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Ronald Reagan's career trajectory was remarkable: from Midwestern schoolboy, sports announcer, and Hollywood actor to governor of California and two-term President of the United States. This book captures all the varied aspects of Reagan's life and career, portraying him as a politician, a husband, and a father.

The anthropologist Margaret Mead garnered fame and generated controversy in a full life that spanned most of the 20th century. Mead has special appeal to teens because of her work with and theories on this age group. Readers will be inspired by Mead's individualism and career in anthropology in its golden age.

In Rachel Carson: A Biography, Carson emerges as a talented scientist and exceptional writer who was able to share her sense of wonder about nature with both scientists and the general public. Carson's great love of both writing and nature emerged at a young age and enabled her to overcome numerous obstacles in her life.

Billy Graham, the high-profile evangelist, author, and founder of the diverse Billy Graham Evangelical Association, is now in his 80s.

The American astronomer Carl Sagan (1934-1996) was one of the best-known scientists of his time. A prolific writer and television personality, he was creator and host of Cosmos, an enormously popular television series that explained the wonders and intricacies of astronomy to millions of television viewers. Gifted with the ability to communicate difficult scientific concepts to the average person, Sagan opened up the wonders of science to hundreds of thousands more through his many books and magazine articles. But in addition to his talents as a science popularizer, Sagan was a first-rate scientist. Ever persistent in exploring the possibility of life on other planets in the Universe, he was a pioneer in the field now known as astrobiology, a major thrust of NASA's current planetary explorationsThis book takes a fascinating look at all aspects of the life of Carl Sagan: Sagan the working scientist, who was an inspired and creative participant in the forefront of the new and exciting era of astronomy opened up by the technological breakthroughs of the space age; Sagan the advocate for science, who could expound on the beauties and joys of science as well as point out the follies and foibles of pseudoscience; and Sagan the activist, who helped raise our awareness to the perils of the Nuclear Age that threatened all of us. Following the arc of Sagan's personal and professional life, this book examines both the man and the provocative ideas he brought to this new era, always seeking to capture the infectious enthusiasm and love of communication that infused Carl Sagan's life and work.

The life of Karol Wojtyla would be remarkable even if he never became the Millennium Pope, revered by millions worldwide. This balanced narrative conveys the poignancy of his family ties and his admirable character and intellect, yet it also acknowledges criticism of conservative papal positions.

Readers will learn of his attendance at Havana Law School, his imprisonment, his rise to political power, along with history topics and events such as communism, the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the Cuban missile crisis.

Jane Addams was a tireless campaigner for social justice in late 19th and early 20th century America, championing the causes of women's rights, racial equality and the needs of poor urban immigrants. Later vilified for her pacifism during the Great War, Addams was at one time the most honoured woman in the US.

The son of civic-minded immigrant parents, Ralph Nader was taught from an early age to appreciate the citizen's role in a democracy.

This thorough narrative examines Emiliano Zapata's life, his role in Mexico's revolutionary movement, and his true motivations and beliefs. Emiliano Zapata is regarded as among the most important figures of the Mexican Revolution.

Despite her early death from lupus at 39, Flannery O'Connor has left a remarkable literary legacy. The volume also provides a timeline and closes with a bibliography of books, articles, and electronic sources for student research. Despite her early death from lupus at 39, Flannery O'Connor has left a remarkable literary legacy.

An astute politician, dedicated feminist, and champion of the rights of minorities, Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most powerful women in 20th-century America.

When the Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Negro Leagues' Kansas City Monarchs in 1947, it marked a turning point both in baseball and civil rights history. Robinson became the first African American to play in the Major Leagues, and in doing so, led generations of black players into the previously all-white world of professional baseball. As one of the greatest players professional baseball has ever seen, Robinson fought fiercely for civil rights on and off the diamond throughout his lifetime, and in doing so became a great American hero.Mary Kay Linge recounts the extraordinary story of Robinson's life-from his early childhood in the South, to his college years at UCLA, to becoming a Hall of Famer and a major figure in the NAACP. In analyzing the surrounding social and cultural contexts of Robinson's time, this biography examines the legacy of a man who forever changed baseball. A timeline, statistical appendix, bibliography of print and electronic sources for further reading, and photographs enhance this biography.

This intriguing biography provides a balanced portrait of Martha Stewart's professional and personal life, from her childhood as the oldest daughter in a family of six children to her brief career as a securities trader, to becoming a bestselling author in the 1980s and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in the 1990s.

Most sports watchers' projections for Alex Rodriguez's final stats rank him with men such as Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron. A veritable baseball wunderkind, this Dominican-American ball player has broken records from the moment he stepped on the diamond. In this engaging biography author Wayne Stewart describes the highlights of A-Rod's record-setting career and examines the reasons for the unprecedented impact he has had on the game.Recruited right out of high school in 1993, his first year in pro ball was a whirlwind with Rodriguez making not only his minor league debut, but getting his first taste of big-league ball as a Seattle Mariner-all by the age of just 18. Fast forward to 2000 when A-Rod signed a 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers calling for a total salary of $252 million, the most lucrative deal in baseball. In 2003 he became the youngest player ever to reach the 300 home run circle. Just two years later became the youngest player ever to reach the 400 home run strata. If baseball history is any indication, A-Rod's days of record-breaking performances are far from over. This fair-minded and well-researched biography traces A-Rod from his childhood growing up in Miami to his career with the New York Yankees. Personal interests, such as his donations of both time and money to such causes as the Boys and Girls Club, are covered in detail. Also included is a timeline, photographs, and career statistics, which will give the reader insight into Rodriguez's place in the history of the game as well as how he stacks up against baseball's all-time greatest players.

Inside this biography Kathleen Tracy explores the life and career of Judy Blume, one of the most successful-and most controversial-authors of twentieth century. In addition to tracing the events of Bloom's life, this engaging biography discusses historic and current censorship issues in classrooms and libraries across the country.

This biography of W.E.B. Du Bois gives full measure to his entire life, including his controversial final decades.

Coretta Scott was committed to social justice long before she met and married Martin Luther King, Jr. She shared in all the dangers that King's prominence in the civil rights movement brought, and she saw herself as full partner in the movement. Yet she generally remained in the background, supporting King's work and caring for their children, until his assassination transformed her into a movement leader in her own right: founder of the King Center, leader of a mass demonstration for a renewed national commitment to nonviolent social change, force behind the establishment of the national holiday bearing her husband's name. This book follows the trajectory of Coretta Scott King's tumultuous life at the heart of the most important American social movement of the 20th century.Coretta Scott was committed to social justice long before she met and married Martin Luther King, Jr. She shared in all the dangers that King's prominence in the civil rights movement brought, and she saw herself as full partner in the movement. Yet she generally remained in the background, supporting King's work and caring for their children, until his assassination transformed her into a movement leader in her own right: founder of the King Center, leader of a mass demonstration for a renewed national commitment to nonviolent social change, force behind the establishment of the national holiday bearing her husband's name. This book follows the trajectory of Coretta Scott King's tumultuous life at the heart of the most important American social movement of the 20th century.

This book chronicles the life story of Ted Turner-cable television mogul, successful baseball team owner, and fascinating public figure.

This revealing biography explores Indianapolis Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning as an athlete and as a man. From the moment Peyton Manning arrived in the National Football League at the start of the 1998 season, he has been a numbers machine, completing passes at a dazzling rate and throwing touchdowns at a pinball-machine clip.

This simple narrative of an extraordinary life explores the power of a disinterested commitment to right and truth.

The story of NASCAR's preeminent family and the multibillion dollar sport they helped create.

This concise biography of America's most infamous criminal separates the myth from the man.

A rebel and risk-taker from childhood, John McCain-son and grandson of admirals-nevertheless chose to follow the traditional path marked out for him in the military.

Written for young adults, this biography of Frederick Douglass covers the life of the most famous black abolitionist and intellectual of the 19th century. Frederick Douglass: A Biography explores the life of the most famous black abolitionist and intellectual of the 19th century.

Readers will understand why he was named the Person of the Century by Time magazine. Albert Einstein: A Biography will cover the entire history of this brilliant physicist's life and career, including: his early education, during which he was an excellent student, contrary to what is commonly believed;

From his role in The Terminator to his more recent work as Governator of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has played a major role in American popular culture. This accessible and entertaining biography traces the trajectory of Arnold's career-sports figure turned movie star turned entrepreneur turned politician.

This biography traces Dre's rise to fame, a story that parallels the rise of hip-hop as one of the most dominant cultural forces in America. Dre came of age at the time when hip-hop culture (rapping, breakdancing, Deejaying, and Graffiti art) began an underground trend in urban America.

Introduces the story of Martin Luther King to a generation who are too young to remember the events of the Civil Rights movement. This biography traces the story of the man who took on the entrenched racism of the South - and North - through a non-violent movement that changed the course of American history.