“Non-Fiction: Letterboxing, Pets, Growing Organic Food, and a Magician Better Than Houdini - Tucson Citizen” plus 1 more

---

Non-Fiction: Letterboxing, Pets, Growing Organic Food, and a Magician Better Than Houdini - Tucson Citizen Posted: Black Faces of War: A Legacy of Honor From the American Revolution to Today by Robert V. Morris with a Foreword by Lt. Gen. Julius W. Becton, Jr., USA (Ret.) Zenith Press, $30) When many of us think about the African-American experience in war, the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry, Colin Powell, the first black to become a four-star general in the U.S. Army, and the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII immediately come to mind. A fascinating new book underscores the fact that black involvement in our national wars was much, much more than the three examples cited above. For example, Crispus Attucks was the first to die in the American Revolution, Lt. Charity Adams became the first African-American female officer in the Woman's Army Auxiliary Corps, and Harriet Tubman shepherded slaves to freedom and served the Union during the Civil War. Robert Morris, who began writing at an early age for the Iowa Bystander, the oldest black-oriented weekly west of the Mississippi, has compiled a remarkable historical overview of African-Americans who have served their country during wartime. The text is supplemented with more than 250 archival images. "Black Faces of War" is divided into 8 main chapters: The American Revolution, Slavery and the Antebellum South; The Civil War, Western Expansion, and Buffalo Soldiers; World War I: Black Officers and the New Negroes; World War II: Black Woman at War; World War II: Tuskegee Airman Soaring Above, 758th Tankers Rumbling Below; World War II: Song of the South Pacific; Korea and Vietnam: Combat Integration and Black Power; and The Modern Era and the Evolution of Black Leadership. The research of this book took two years and is exceptional. The text is crisply written and accessible. Morris claims that finding first-person accounts was sometimes difficult but it is what makes his new work so interesting. This is first-rate historical reporting and also an important literary contribution to our national history since "Black Faces of War" fills in many missing pieces and highlights information that has often been ignored or simply relegated to footnotes by other historians. The Last Greatest Magician in the World: Howard Thurston Versus Houdini & the Battles of the American Wizards by Jim Steinmeyer (Tarcher/Penguin, $26.95) Without a doubt, Harry Houdini was one of the most famous magicians ever. While he wowed crowds by escaping from containers and straight-jackets, a lesser-known man, Howard Thurston, was truly America's Greatest Magician during the early years of the last century. What is amazing is how almost completely forgotten this celebrated vaudevillian became. Thurston began his career as a con artist and traveling saloon entertainer during the nineteenth century but it was his work as a stand-alone act in vaudeville that made him a star. A master of illusion, Thurston thrilled his audiences with spectacular sets, fast-paced tricks, humor, and perhaps most importantly, flashy showmanship. Jim Steinmeyer, a leading designer of magic illusion, focuses not just on the life of Thurston but also recreates American entertainment during the Edwardian era and how it evolved. This is the fascinating story of a magician and how he revolutionized the magic show by doing feats that set him apart from many of his competitors including the great Houdini. George Washington's First War: His Early Military Adventures by David A. Clary (Simon & Schuster, $27) During the years before the American Revolution, George Washington seasoned himself as a soldier mostly through trial and error, more error than trial according to David Clary, a best-selling author and historian. Based on thorough research and crisp reporting that is so vivid it almost seems to leap from the printed page, the harrowing accounts of Washington's battles and bitter conflicts are documented. The result is a revealing look at not just the man but of the very times in which he lived. Washington was immersed in military life even at an early age and once said, "I heard the bullets whistle, and believe me, there is something charming in the sound." Ironically, the statement was made not following a pitched battle but shortly after his men and Indian allies had massacred a diplomatic party, an event that triggered the French and Indian War of 1754-63. Clary reveals that despite what you heard about the cherry tree, Washington could and sometimes did lie. He serves up several examples that document when our first president was less than truthful. Washington was a colonel by the time he was twenty-two even though he had little or no training. He was a glory hound who often found himself in situations he was not prepared to handle and misguided by superiors who should have known better. His early soldiers were a band of disorganized amateurs, more often than not pitted against better trained men such as French professionals. "George Washington's First War" is especially intriguing because it presents a side of the man that is rarely found in our history texts. As Shakespeare once wrote, all's well that ends well since Washington emerged from his earlier mistakes to become a great soldier and statesman. How he did it is an incredible, indispensable back story. Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight pets by Dr. Nick Trout (Broadway Books, $24.99) Nick Trout, a staff surgeon at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, has spent more than twenty years witnessing firsthand the profound impact that pets have on us, especially when their health is at stake. This inspiring new book, follows his 2008 bestseller, "Tell Me Where It Hurts," and is an intimate reflection on the pets that have touched his life. Dr. Trout claims that his pets, former and present, have helped shape him into the son, father, husband, and doctor that he is today. His memoir is, as might be imaged, personal and intimate. Using his own beloved pets as a vehicle of telling his story is an excellent format that is certain to connect with those who have ever shared their hearts with a four legged creature. Dr. Trout is convinced that pets contribute so much more to our daily lives than mere companionship. He writes, "The lessons they've taught me have been subtle, startling and inspirational, playing a small but vital part in helping to shape the person you see with the stethoscope around his neck." The author lives in Massachusetts with his wife, daughters, and their two dogs: Meg, a yellow Lab, and Sophie, a Jack Russell terrier. Letterboxed: The Evolution of Widescreen Cinema by Harper Cossar (University of Kentucky Press, $60) Recently while watching "Lawrence of Arabia" on television, I realized that what I was seeing was much less than what had been captured on film in the original print. It was, in fact, a widescreen movie that had been formatted for television. Since as much as half of the shot had been deleted, I was viewing only a fraction of the actual product. This has been corrected by a process called letterboxing which prevents any of the footage to become lost. Because of this, the original impact remains to a great extent. Movie formats that we take for granted today have not always been the norm. Harper Cossar, an Atlanta-based professor who has written extensively about video and the film industry, points out that experimentation in the widescreen format began in earnest in 1930, with the release "The Big Trail," directed by Raoul Walsh and starring John Wayne in one of his first feature films. The feature was shot in widescreen and Academy ratio since few theaters had widescreens. This is an excellent book that traces the history of widescreen while displaying the visual differences between the two ratios with side-by-side comparisons. Cossar provides a new tool for examining the ever-evolving art of filmmaking as well as a window to understanding the changes that are taking place today as televisions undergo a similar change in format. Growing a Farmer: How I learned to Live Off the Land by Kurt Timmermeister (Norton, $24.95) Kurt Timmermeister had just opened his second restaurant in Seattle when he went in search of his first house. Just outside the city, he found a four-acre plot and despite the fact that it was littered with garbage, he quickly fell in love with the land. He became more and more interested in where food comes from, how it's produced, and how it's traditionally prepared, which inspired him to read every book he could on farming and farm-based cooking. Armed with his new found knowledge, he took a deep breath and began growing small crops of leeks, kale, squash, and tomatoes for his personal meals. His garden was soon home to a hive of honeybees and then a Jersey cow, he affectionately named Dinah. After buying two additional cows, he acquired a license to sell raw milk. 'Kurtwood Farms" soon began supplying produce for both his restaurants and consumers interested in healthier foods. Timmermeister's journey into how and why he became a farmer is engaging reading. His relationship with his land is nothing short of inspirational. This is must reading for those are curious about the origins of food and how organic farming works. This entry was posted on Monday, January 31st, 2011 at 11:47 am and is filed under Uncategorized. Tags for this post: African-Americans Serving During Wartime. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php Five Filters featured article: Collateral Damage - WikiLeaks In The Crosshairs.

Non-Fiction Paperbacks: Memoir of Leslie Caron, Spy Hot Spots in New Mexico, Polgergeists, and How to ... - Tucson Citizen Posted: Thank Heaven: A Memoir by Leslie Caron (Plume, $16) Leslie Caron has been an international entertainer for more than five decades. She was born during the depression era of the 1930s and raised in wartime France. Although she trained in ballet, it was on the soundstages of Hollywood where she achieved some of biggest successes. Caron helped define American cinema while appearing in 45 films between 1951 and 2003. This in addition her extensive work in television. Her best film work included such classics as "Gigi," "Daddy Long Legs," and "An American in Paris." Her dancing partners on film were such stars as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Nureyev. She co-starred with Cary Grant, Maurice Chevalier, and Henry Fonda, and made tabloid headlines when she dated one of America's most eligible bachelors, Warren Beatty. To say that she has led quite a life is, perhaps, an understatement. Her new memoir is filled with inside dish in addition to her honest assessment of her life. This is a candid, no-holds-barred memoir that is as accessible as it is remarkable in addition to being poignant and witty. The searing account of her triumph over alcoholism and depression is revealing and inspirational. House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival by Deborah Ball (Three River Press, $15) When Gianni Versace, the Italian designer and founder of an international fashion house, was gunned down on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion in 1997, many believed the murder would bring an end to the reign of the House of Versace. What wasn't taken into consideration was the grit, will, and determination of Versace's brother, Santo, and his focused, almost ruthless sister, Donatella. How Versace became a fashion genius and almost single-handedly created celebrity culture is a riveting, spellbinding story. This death and its aftermath reads like a well-written novel Deborah Ball, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, delves into the allure of the Versace name in a book that is filled with drama, mystery, murder, and, yes, survival. At the center of it all was, of course, the Versace clothing, an almost magical line. As Joan Juliet Buck, a Vogue writer and editor explained, "One had only to try on a Versace dress to find that one's tits went up, and one's ass went out, and one's waist went in." The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi (Sterling, $14.95) This is the story that has captured almost everyone's attention. George, the Duke of York and the second son of George V, never thought he would become King of the British Empire but he didn't anticipate that his older brother, Edward, would fall in love with an American divorcee, Mrs. Simpson of Baltimore. His affair eventually brought about his abdication in 1936, turning the spotlight on brother George, a man who was ill prepared to become king. George V was extremely shy and almost crippled by a stammer which turned even the simplest conversation into a painful ordeal. Lionel Logue, a self-taught Australian speech therapist who many in the British establishment thought a quack, was hired to help the new king overcome his speech defect so he could better connect with his subjects. At the urging of his wife, Elizabeth, George VI began therapy with Logue and through intense locution and breathing lessons, the shy young king found his voice. His achievement helped him steer his country through the challenges of World War II. This terrific book is co-authored by Mark Logue, the grandson of Lionel. Peter Conradi, a veteran journalist and editor for The Sunday Times in London, also contributed. We've Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication by Judith Warner (Riverhead Books, $16) Judith Warner, a former correspondent for Newsweek in Paris and a columnist for The New York Times, has written extensively about women, parenting, and childcare. In "We've Got Issues," she tackles one of her most provocative and compelling subjects yet, namely how families are struggling to find the best way to help children who suffer from such problems as autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, Asperger's, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, dyslexia, and more. Faced with any of the conditions, parents are often overwhelmed while trying to make the right decisions about how best to help their children. Adding to the complexity of the situation is the question of whether we are misdiagnosing our children with special needs and overprescribing medications to modify their behavior. Drawing on extensive cutting-edge research and interviews with parents, child psychiatrists and psychologists, pediatricians, and other experts, Warner lays out the current scientific understandings of the disorders as she debunks many of the misconceptions and myths. With focused effort, Warner is convinced that we, as a society, can bring an essential and much-needed humanity to the treatment of kids with special concerns. She adds that it is time to re-think our commonly held beliefs about "labeling" and "drugging" children to become more aware of what the reality of having special needs children is. How to Shop for Free: Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing by Katy Spencer with Samantha Rose (Da Capo/Lifelong Books, $14.95) Kathy Spencer, a Boston housekeeper, has developed such shopping skills they been featured in national publications. After years of coupon clipping, navigating clearance racks, getting free giveaways, and even scoring organic food and prescription drugs for free, she is prepared to share many of her secrets. To be a success, she is convinced that shoppers have to venture further than the stereotypical Sunday circular. In fact, they must learn as much as they can about the benefits of such things as the ins and outs of eBay, rebates, buy one/get one free offers, and rain checks while avoiding the scams. Her strategies are designed to save money, without sacrificing quality or brand names. If you want to pare down spending on essential items and indulgences alike, this book could be the guide you need to make it happen. A Spy's Guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque by E.B. Held (University of New Mexico Press, $19.95) The cities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque have riveting histories, especially when it comes to international espionage. For example, Zook's, the well-known drug store in Santa Fe, was the staging ground for plotting the 1940 KGB assassination of Leon Trotsky in Mexico City, and Freeman's boarding house in downtown Albuquerque served as a meeting place for Harry Gold and David Greenglass. Greenglass was, of course, brother to Ethel Rosenberg and brother-in-law to her husband, Julius. It was the Albuquerque meetings of Gold and Greenglass that eventually led to the arrests and executions of the Rosenbergs. Former CIA agent E.B. Held has drawn on declassified documents from both the CIA and KGB as the basis of his book to document some of the most notorious spying events ever staged in the American Southwest. His book will be a helpful guide, especially for those who want to visit site locations while exploring the setting of some of the most crucial spying operations in United States history. Confessions of a Rebel Debutante: A Memoir by Anna Fields (Berkley, $15) I haven't found much amusing about debutants since the days of Brenda Frazier. (Brenda who? Google it.) Anna Fields is as Southern as corn bread and grits and probably would have made a terrific debutante if she hadn't been such a rebel. She grew up in North Carolina but was more at home hanging upside down from a dogwood tree than learning to curtsy and the finer points of Southern high society. While trying to learn the basics by wearing talcum powder in her hair to "keep the curl," wearing kid gloves, and dancing with middle school boys in their big brothers' tuxes, she realized quite quickly that becoming a deb simply wasn't in her DNA. After rebelling at her private all-girls finishing school, she enrolled at Brown University which was followed by a disastrous short-lived acting career in L.A. This is a laugh-out-loud memoir that is as comforting and refreshing as a frosty glass of sweet tea — the table wine of the South — consumed on a shady porch during a hot summer day. A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation by Daniel Menaker (Twelve, $14.99) Daniel Menaker, who has written extensively for such publications as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Slate.com, is convinced that conversation is one of the most important aspects of being human. In his insightful and crisply written book, he helps readers navigate the shallows, reefs, and open seas of conversation. From insults to dating, from instant messaging to ordering dinner in a café, Menaker builds a convincing case for the physical benefits of conversation and its indispensable place in our social, moral, and political lives. It is spot-on and an absolute joy. My advice is to put down the Blackberry and read this book. It could change the way you think about verbal skills. The Poltergeist Phenomenon: An In-Depth Investigation into Floating Beds, smashing glass, and Other Unexplained Disturbances by Micahel Clarkson (New Page, $15.99) Whether you believe that poltergeists exist or not, most readers will find this new book intriguing. Michael Clarkson, a Canadian police reporter and author of three books on fear, "Competitive Fire," "Intelligent Fear," and "Quick Finxes for Everyday Fears," has been involved with poltergeists for many years. He has interviewed witnesses, parapsychologists, and even skeptics. The result is an exciting, original look at a ghostly subject. What exactly is a poltergeist? Clarkson defines a poltergeist as a disturbance or energy with bizarre psychical effects of paranormal origin that suggest mischievous or destructive intent, such as breaking or moving objects and loud knocks or noise. The typical case involves a young person for a repressed home who is going through puberty. According to Clarkson, even police are not immune. In fact, he reports that 51 police officers around the world — in 17 documented cases since 1952 — claim they have seen poltergeist activity up close and persona. Clarkson writes, "Although I try to remain neutral, it is difficult not to arrive at some conclusions. I suspect that poltergeists or at least a type of poltergeist energy exists. Something is going on that seems to defy the laws of physics…if we are too quick to dismiss cases, we might miss some intriguing stories and theories on the edge of science." The Power of Decision: A Step –By-Step Program to Overcome Indecision and Live Without Failure by Raymond Charles Barker (Tarcher/Penguin, $14.99) As Dr. Baker points out, indecision is actually the individual's decision to fail. In his informative new book, the first installment in the Tarcher Master Mind Editions, Dr. Barker reveals that our decisions have an impact on every area of our lives. Making better decisions means living a better life. The big secret is learning how to develop the habit of making great decisions and then following through. Since indecisive people are failure prone, the author provides specific steps to shift the balance of decision-making power so that positive changes can be achieved. This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 1:44 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. Tags for this post: an exceptional book, The King's Speech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php Five Filters featured article: Collateral Damage - WikiLeaks In The Crosshairs.

You are subscribed to email updates from Non-Fiction - Bing News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610