Collection: Biography & Memoir

Mic check! Learn your ABCs with Queen Latifah in the Legends of Hip-Hop board book series.

In this accessible series perfectly crafted for babies (and adult fans), music producer Pen Ken and 3x Emmy Award-nominated animation director Saxton Moore introduce mini emcees to some of hip-hop's biggest and brightest luminaries with fun facts about each rapper, organized by a teachable concept.

In this book, children will meet Queen Latifah and learn the entire alphabet!

Check out other books in the series, including Legends of Hip-Hop: 2Pac.

Big Bend attracts some of the most dedicated visitors of any national park in the country. They drive for hours from all across Texas and beyond, sometimes for just a short weekend of wilderness. They bring everything needed for camping, boating, hiking, birding, and backpacking stuffed into or strapped to their vehicles. Most importantly, this loyal group of visitors brings a strong sense of caring and respect for the park.

Most visitors to Big Bend National Park enjoy a wonderful, incident-free vacation and return home with great photos, thrilling memories, and stories of excitement and adventure. But accidents, even catastrophes, can happen. For a rare few Park visitors, a simple mistake, a lack of adequate preparation, or just plain hard luck has lead to deadly or near deadly outcomes. Heat stroke, dehydration, hypothermia, drowning, falls, lightning, and even murder have claimed victims at Big Bend. This book chronicles selected serious injuries, dramatic rescues, and tragic fatalities that have occurred in the Park since the early 1980s.

Death In Big Bend contains useful information that could one day save your life.

Fannie Farmer, America's most famous cooking teacher, discovers that precise measurements are a recipe for cooking success in this STEAM picture book that includes two of her classic recipes.

When Fannie Farmer learned to cook in the late 1800s, recipes could be pretty silly. They might call for "a goodly amount of salt" or "a lump of butter" or "a suspicion of nutmeg." Girls were supposed to use their "feminine instincts" in the kitchen (or maybe just guess). Despite this problem, Fannie loved cooking, so when polio prevented her from going to college, she became a teacher at the Boston Cooking School. Unlike her mother or earlier cookbook writers, Fannie didn't believe in feminine instincts. To her, cooking was a science. She'd noticed that precise measurements and specific instructions ensured that cakes rose instead of flopped and doughnuts fried instead of burned. Students liked Fannie's approach so much that she wrote a cookbook. Despite skepticism from publishers, Fannie's book was a recipe for success.

Written with humor and brought to life with charming illustrations, this book explores the origins of Fannie Farmer's quintessentially American cookbook. A cookbook that was beloved because it allowed anyone to make tasty things, with no guessing, no luck--and certainly no feminine instincts--required.

In this evocative and heart-wrenching memoir, a hard-working Welsh molecatcher reveals his double life as a poet and a dreamer - "A wonderful memoir ... hands down the most charming book I read last year."--Margaret Renkl, The New York Times

"How to Catch a Mole is a small book of many things. In quiet, crystalline prose, it blends memoir, keen observations of nature, and ruminations about life, aging and death."--Wall Street Journal

Kneeling in a muddy field in the Welsh countryside, clutching a creature that is soft and blue-black, Marc Hamer vows he will stop trapping moles--forever. In this earnest, understated, and sublime work of literary memoir, the molecatcher shares what led him to this strange career and what caused him to stop: from sleeping among hedges as a homeless teen, to toiling on the railway, to weeding windswept gardens in Wales and witnessing the beauty of every living thing.

Hamer infuses his wanderings with radiant poetry and stark, simple observations on nature's oft-ignored details. He also reveals how to catch a mole--a craft long kept secret by its masters--and burrows into the unusual lives of his muses. Moles, we learn, are colorblind. Their blood holds unusual amounts of carbon dioxide. Their vast tunnel networks are intricate and deceptive. And, like Hamer, they work alone.

Beautifully written, life-affirming, and highly original, How to Catch a Mole offers a gorgeous portrait of one man's deep, unbreakable bond with his natural surroundings, and offers hope and inspiration for anyone looking to improve their relationship with the natural world.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "A rollicking good time." --Golfweek * "Thoroughly engaging." --The Washington Post

Now with a new afterword: a juicy and freewheeling biography of legendary golf champion Phil Mickelson--who has led a big, controversial life--as reported by longtime Sports Illustrated writer and bestselling author Alan Shipnuck.

Phil Mickelson is one of the most compelling figures in sports. For more than three decades he has been among the best golfers in the world, and his unmatched longevity was exemplified at the 2021 PGA Championship, when Mickelson, on the cusp of turning fifty-one, became the oldest player in history to win a major championship.

In this raw, uncensored, and unauthorized biography, Alan Shipnuck captures a singular life defined by thrilling victories, crushing defeats, and countless controversies. Mickelson is a multifaceted character, and all his warring impulses are on display in these pages: He is a smart-ass who built an empire on being the consummate professional; a loving husband dogged by salacious rumors; a high-stakes gambler who knows the house always wins but can't tear himself away. Mickelson's career and public image have been defined by the contrast with his lifelong rival, Tiger Woods. Where Woods is robotic and reticent, Mickelson is affable and extroverted, an incorrigible showman whom many fans love and some abhor because of the overwhelming size of his personality. In their early years together on Tour, Mickelson lacked Tiger's laser focus and discipline, leading Tida Woods to call her son's rival "the fat boy," among other put-downs. Yet as Tiger's career has been curtailed by scandal, addiction, and a broken body, Phil sails on, still relevant on the golf course and in the marketplace.

Phil is the perfect marriage of subject and author. Shipnuck has long been known as the most fearless writer on the golf beat, and he delivers numerous revelations, from the true scale of Mickelson's massive gambling losses; to the inside story of the acrimonious breakup between Phil and his longtime caddie, Jim "Bones" Mackay; to the secretive backstory of the Saudi golf league that Mickelson championed to wield as leverage against the PGA Tour. But Phil also celebrates Mickelson's random acts of kindness and generosity of spirit, to which friends and strangers alike can attest. Shipnuck has covered Mickelson for his entire career and has been on the ground at Mickelson's most memorable triumphs and crack-ups, allowing him to take you inside the ropes with a thrilling immediacy and intimacy. The result is the juiciest and liveliest golf book in years--full of heart, humor, and unexpected turns.

A BOOKLIST TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS OF 2023 SELECTION As if, in midcentury Alaska, you needed more ways to die. From the creator of the critically acclaimed graphic novel My Degeneration: A Journey Through Parkinson's comes an unnervingly funny tale of life in Alaska during the tensest times of the Cold War. Peter Dunlap-Shohl grew up on the front lines of the Cold War in the 1950s and '60s, where Alaska residents lived in the shadow of a nuclear arsenal nine times the size of the Soviet Union's. This graphic novel recounts the surprising and tragicomic details of the nuclear threats faced by Alaskans, including Project Chariot, championed by Edward Teller and his "firecracker boys" in the late 1950s and early '60s; the nearly nuclear disaster caused by the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964; and the 1971 test of a nuclear warhead on the island of Amchitka. Dunlap-Shohl shares the terrible consequences that these events and others had for humans and animals alike, all in the service of "atoms for peace." Drawn with Dunlap-Shohl's characteristic editorial cartooning style, Nuking Alaska is a fast-paced reminder of how close we came to total annihilation just a half century ago--and how terribly relevant the nuclear threat remains to this day.

These stories and others like them detail the danger Texas Game Wardens face too often while out on patrol. THUNDER RIVER is a true first-hand account of actual events that occurred over a 25 year career. Saddle up and come along for a wild ride with one of Texas' most experienced and well-known game wardens.

How do magnets generate electricity? What is antimatter? Is time travel possible?

Discover the answers to these and over 90 other big questions that explore the most important laws, theories, and breakthrough moments in our understanding of physics - from the earliest civilizations to the 21st century.

The Physics Book comprises concise information and step-by-step diagrams that untangle knotty theories, memorable quotes, and witty illustrations that play with our understanding of physics.
This diverse and inclusive account of physics includes Pythagoras's observations on music, Galileo's experiments with spheres, and Isaac Newton's theories of gravity and the laws of motion, unlocking Albert Einstein's insights into relativity, how the accidental discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation confirmed the Big Bang theory and the reasons most of the Universe is "missing".

This captivating book will broaden your understanding of physics, offering:

- A foreword by renowned British scientist Professor Jim Al-Khalil.
- Profiles of over 80 ideas and events that shaped our understanding of physics and its significance to everyday life.
- Thought-provoking images and flow-charts that demystify the central concepts behind each idea.
- Insightful quotes from leading physicists, such as Archimedes, Galileo and Einstein.
- A directory section for easy localization.

Your Physics Questions, Simply Explained.

The Physics Book uses an innovative visual approach to make the subject accessible to everyone, whether you're an avid student or just curious about maths. If you've ever wondered exactly how physicists formulated - and proved - these abstract concepts, this is the perfect book for you.

The Big Ideas Series

With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Physics Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking images along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.

Create a timeless keepsake that will be treasured by future generations.

Tell Me Your Life Story, Mom is a beautifully designed gift to capture all of Mom's precious memories and wisdom.

This simple guided journal helps mothers record their life story with over 200 questions.

The thought-provoking questions and prompts are organized into chapters based on your mother's life stages to help her record memories, experiences, treasured moments and reflections.

Once completed, this gift will become a precious treasure and personal keepsake of your mother's most important recollections, stories and life lessons that can be passed down to your children and cherished by future generations to come.

• Ideal Gift. Makes a perfect and thoughtful gift for any occasion.
• Over 200 journal prompts. 126 detailed questions and 75 short questions.
• Elegant design. 122 pages. Beautiful interior design, divided into six chapters.
• Perfect Size. 7 x 10 inches (17.8 x 25.4 cm)
• For mothers of all kinds. The inclusive questions are suitable for all mothers and family structures.

Available in both Hardcover and Paperback.

This heartfelt and wry career memoir from the director of Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Legends of the Fall, About Last Night, and Glory, creator of the show thirtysomething, and executive producer of My So-Called Life, gives a dishy, behind-the-scenes look at working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

"I'll be dropping a few names," Ed Zwick confesses in the introduction to his book. "Over the years I have worked with self-proclaimed masters-of-the-universe, unheralded geniuses, hacks, sociopaths, savants, and saints."

He has encountered these Hollywood types during four decades of directing, producing, and writing projects that have collectively received eighteen Academy Award nominations (seven wins) and sixty-seven Emmy nominations (twenty-two wins). Though there are many factors behind such success, including luck and the contributions of his creative partner Marshall Herskovitz, he's known to have a special talent for bringing out the best in the people he's worked with, especially the actors. In those intense collaborations, he's sought to discover the small pieces of connective tissue, vulnerability, and fellowship that can help an actor realize their character in full.

Talents whom he spotted early include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, Claire Danes, and Jared Leto. Established stars he worked closely with include Leonardo DiCaprio, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Daniel Craig, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Connelly. He also sued Harvey Weinstein over the production of Shakespeare in Love--and won. He shares personal stories about all these people, and more.

Written mostly with love, sometimes with rue, this memoir is also a meditation on working, sprinkled throughout with tips for anyone who has ever imagined writing, directing, or producing for the screen. Fans with an appreciation for the beautiful mysteries--as well as the unsightly, often comic truths--of crafting film and television won't want to miss it.

In an exquisitely illustrated nonfiction picture book about the childhood and discoveries of the "father of neuroscience," science and art--together--work wonders.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal's father, the village doctor, wants Santiago to be a doctor. He discourages his willful son's love and aptitude for art. But drawing and painting are as necessary to Santiago as breathing, so when his father confiscates his art supplies, the boy finds a way to draw in secret. He draws on doors, gates, and walls, and to the neighbors, his drawings are a nuisance. But Santiago sees things differently. He's an artist and always will be, even after he grows up and becomes a doctor. And art helps him discover what no one else could: branching connections within the nervous system. Debut author Christine Iverson's vivid text evokes Santiago's pioneering nature, while Luciano Lozano's stunning visual narrative incorporates Santiago's actual art, including remarkable drawings of neural pathways. A self-portrait, facts about neurons, and the science behind Santiago Ramón y Cajal's 1906 Nobel Prize for Medicine round out this brilliant account of a boy who shaped his scientific fate as an artist.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically goes on a rollicking journey to understand the enduring power of puzzles: why we love them, what they do to our brains, and how they can improve our world.

"Even though I've never attempted the New York Times crossword puzzle or solved the Rubik's Cube, I couldn't put down The Puzzler."--Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before

Look for the author's new podcast, The Puzzler, based on this book!

What makes puzzles--jigsaws, mazes, riddles, sudokus--so satisfying? Be it the formation of new cerebral pathways, their close link to insight and humor, or their community-building properties, they're among the fundamental elements that make us human. Convinced that puzzles have made him a better person, A.J. Jacobs--four-time New York Times bestselling author, master of immersion journalism, and nightly crossworder--set out to determine their myriad benefits. And maybe, in the process, solve the puzzle of our very existence. Well, almost.

In The Puzzler, Jacobs meets the most zealous devotees, enters (sometimes with his family in tow) any puzzle competition that will have him, unpacks the history of the most popular puzzles, and aims to solve the most impossible head-scratchers, from a mutant Rubik's Cube, to the hardest corn maze in America, to the most sadistic jigsaw. Chock-full of unforgettable adventures and original examples from around the world--including new work by Greg Pliska, one of America's top puzzle-makers, and a hidden, super-challenging but solvable puzzle--The Puzzler will open readers' eyes to the power of flexible thinking and concentration. Whether you're puzzle obsessed or puzzle hesitant, you'll walk away with real problem-solving strategies and pathways toward becoming a better thinker and decision maker--for these are certainly puzzling times.

From the legendary dance critic Deborah Jowitt, Errand into the Maze is the definitive biography of the visionary dancer and choreographer Martha Graham.

"Deborah Jowitt chronicles a life passionately, artfully lived. An essential read about a true legend." --Mikhail Baryshnikov

In the pantheon of American modernists, few figures loom larger than Martha Graham. One of the greatest choreographers ever to live, Graham pioneered a revolutionary dance technique--primal, dynamic, and rooted in the emotional life of the body--that upended traditional vocabulary and shaped generations of dancers and choreographers across the globe. Over her sweeping career, she founded what is now the oldest dance company in the country and produced nearly two hundred ballets, many of them masterpieces. And along the way, she engaged with the major debates, events, and ideas of the twentieth century, creating works that cut to the core of the human experience. Time magazine's "Dancer of the Century," and the first dancer and choreographer to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Graham was a visionary artistic force and an international cultural figure: hers was the iconic face of what came to be known as modern dance.

From the renowned dance writer and former longtime critic for The Village Voice Deborah Jowitt, Errand into the Maze draws on more than a decade of firsthand research to deliver the definitive portrait of this titan. Beginning with Graham's childhood in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and her early studies at the Denishawn School; weaving in her offstage adventures, including her relationship with her dancer and muse Erick Hawkins; and chronicling her retirement from dancing at age seventy-five and her remarkably productive final years, this elegant, empathetic biography portrays the artist in all her passionate complexity. Most important, Jowitt places Graham's creations at the heart of her story. Her works, brimming with raw intensity, are intimately linked with their creator, who played the heroine in almost all that she choreographed: Joan of Arc, Jocasta, Clytemnestra, and Judith, among others. In this volume, Graham is centerstage once more, and Jowitt casts a brilliant spotlight on her life and work.

Renowned rock climber Beth Rodden's inspiring memoir about overcoming devastating trauma, refusing to be held hostage by fear, and taking a leap toward healing.

Beth Rodden is twenty years old and already an elite rock climber when a climbing excursion in Kyrgyzstan escalates into a nightmare. Beth, her boyfriend, and two other climbers are kidnapped by militant rebels. After six harrowing days of hiding, marching, and dodging gunfire, they miraculously escape captivity. But fear follows Beth home, and pushing past it becomes a fixation.

She and her boyfriend, Tommy, train obsessively, achieving rock-climbing greatness and conquering each groundbreaking goal they set, all the while burying the terrors of Kyrgyzstan deep inside. Then comes an unexpected breaking point. For Beth, a woman at the top of her profession, the only way to overcome the anxiety that still controls her is to let go of the lifeline she's been clinging to. Blowing up her successful and familiar life, Beth clears a path to a new one--a healthy new normal beyond the anxieties of the past and the myopic pursuit of athletic perfection.

Charting a powerful journey of ambition, hope, love, physical and emotional endurance, and the true fulfilment of being oneself, A Light through the Cracks is Beth's story of climbing up and through life.

Eleven sisters, abandoned and abused, reunite after forty-three years and share their stories...

In this true story of resilience in the face of hardship, Barbara Lane and her sister Kay survive abandonment by their mother only to face severe abuse while living in foster care: the home of a Mafia grunt.

But for Barbara, missing her nine other sisters was more than she could bear. This well-written and powerful memoir reveals Barbara's hidden abuse and invites the reader to journey with her through the many years she spent trying to find her sisters and solve the intriguing mystery of her family of origin.

Broken Water is an honest and unforgettable tale of inspiration and transformation, a story of perseverance, tremendous faith and a belief that grief, loss and suffering can become the roots of wisdom, joy and a fulfilling life.

As an Ordained Ministerial Counselor, Barbara shares compelling stories of others she has helped to overcome their own haunting histories.

"A distinctive, haunting tale of family, loss and hope." Kirkus Review

**This book contains content that might be troubling to some readers including, but not limited to, depictions of and references to child abuse, childhood trauma, neglect, and death. Please be mindful of these and other possible triggers and seek assistance, if needed, from a mental health professional.**

A paperback picture book based on the true story of Wangari Maathai, an environmental and political activist in Kenya and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something--and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans . . .

This true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a shining example of how one woman's passion, vision, and determination inspired great change.

Includes an author's note.