Selvbiografier

Dive into the thrilling life of Raymond Chester, the Oakland Raiders legend. While America was convulsed following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, Chester was central to the move of Black American football into the mainstream. From his college glory at Morgan State to his iconic moments on the NFL field, Chester's story is one of resilience and triumph which resonates far beyond the world of sport. This inspiring account of an American sporting hero and his extraordinary impact on society is entrusted to his close friend, author and rugby fan Jon Gower, revealed through extensive interviews taking place from Wales to the US. Raider is the story of a true team player, one musician in a band of brothers who played their own wild tune on the football field, in a life filled with exceptional athleticism, brotherhood, friendship and love.

A vivid, imaginative response to the sensual and erotic in postwar American photography, with attention to the beauty of the nude, both male and femaleWhen photographer Coda Gray befriends a family with a special interest in a young boy, the motivation behind his special attention is difficult to grasp, "e;like water slipping through our fingers."e; Can a man innocently love a boy who is not his own?Using fiction to reveal the truths about families, communities, art objects, love, and mourning, Like a Lake tells the story of ten-year-old Nico, who lives with his father (an Italian- American architect) and his mother (a Japanese-American sculptor who learned how to draw while interned during World War II). Set in the 1960s, this is a story of aesthetic perfection waiting to be broken. Nico's midcentury modern house, with its Italian pottery jars along the outside and its interior lit by Japanese lanterns. The elephant-hide gray, fiberglass reinforced plastic 1951 Eames rocking chair, with metal legs and birch runners. Clam consomm with kombu, giant kelp, yuzu rind, and a little fennel-in each bowl, two clams opened like a pair of butterflies, symbols of the happy couple. Nico's boyish delight in developing photographs under the red safety light of Coda's "e;Floating Zendo"e;- the darkroom boat that he keeps on Lake Tahoe.The lives of Nico, his parents, and Coda embody northern California's postwar landscape, giving way to fissures of alternative lifestyles and poetic visions. Author Carol Mavor addresses the sensuality and complexity of a son's love for his mother and that mother's own erotic response to it. The relationship between the mother and son is paralleled by what it means for a boy to be a model for a male photographer and to be his muse. Just as water can freeze into snow and ice, melt back into water, and steam, love takes on new forms with shifts of atmosphere. Like a Lake's haunting images and sensations stay with the reader.

A portrait of an intense and unusual marriage, and an affirmation of life after suicide.

The ball is in the air as a sports writer confronts his deepest fears on a GAA championship trail. The question is where it will land.

?Absolutely essential reading for every LEGO fan.? ?BlocksThe definitive history of LEGO, based on unprecedented access to the company's archives and rare interviews with the founding family who still owns the company"This book tells the story of how my family built the LEGO brand." ?Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former President/CEO of the LEGO Group and 3rd generation ownerIt's estimated that each year between eighty and ninety million children around the globe are given a box of LEGO, while up to ten million adults buy sets for themselves. Yet LEGO is much more than a dizzying number of plastic bricks that can be put together and combined in countless ways. LEGO is also a vision of the significance of what play can mean for humanity.This book tells the extraordinary story of a global company and a Danish family who for ninety years have defended children's right to play?and who believe grown-ups, too, should make the time to nurture their inner child. The LEGO Story is built on Jens Andersen's unique access to LEGO's own archives, as well as on Andersen's extensive conversations with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former president and CEO of the LEGO group and grandson of its founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen.A riveting cultural history of changing generations' views of childhood and the importance of play, The LEGO Story also a fascinating case study of how innovation and creativity helped leaders transform LEGO from a small carpentry business into the world's largest producer of play materials and one of the most beloved brands in the world. Richly illustrated with never-before-seen photos from the family's private archive, this is the ultimate book for fans of LEGO, revealing everything you ever wanted to know about the brand. An International Bestseller

The essential biography of Charles Evans Hughes, whose indelible career in politics and law shaped American modernization in the twentieth century.In the first full-life biographical study of Charles Evans Hughes in over seventy years, Joanne Reitano provides a fresh assessment of Hughes's distinguished, multifaceted public service during the first half of the twentieth century. His exceptional career included the roles of governor of New York (1906-1910), associate justice and presidential candidate (1910-1916), secretary of state (1921-1925), and chief justice of the Supreme Court (1930-1941). A household name in his own time, Hughes challenged bossism in New York politics, championed post-World War I internationalism, and brokered the world's first arms limitation agreement. On the Supreme Court, he was instrumental in modernizing legal doctrines concerning the interstate commerce clause, substantive due process, and civil liberties. Reitano unpacks the seemingly paradoxical nature of Hughes's political and legal careers, arguing that he was neither radical nor reactionary, but a structural reformer and a practical idealist who significantly impacted the nation's transition into the twentieth century. Drawing on a wealth of sources, Reitano's work will be the definitive account of Charles Evans Hughes for years to come.

This major new publication provides a comprehensive overview of the largely-unknown work of photographer Edith Tudor Hart (1908-1973) during her 40 years living in Britain.

The long-awaited memoir, generously illustrated with never-before-seen photos, from the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Rush bassist, and New York Times bestselling author of Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass. Geddy Lee is one of rock and roll's most respected bassists. For nearly five decades, his playing and work as co-writer, vocalist and keyboardist has been an essential part of the success story of Canadian progressive rock trio Rush. Here for the first time is his account of life inside and outside the band. Long before Rush accumulated more consecutive gold and platinum records than any rock band after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before the seven Grammy nominations or the countless electrifying live performances across the globe, Geddy Lee was Gershon Eliezer Weinrib, after his grandfather was murdered in the Holocaust. As he recounts the transformation, Lee looks back on his family, in particular his loving parents and their horrific experiences as teenagers during World War II. He talks candidly about his childhood and the pursuit of music that led him to drop out of high school. He tracks the history of Rush which, after early struggles, exploded into one of the most beloved bands of all time. He shares intimate stories of his lifelong friendships with bandmates Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart-deeply mourning Peart's recent passing-and reveals his obsessions in music and beyond. This rich brew of honesty, humor, and loss makes for a uniquely poignant memoir.

Intimate, hilarious, and inspiring essays by celebrated drag queens Lagoona Bloo, Julie J., Olivia Lux, Alexis Michelle, Kennedy Ann Scott, and Nina West.Kennedy Ann Scott was awarded Teacher of the Year in Nashville, Tennessee. Olivia Lux starred in Rent and Kinky Boots. Julie J raised more than $100,000 for trans and LGBTQIA+ organizations. Lagoona Bloo is currently starring on the Off-Broadway hit Drag: the Musical, and Alex Michaels received a stellar review from the New York Times for their role in La Cage Aux Falles at Barrington Stage Company. Nina West received an honorary doctorate in May 2024 and is a well-known entertainer, having worked with everyone from Glenn Close to Kermit the Frog.When these gorgeous queens dress up in their stunning gown with picture perfect makeup, haters label them as inappropriate and unlawful. They are entertainers not predators. Drag is an art of self-expression that, at its core, affirms and uplifts LGBTQIA+ people.No Tea, No Shade is a collective anthem written by six drag queens who believe in equality, peace, and in a world that loves and respects all people. The defiant legacy of drag will endure fearmongering and hate because their hearts have endured the unthinkable, their courage has been relentlessly tested, and to be blunt, they have the balls to prevail.No Tea, No Shade features thirty essays written by six talented queens. They discuss:Social activism, Drag Story Hour, and education.Coming out, gender, and equality.Parenting, relationships, setting goals, and rejection.Celebrating womanhood, family, and image.Despite the pervasive danger of being authentic and real, these drag artists have chosen to fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and not give up. They remind us and others who will listen that a person’s identity shouldn’t be marginalized to genitals. Identity categories are not as important as we have been led to believe. The shade casted on drag is just a scapegoat. It is a distraction political figures and trolls use to lure people away from caring about serious issues like gun violence, poverty, and racism.No Tea, No Shade shines a light on a community of people who are paving the way for a better world and holding the light for others to step up.

Soon to be an ITV drama starring Lucy Boynton, A Cruel Love is the definitive story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain. Previously published as A Fine Day for a Hanging. 'A forensically researched book that casts a haunting new light on the last woman to be hanged in Britain.' -DAILY MAILIn 1955, former nightclub manageress Ruth Ellis shot her lover, David Blakely, dead. A two-day trial followed, but despite huge public outcry, she was found guilty and sentenced to death. At 28, Ruth became the last woman executed in Britain, her hanging one of the most notorious under prolific hangman Albert Pierrepoint. Carol Ann Lee examines the facts behind the headlines surrounding this infamous case, which many believe led to the dismantling of the death penalty a decade later. Drawing on interviews and in-depth research into the full range of sources, she reveals the woman behind the crime. Previously published as A Fine Day for a Hanging, this is the acclaimed biography that inspired the ITV drama, A Cruel Love - a portrait of 1950s club life in all its seedy glamour, and a tragic true tale of murder, class, love and betrayal. 'Wonderful . . . it will become the standard reference on Ruth Ellis' Stewart P. Evans, crime historian

Do you know who is our greatest king or queen? Measuring Monarchy challenges you to think again...