Biography

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré

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Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré By Anika Aldamuy Denise, Paola Escobar (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062748683
Availability: In Stock: Click Title to See if it's in CAMBRIDGE or BOSTON
Published: HarperCollins - January 15th, 2019

Love comes in many forms, and Pura Belpré exemplies the love for storytelling and community. This wonderful book illustrates the life's work and mission of NYC's first Latina librarian and continues planting the seeds her stories began sowing so many decades ago.

Manasa


The Palace Papers

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The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor--the Truth and the Turmoil By Tina Brown Cover Image
$35.00
ISBN: 9780593138090
Availability: Available to Order from Supplier: Arrives at Store in a Week(ish)
Published: Crown - April 26th, 2022

Author and editor extraordinary Tina Brown (The Tatler, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker) takes on the British Royal Family in this absorbing chronicle of life at the palace. Well-researched and filled with insider knowledge, with great skill Brown tells this captivating story with all its glorious traditions (think QE2), and shocking scandals (think Prince Andrew).

Nathan


A Perfect Fit

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A Perfect Fit: How Lena “Lane” Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion By Mara Rockliff, Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780358125433
Availability: In Stock: Click Title to See if it's in CAMBRIDGE or BOSTON
Published: Clarion Books - April 12th, 2022

It's easy to forget sometimes that there was a real person behind a name. Thankfully, there are picture books like this one to tell the stories of amazing people who struggled and persevered like Lena Bryant. An absolute beauty of a book that is a perfect fit for the subject matter, with such a great message for those of us who always feel like we're sewing without a pattern.
Stacey
 


Levon

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Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond By Sandra B. Tooze Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781635769135
Availability: Available to Order from Supplier: Arrives at Store in a Week(ish)
Published: Diversion Books - August 31st, 2021

I loved the way Tooze describes the sultry musical landscape of Levon Helm’s formative years in the Mississippi Delta and his life beyond The Band. A well-researched account of Helm’s musical style and personal journey for both new and die-hard fans.

Kate M


Oscar Lives Next Door

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Oscar Lives Next Door: A Story Inspired by Oscar Peterson's Childhood By Bonnie Farmer, Marie Lafrance (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Bonnie Farmer, Marie Lafrance (Illustrator)
$16.95
ISBN: 9781771471046
Availability: In Stock: Click Title to See if it's in CAMBRIDGE or BOSTON
Published: Owlkids - September 15th, 2015

This delightful book tells the childhood story of the great Oscar Peterson.  He is famously known as a jazz pianist, but his first love was the trumpet. What changed? Peterson’s early days in old Montreal unwind, like the magic of his playing, in the lyrical flow of Marie Lafrance’s beautiful illustrations.

Robin


Orwell's Roses

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Orwell's Roses By Rebecca Solnit Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780593083369
Availability: Available to Order from Supplier: Arrives at Store in a Week(ish)
Published: Viking - October 19th, 2021

That Orwell was a gardener may come as a surprise to many. Even more so the idea, as Solnit so clearly and elegantly shows, his close observation of the natural world and the beauty he found there was central to his humanistic vision and was reflected in all he wrote.

Dale


Beyonce: Shine Your Light

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Beyoncé: Shine Your Light By Sarah Warren, Geneva Bowers (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Sarah Warren, Geneva Bowers (Illustrator)
$16.99
ISBN: 9781328585165
Availability: In Stock: Click Title to See if it's in CAMBRIDGE or BOSTON
Published: Clarion Books - June 4th, 2019

Celebrate the queen, Beyonce’s, September birthday with this bright, brilliant biography! We get to sing and dance with Beyonce from her childhood to her adulthood, realizing what drove her to who she is today. A lovely and inspiring book that recognizes the story behind such a powerful musical icon. 

Kai


Mike Nichols: A Life

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Mike Nichols: A Life By Mark Harris Cover Image
$35.00
It's Complicated--Contact Us for More Information
ISBN: 9780399562242
Published: Penguin Press - February 2nd, 2021

Those who enjoy reading Show Biz biographies are in for a treat. Mike Nichols: A Life by Mark Harris is a well-written, researched and engaging biography of a colorful, unique and fascinating character.  Winner of an Oscar, eight Tony Awards, two Emmys, Mike Nichols was a man of many talents – acting, producing, directing; he was a consummate professional and beloved by those he worked with including: Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Elaine May, Elizabeth Taylor, Dustin Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg, et al.

Nathan


Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise

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Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise By Scott Eyman Cover Image
$35.00
It's Complicated--Contact Us for More Information
ISBN: 9781501192111
Published: Simon & Schuster - October 20th, 2020

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) – born Archie Leach in Bristol, England was a charming, talented actor who was the embodiment of a Hollywood MOVIE STAR during the Golden Age. However, he was a complicated man – married five times – insecure - parsimonious. Author Scott Eyman’s new biography gives us the charming, stylish, successful and self-invented Cary Grant, as well as the emotionally complex man filled with self-doubt, despite his iconic status as one of the most beloved stars ever.

Nathan


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