Collection: Biography & Memoir

The True Story of Sitting Bull from multi-award-winning author Joseph Bruchac.

Anxious to be given a name as strong and brave as that of his father, a proud Lakota Sioux grows into manhood, acting with careful deliberation, determination, and bravery, which eventually earned him his proud new name: Sitting Bull.

An ALA Notable Book

"Being named Slow and growing up in the shadow of a great warrior hardly dwarfed the prospects of this protagonist: he grew up to be Sitting Bull. Bruchac's sensitively told story of Sitting Bull's coming-of-age reassures young boys that success comes through effort, not birth." --Booklist

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - An "extraordinary, unforgettable" (Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow) memoir of redemption and second chances amidst America's mass incarceration epidemic, from a member of Oprah's SuperSoul 100

Shaka Senghor was raised in a middle-class neighborhood on Detroit's east side during the height of the 1980s crack epidemic. An honor roll student and a natural leader, he dreamed of becoming a doctor--but at age eleven, his parents' marriage began to unravel, and beatings from his mother worsened, which sent him on a downward spiral. He ran away from home, turned to drug dealing to survive, and ended up in prison for murder at the age of nineteen, full of anger and despair.

Writing My Wrongs is the story of what came next. During his nineteen-year incarceration, seven of which were spent in solitary confinement, Senghor discovered literature, meditation, self-examination, and the kindness of others--tools he used to confront the demons of his past, forgive the people who hurt him, and begin atoning for the wrongs he had committed. Upon his release at age thirty-eight, Senghor became an activist and mentor to young men and women facing circumstances like his. His work in the community and the courage to share his story led him to fellowships at the MIT Media Lab and the Kellogg Foundation and invitations to speak at events like TED and the Aspen Ideas Festival.

In equal turns, Writing My Wrongs is a page-turning portrait of life in the shadow of poverty, violence, and fear; an unforgettable story of redemption; and a compelling witness to our country's need for rethinking its approach to crime, prison, and the men and women sent there.

In 1962 the poet, musician, and performer Maya Angelou claimed another piece of her identity by moving to Ghana, joining a community of "Revolutionist Returnees" inspired by the promise of pan-Africanism. All God's Children Need Walking Shoes is her lyrical and acutely perceptive exploration of what it means to be an African American on the mother continent, where color no longer matters but where American-ness keeps asserting itself in ways both puzzling and heartbreaking. As it builds on the personal narrative of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Gather Together in My Name, this book confirms Maya Angelou's stature as one of the most gifted autobiographers of our time.

Includes dozens of true insider stories about music production, and anecdotes about artists such as The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, U2 and more! In 1986, The New York Times praised The Chameleons UK's Strange Times, comparing it to The Beatles' Revolver, and critics revere it as one of the 80's best along with The Joshua Tree and Lifes Rich Pageant. The Chameleons (or The Chameleons UK in the U.S.) first signed with CBS. They were being compared to U2, The Cure, Simple Minds, and Echo and the Bunnymen, and ended up on Geffen Records after going semi-indie for a while. Manchester was spawning a wealth of bands ranging from The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, and Happy Mondays in the 1980's, so The Chameleons seemed to be at the right place at the right time. Then, right at a perfect storm of breaking out big, The Chameleons suddenly vanished from the music scene. A View From a Hill is the complete untold story of The Chameleons and a cautionary tale of music business trickery from the clever pen of Post-Punk legend Mark Burgess, the band's lead singer. He performs Chameleons music live with Bushart and with Chameleons Vox. The Chameleons influenced bands such as Interpol, The Editors, White Lies, For Against, Blacklist, and The Horrors.

Anyone who has read Patricia St. John's books already knows how her stories come alive, and this account of her own life is no exception. Her powers of description make the story leap from the page and the reader is transported to far off places and times; and the people and the things she describes can almost be touched, smelled and seen.Patricia was not just a gifted story-teller, though; she was also a deeply committed follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose spiritual journey began when she was only six years old. 'My name is Patricia, ' she prayed, 'and if You are really calling me I want to come and be Yours. ' Out of that small beginning there issued a river of life and light and blessing that went on increasing right up to the end of her life. Although she always thought of herself as 'an ordinary sort of girl', her life was extraordinary because of her supreme love for Jesus Christ.The life portrayed here is not that of the self-conscious saint, concerned only with her own saintliness. On the contrary these pages offer us an inside view of someone utterly human, prone to mistakes and failures like the rest of us, yet suffused with the love of God and a contagious joy and peace that was like the bubbling up of a perpetual fountain.

A new cookbook from the best-selling and award-winning author that uses recipes to look back at her life and family history--and at her personal journey discovering Jewish cuisine from around the world

"There is no greater authority on Jewish cooking than Joan Nathan." --Michael Solomonov, James Beard award-winning chef and author of Zahav

Before hummus was available in every grocery store--before shakshuka was a dish on every brunch menu--Joan Nathan taught home cooks how and why they should make these now-beloved staples themselves. Here, in her most personal book yet, the beloved authority on global Jewish cuisine uses recipes looks back at her own family's history-- their arrival in America from Germany; her childhood in postwar New York and Rhode Island; her years in Paris, New York, Israel, and Washington, DC. Nathan shares her story--of marriage, motherhood, and a career as a food writer; of a life well-lived and centered around meals--and she punctuates it with all the foods she has come to love.

With over 100 recipes from roast chicken to rugelach, from matzoh ball soup to challah and brisket, here are updated versions of her favorites. But here too are new favorites: Salmon with Preserved Lemon and Za'atar; Fragrant Spiced Chicken with Rice, Eggplant, Peppers, and Zucchini; Mahammar (a Syrian pepper, pomegranate and walnut dip); Moroccan Chicken with Almonds, Cinnamon and Couscous; Joan's version of the perfect Black and White Cookies.

This is a treasury of recipes and stories--and an invitation to a seat at Nathan's table.

Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative, in which the author describes his birth in Africa, his enslavement and transportation to America, and his journey from slavery to freedom, was published just a few days before the British parliament first debated the abolition of the slave trade in 1789. As a first-hand account of the horrors of slavery, it was a vital part of the campaign to end that "accursed trade," but the book is far more than merely a political pamphlet. It is the most important African autobiography of the eighteenth century, telling the story of a life of high adventure on land and sea, from the Caribbean to the North Pole via America, Turkey, and Great Britain, in a style that remains lively and engaging to this day.

This new edition includes an introduction surveying the recent debates about Equiano's birthplace and identity, and showing how the book achieved its increasingly central position among the great works of eighteenth-century literature.

Selected as a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times Book Review, this landmark work gives us a definitive account of Lincoln's lifelong engagement with the nation's critical issue: American slavery. A master historian, Eric Foner draws Lincoln and the broader history of the period into perfect balance. We see Lincoln, a pragmatic politician grounded in principle, deftly navigating the dynamic politics of antislavery, secession, and civil war. Lincoln's greatness emerges from his capacity for moral and political growth.

Legends of the NFL profiles twenty-eight top retired players, from the gridiron greats of past generations, like Joe Montana and Jim Brown, to recent superstars like Randy Moss and Tom Brady. Filled with fascinating stories about these legends' early lives, their unique playing styles, and their defining moments on the field, this book will delight young football fans. It is illustrated throughout with colorful photographs and also includes each player's key stats.

Legends of the NFL joins Abbeville's growing lineup of sports books for young readers, including Stars of the NFL, Legends of the NBA, Stars of World Soccer, and Legends of Major League Baseball.

A California teacher outlines lessons from American heroes that instill renewed admiration of their achievements, provides guidelines for self-improvement, and sets us on a constructive path to recovering our past.

In his quarter century of teaching, Jeremy S. Adams has watched his students become increasingly disinterested in history and cynical about the American Experiment itself. Students today reject America's past, viewing it as a laundry list of corrupt people, oppressive institutions, and irrelevant out-of-date fables.

As an educator and a father, Adams feels a deep responsibility to restore young people's belief in the importance of American history, how it binds us as a nation and offers crucial insights to help us in the struggle to "become a more perfect Union." In Lessons in Liberty, he carves out a fresh and surprising approach to the past, highlighting the unique human details of iconic figures and the lessons they teach, such as:

Daniel Inouye, a Japanese American who carried out dangerous missions in World War II and later became a US Senator representing Hawaii, who exemplifies how true patriotism is never blind to injustice.

George Washington, whose lifelong struggle to conquer his temper makes him a model for self-help and self-improvement.

Eleven-year-old Clara Barton, whose experience helping her injured brother regain his health helped her develop the courage and ferocity she would need to pioneer nursing techniques during the Civil War.

With this beautifully written, non-partisan, deeply researched book, Adams reclaims history for a new generation, showing the surprising ways heroes as diverse as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Arthur Ashe, and Thomas Jefferson can speak to our lives today.

The New York Times-bestselling author of Deluxe and Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fasion and the Future of Clothes chronicles the making and unmaking of two of the greatest fashion designers of our time

In the mid-1990s, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen exploded onto a fashion scene that was in an artistic and economic rut. Their daring visions shook the establishment out of its bourgeois, minimalist stupor with vibrant, sexy designs and theatrical runway shows. By the end of the decade, each had been hired to run one of couture's most storied houses, Galliano at Dior and McQueen at Givenchy. They were icons of a new generation of rock-star designers who headlined the transformation of luxury fashion from a small clutch of family-owned businesses into a global, multibillion-dollar corporate industry. But the pace was unsustainable. In 2010, McQueen took his own life. A year later, Galliano was fired in the wake of an alcohol-fueled, anti-Semitic diatribe.

In her groundbreaking work Gods and Kings, acclaimed fashion journalist Dana Thomas tells the true story of two unforgettable artists. In so doing, she pulls back the curtain on the revolution that has remade high fashion over the last two decades--and the price it demanded from the very ones who saved it.

A really wonderful peek into the lives of a couple who tried the wide open west as homesteaders that reveals ineptitude as well as the usual pioneer bravado.

This irresistible collection by #1 New York Times bestselling creator Vashti Harrison is the perfect way to introduce little readers to inspiring leaders, thinkers, and dreamers in Black history.

Beautifully illustrated and accessibly written, Dream Big, Little One; Think Big, Little One; and Follow Your Dreams, Little One are board book adaptations of the bestselling Little Leaders, Little Dreamers, and Little Legends books. These inspiring books highlight trailblazing Black women leaders, visionary Black creators, and exceptional Black men who changed the world--now available in a collection sure to inspire big dreams in the youngest readers, or any little leader in the making.

This first biography of poet and writer Margaret Walker (1915-98) offers a comprehensive close reading of a pillar in American culture for a majority of the 20th century. Without defining herself as a radical or even a feminist, Walker followed the precepts of both. She promoted the idea of the artist of tradition and social change, a public intellectual and an institution builder. Among the first to recognize the impact of black women in literature, Walker became a chief architect of what many have called the new Black South Renaissance. Her art was influenced early by Langston Hughes, her political understanding of the world by Richard Wright. Walker expanded both into a comprehensive view on art and humanism, which became a national platform for the center she founded in Mississippi that now bears her name. The House Where My Soul Lives provides a full account of Walker's life and new interpretations of her writings before and after the publication of her most well-known poem in the 1930s in Chicago. The book rejects the widely held view of Walker as the "angry black woman" and emphasizes what contemporary American culture owes to her decades of foundational work in what we know today as Black Studies, Women's Studies, and the Public Humanities. She was fierce in her claim to be "black, female and free" which gave her the authority to challenge all hierarchies, no matter at what cost. Featuring 80 archival photos and documents and based on never before examined personal papers and interviews with those who knew Walker personally, this book is required reading for all readers of biographies of American writers.

On September 11th, 2001, Port Authority Police Officer, William Jimeno, left his home unsuspecting of what the day was about to hold. Just a few hours later he lay crushed beneath the Twin Towers' 220 stories of concrete, steel, and glass. Most of his team had already died. He and his sergeant were helplessly trapped. The pain and anguish had only begun.

Many have seen Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, which depicted this horrific day and the rescue of Will and his Sergeant, John McLoughlin. Surviving the initial collapse was only part of the story. Multiple surgeries, forced retirement, survivor's guilt, depression, and learning to live again with PTSD were waiting outside of the rubble.

Will has teamed with clinical psychologist, Michael Moats, to share his message of faith, hope, and love and how these three things helped him navigate the unchartered waters of learning to live again after the tragedy of September 11th. Although Sunrise Through the Darkness speaks directly to first responders, Will's message is relatable to anyone who has suffered trauma or loves someone who has. Sunrise Through the Darkness marks the 20 year anniversary of 9/11 and gives honor to those that died through Will's continued work of healing and serving others.

WINNER of the 2017 Firecracker Award for Nonfiction from CLMP

A collection of linked essays concerned with the life and mind of the writer by one of the most original voices in contemporary literature. Each essay takes a day as its point of inquiry, observing the body as it moves through time, architecture, and space, gradually demanding a new logic and level of consciousness from the narrator and reader.