position as food critic for The New York Times. She throws back the curtain on the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world to reveal the comic absurdity, artifice and excellence there, giving us (along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews) her remarkable reflections on role playing and identity.Reichl knows that to be a good restaurant critic you have to be anonymous, but when she signs up to be the most important restaurant critic in the country, her picture is posted in every four-star, low-star, and no-star kitchen in town. Managers offer cash bonuses for advance notice of her visits and roll out the red carpet whether she likes it or not. What's a critic in search of the truth to do?And so begin Reichl's "adventures in deception." She dons a frumpy blond wog and an off-season beige Armani suit, and on the advice of a friend—an acting coach with a Pygmalion complex—she starts to assemble her new character's backstory. She takes to the assignment with astonishing ardor, and thus Molly Hollis, the retired high school teacher from Birmingham, Michigan, nouveau riche from her husband's real estate speculation, is born. Molly is duly ignored, mishandled and condescended to by the high-power staff at Le Cirque. The result: Reichl's famous double review, first as she ate there as Molly and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.When restauranteurs learn to watch for Molly, Reichl buys another wig and becomes someone else, and then someone else again, from a chic interior decorator to an eccentric redhead on whom her husband—both disconcertingly and reassuringly—develops a terrible crush. As she puts on her disguises, she finds herself changed not just superficially but in character. She becomes Molly the school marm, Chloe the seductress, and Brenda the downtown earth mother—and imagine the complexities when she dines out as Miriam, her own mother. As Reichl metes out her critical stars, she gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can influence one's inner character, expectations and appetites. She writes, "Every restaurant is a theater . . . even the modest restaurants offer the opportunity to become someone else, at least for a little while."

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Lance Armstrong

It's Not About The Bike : My Journey Back to Life

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"It's Not About The Bike" is an inspiring memoir of Lance Armstrong's battle with cancer and his return to professional cycling. It's a book that provides hope and inspiration to cancer survivors and anyone who has faced adversity in their life. The most unique and distinctive feature of this book is the candidness with which Armstrong shares his struggles and how he overcame them. Despite the controversy surrounding his doping scandal, this book remains a touching account of a man's journey from the brink of death to redemption.

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Kate Bowler

Everything Happens For A Reason And Other Lies I've Loved

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This book is a heartfelt, honest, and humorous account of one woman's journey through cancer diagnosis and treatment. It offers a unique perspective on the common adage of "everything happens for a reason" and the struggle of grappling with faith and positivity in the face of mortality. It is recommended for those looking for an authentic and introspective read on themes of life, death, and finding purpose in suffering.

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Catherine Burns, Neil Gaiman

The Moth Presents All These Wonders : True Stories About Facing the Unknown

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Recommended for those seeking inspiration and self-discovery. Each story contains a unique perspective that provides an opportunity for readers to empathize with people who have faced challenging situations. This book highlights the power of storytelling and its ability to connect individuals from all backgrounds.

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Suketu Mehta

This Land Is Our Land : An Immigrant's Manifesto

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Few subjects prompt more discussion and controversy than immigration. But do we really understand it? In This Land Is Their Land, the renowned author Suketu Mehta explains why the West is being destroyed not by immigrants but by the fear of immigrants.Drawing on his family’s own experience emigrating from India to Britain and America, and years of reporting around the world, Mehta subjects the worldwide anti-immigrant backlash to withering scrutiny. He juxtaposes the phony narratives of populist ideologues with the ordinary heroism of labourers, nannies and others, from Dubai to New York, and explains why more people are on the move today than ever before. As civil strife and climate change reshape large parts of the planet, it is little surprise that borders have become so porous.Mehta also stresses the destructive legacies of colonialism and global inequality on large swathes of the world. When today’s immigrants are asked, ‘Why are you here?’, they can justly respond, ‘We are here because you were there.’ And now that they are here, as Mehta demonstrates, immigrants bring great benefits, enabling countries and communities to flourish.Impassioned, rigorous, and richly stocked with memorable stories and characters, This Land Is Their Land is a timely and necessary intervention, and literary polemic of the highest order.

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Marina Keegan, Anne Fadiman

The Opposite of Loneliness : Essays and Stories

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Marina Keegan's star was on the rise when she graduated from Yale in May 2012. She had a play that was to be produced at the New York International Fringe Festival and a job waiting for her at the New Yorker. Tragically, five days after graduation, Marina died in a car crash. As her family, friends and classmates, deep in grief, joined to create a memorial service for Marina, her unforgettable last essay for the Yale Daily News, 'The Opposite of Loneliness', went viral, receiving more than 1.4 million hits. She had struck a chord. Even though she was just 22 when she died, Marina left behind a rich, expansive trove of prose that, like her title essay, captures the hope, uncertainty and possibility of her generation. The Opposite of Loneliness is an assemblage of Marina's essays and stories that articulates the universal struggle we all face as we work out what we aspire to be and how we can harness our talents to make an impact on the world.

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Arthur Koestler

Bricks to Babel : A Selection from 50 Years of His Writings, Chosen and with New Commentary by the Author

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A collection compiled from Koestler's lifetime writings follows his progress from seeking political solutions to solve mankind's problems to his attempting to find ultimate meaning in science and philosophy

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Jake Halpern

Welcome To The New World

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"Welcome to the New World" is a must-read for anyone interested in immigrant experiences in America. The graphic novel presents an intimate account of an ordinary Syrian family trying to find their place in a new land, while dealing with the aftermath of the 2016 US presidential elections. The heart-warming family moments are intertwined with tense political conversations and the daily struggles with language and cultural barriers. The art style, along with the narrative, captures the essence of the immigrant experience with warmth and authenticity. Readers will find this book an eye-opener that challenges preconceptions and highlights the generosity of human spirit in the face of adversity.

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Sarah Wilson

This One Wild And Precious Life - The Path Back To Connection In A Fractured World

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As seen in USA Today 's hottest releases and The  Washington Post 's 10 New Books Spotlight “Sarah Wilson is a force of nature – quite literally. She has taken her pain and grief about our sick and troubled world and alchemized it into action, advocacy, adventure, poetry, and true love.”  —  ELIZABETH GILBERT Wake up and reclaim your one wild and precious life. New York Times  bestselling author Sarah Wilson shows you how in this radical spiritual guidebook, the book we need NOW. Many of us are living with the sense that things are not right with the world and are in a state of spiritual PTSD. We have retreated, morally and psychologically; we are experiencing a crisis of disconnection—from one another, from our true values, from joy, and from life as we feel we are meant to be living it. Sarah Wilson argues that this sense of despair and disconnection is ironically what unites us—that deep down, we are all feeling that same itch for a new way of living. Drawing on science, literature, philosophy and the wisdom of some of the world’s leading experts, and her personal journey, Wilson offers a hopeful path forward to the life we love. En route, she shows us how to wake up and reconnect with life using “wild practices” that include: ·         Hike. Embrace the “walking cure” as great minds throughout history have. ·         Go to your edge. Do what scares you and embrace discomfort daily. ·         #Buylesslivemore. Break the cycle of mindless consumption and get light with your life. ·         Become a soul nerd. Light up your intellect with the arts. ·         Get “full-fat spiritual”. Have an active practice and use it to change the world. ·         Practice wild activism. Through sustained, non-violent protest we can create our better world. The time has come to boldly, wildly imagine better. We are being called upon, individually and as a society, to forge a new path and to find a new way of living. Will you join the journey?

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Jim Gaffigan

Dad Is Fat

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Recommended for those who want a witty and comical take on parenting in big families. Gaffigan's humor is relatable to parents who struggle with the chaos of running a household with young children.

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Margareta Magnusson

The Gentle Art Of Swedish Death Cleaning - How To Free Yourself And Your Family From A Lifetime Of Clutter

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This book could be a good read for someone who is seeking a fresh start and wants to simplify their life. The Gentle Art Of Swedish Death Cleaning offers a unique approach to decluttering and organizing your belongings, not just for yourself but also for your loved ones. Through the art of death cleaning, you'll learn how to let go of unnecessary possessions and focus on what truly matters, celebrating the small joys that make life meaningful. So if you're ready to free yourself from a lifetime of clutter and find peace in simplicity, this book is for you.

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Dave Eggers

Zeitoun

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Reasons to read Zeitoun: - Zeitoun offers a gripping and powerful account of one man's resilience in the face of Hurricane Katrina and the injustice he faces afterwards. - The book sheds light on the racism and discrimination that some individuals experienced during this devastating natural disaster. - Through the lens of Abdulrahman Zeitoun's story, readers gain a deeper understanding of the impact of systemic issues on marginalized communities. - Dave Eggers' meticulous research and close collaboration with Zeitoun himself make this book a compelling and eye-opening read.

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Zadie Smith

Feel Free : Essays

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From Zadie Smith, one of the most beloved authors of her generation, a new collection of essays Since she burst spectacularly into view with her debut novel almost two decades ago, Zadie Smith has established herself not just as one of the world's preeminent fiction writers, but also a brilliant and singular essayist. She contributes regularly to The New Yorker and the New York Review of Books on a range of subjects, and each piece of hers is a literary event in its own right. Arranged into five sections--In the World, In the Audience, In the Gallery, On the Bookshelf, and Feel Free--this new collection poses questions we immediately recognize. What is The Social Network--and Facebook itself--really about? "It's a cruel portrait of us: 500 million sentient people entrapped in the recent careless thoughts of a Harvard sophomore." Why do we love libraries? "Well-run libraries are filled with people because what a good library offers cannot be easily found elsewhere: an indoor public space in which you do not have to buy anything in order to stay." What will we tell our granddaughters about our collective failure to address global warming? "So I might say to her, look: the thing you have to appreciate is that we'd just been through a century of relativism and deconstruction, in which we were informed that most of our fondest-held principles were either uncertain or simple wishful thinking, and in many areas of our lives we had already been asked to accept that nothing is essential and everything changes--and this had taken the fight out of us somewhat." Gathering in one place for the first time previously unpublished work, as well as already classic essays, such as, "Joy," and, "Find Your Beach," Feel Free offers a survey of important recent events in culture and politics, as well as Smith's own life. Equally at home in the world of good books and bad politics, Brooklyn-born rappers and the work of Swiss novelists, she is by turns wry, heartfelt, indignant, and incisive--and never any less than perfect company. This is literary journalism at its zenith.

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Don Van Ryn, Newell Cerak, Susie Van Ryn

Mistaken Identity - Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope

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This book is recommended for those who are interested in heart-wrenching true stories. Mistaken Identity tells the tale of two families who are brought together by a tragedy and find comfort in their shared faith. The book offers a unique perspective on the power of hope and healing. Readers would appreciate the inspiring journey of Whitney Cerak, the survivor of the accident, and the bond of the two families that sustained them through the toughest times.

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Gabrielle Bernstein

The Universe Has Your Back : Transform Fear to Faith

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In her latest book, The Universe Has Your Back, New York Times best-selling author Gabrielle Bernstein teaches readers how to transform their fear into faith in order to live a divinely guided life. Each story and lesson in the book guides readers to release the blocks to what they most long for: happiness, security and clear direction. The lessons help readers relinquish the need to control so they can relax into a sense of certainty and freedom. Readers will learn to stop chasing life and truly live.Making the shift from fear to faith will give readers a sense of power in a world that all too often makes them feel utterly powerless. When the tragedies of the world seem overwhelming, this book will help guide them back to their true power.Gabrielle says, “My commitment with this book is to wake up as many people as possible to their connection to faith and joy. In that connection, we can be guided to our true purpose: to be love and spread love. These words can no longer be cute buzz phrases that we merely post on social media. Rather, these words must be our mission. The happiness, safety, and security we long for lies in our commitment to love.”When readers follow this path, they’ll begin to feel a swell of energy move through them. They will find strength when they are down, synchronicity and support when they’re lost, safety in the face of uncertainty, and joy when they are otherwise in pain. Follow the secrets revealed in this book to unleash the presence of your power and know always that The Universe Has Your Back.

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Martin Amis

Experience

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"Experience" is a deeply personal account of Martin Amis's life, exploring his relationship with his father and the challenges he faced as a writer. The book also includes anecdotes about the literary scene in Britain and the United States, making it a must-read for those interested in literary history. Amis's candid writing style and his examination of family relationships make this book a unique and fascinating read.

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James Herriot

The Lord God Made Them All : The Classic Memoirs of a Yorkshire Country Vet

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This book is perfect for animal lovers or anyone in need of a heartwarming read. James Herriot's storytelling is vivid and captivating, and his love for animals shines through in every page. The book offers a peek into the daily life of a country vet and the challenges he faces in his profession. Herriot's writing is humorous and touching, and readers will come away feeling uplifted and inspired.

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Dave Pelzer

The Lost Boy - A Foster Child's Search For The Love Of A Family

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This book is recommended for those looking for a gut-wrenching, personal account of the foster care system. Pelzer's vivid storytelling takes readers through his traumatic and turbulent childhood, ultimately leading to his search for love and acceptance. The book sheds light on the horrors of child abuse and neglect, while also highlighting the resiliency and strength of the human spirit. A must-read for anyone interested in social justice issues surrounding foster care.

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Bryan Magee

Confessions of a Philosopher

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If you've ever found yourself pondering life's big questions, Bryan Magee's "Confessions of a Philosopher" could be a delightful guide for you. Magee invites us into his world with a passionate and personal narrative that makes the often-intimidating realm of philosophy accessible. His enthusiasm is contagious, and his ability to relate profound ideas to everyday experiences, making them resonate with his readers, is truly a gift.

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Shauna Niequist

Bittersweet : Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way

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'The idea of bittersweet is changing the way I live, unraveling and re-weaving the way I understand life. Bittersweet is the idea that in all things there is both something broken and something beautiful, that there is a moment of lightness on even the darkest of nights, a shadow of hope in every heartbreak, and that rejoicing is no less rich even when it contains a splinter of sadness. 'It's the practice of believing that we really do need both the bitter and the sweet, and that a life of nothing but sweetness rots both your teeth and your soul. Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push through, what helps us earn the lines on our faces and the calluses on our hands. Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity. Bittersweet is courageous, gutsy, audacious, earthy. 'This is what I've come to believe about change: it's good, in the way that childbirth is good, and heartbreak is good, and failure is good. By that I mean that it's incredibly painful, exponentially more so if you fight it, and also that it has the potential to open you up, to open life up, to deliver you right into the palm of God's hand, which is where you wanted to be all long, except that you were too busy pushing and pulling your life into exactly what you thought it should be. 'I've learned the hard way that change is one of God's greatest gifts, and most useful tools. Change can push us, pull us, rebuke and remake us. It can show us who we've become, in the worst ways, and also in the best ways. I've learned that it's not something to run away from, as though we could, and that in many cases, change is a function of God's graciousness, not life's cruelty.' Niequist, a keen observer of life with a lyrical voice, writes with the characteristic warmth and honesty of a dear friend: always engaging, sometimes challenging, but always with a kind heart. You will find Bittersweet savory reading, indeed. 'This is the work I'm doing now, and the work I invite you into: when life is sweet, say thank you, and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you, and grow.'

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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.