Tag: nonfiction

Dive into These New Biographies and Great Personal Stories!

 

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are new biographies for you to dig into and be inspired! Dig in and enjoy!

 

5. The Man in the glass House by Mark Lamster

 

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The Man in the Glass House by Mark Lamster tells the story of the most famous architect in the 20th Century: Philip Johnson. Award-winning architectural critic and biographer Mark Lamster’s The Man in the Glass House lifts the veil on Johnson’s controversial and endlessly contradictory life to tell the story of a charming yet deeply flawed man. A rollercoaster tale of the perils of wealth, privilege, and ambition, this book probes the dynamics of American culture that made him so powerful, and tells the story of the built environment in modern America.

 

4. Who Am I again? by Lenny Henry

 

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Who Am I Again? by Lenny Henry tells the extraordinary story of his early years and sudden rise to fame. Born soon after his Jamaican parents had arrived in the Midlands, Lenny was raised as one of seven siblings in a boisterous working household, and sent out into the world with his mum’s mantra of ‘H’integration! H’integration! H’integration!’ echoing in his ears. A natural ability to make people laugh came in handy. At school it helped subdue the daily racist bullying. In the park, it led to lifelong friendships and occasional snogs. Soon, it would put him on stage at working men’s clubs and Black Country discotheques—before an invitation to a TV audition changed his life for ever.

 

3. they don’t teach this by Eniola Aluko

 

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They Don’t Teach This by Eniola Aluko steps beyond the realms of memoir to explore themes of dual nationality and identity, race and institutional prejudice, success, failure and faith. It is an inspiring manifesto to change the way readers and the future generation choose to view the challenges that come in their life, applying life lessons with raw truths from Eni’s own personal experience.

 

2. 1919 by Eve L. eWing

 

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1919 by Eve L. Ewing tells of The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, the most intense of the riots comprising the nation’s Red Summer, which shaped the last century but is not widely discussed. In 1919, award-winning poet Eve L. Ewing explores the story of this event—which lasted eight days and resulted in thirty-eight deaths and almost 500 injuries—through poems recounting the stories of everyday people trying to survive and thrive in the city. Ewing uses speculative and Afrofuturist lenses to recast history, and illuminates the thin line between the past and the present.

 

1. Kd by Marcus Thompson 

 

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KD by Marcus Thompson traces the famous journey of Kevin Durant. As a sports columnist for The Athletic Bay Area, and longtime beat reporter covering the Golden State Warriors, Marcus Thompson is perfectly positioned to trace Durant’s inspirational journey. KD follows Durant’s underdog story from his childhood spent in poverty outside DC; to his rise playing on AAU teams with future NBA players; to becoming a star and hometown hero for the Oklahoma Thunder; to his controversial decision to play for the NBA rival Golden State Warriors; to his growth from prodigy into a man, in the first true inside account of this superstar player.

 

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Julie Andrews Will Voice Her New Memoir’s Audiobook

Earlier today Entertainment Weekly reported that Julie Andrews, known as the iconic leading lady in both Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, will voice the audiobook version of her forthcoming memoir Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years.

 

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This isn’t Andrews’ first venture into the world of writing. Previously, the actress published Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, a work that explores her difficult upbringing and earliest experiences with performing.

Home Work picks up where Home left off,  in the 60’s, when Andrews was cast by Walt Disney as the “world’s most famous nanny.”

 

 

And who better to tell her story of success than Andrews herself? Among her other talents, Andrews is often recognized by her voice. Her soothing lilt, and posh accent, is a sound that many have come to associate with childhood comfort. Children who grew up on Mary Poppins, as well as children who grew up on The Princess Diaries, all think of Andrews with the same kind of childlike love. Her career has endured for so long, she’s earned her status as Hollywood’s doting mother.

 

Image via The Irish Times

 

Home Work provides a behind-the-scenes look at the career that thrusted Andrews into icon status. The actress shares anecdotes from the sets of her most iconic works, details you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Entertainment Weekly shared one snippet about how, on a rainy day, Andrews was forced to ride in the back of an ox-drawn cart full of camera equipment to get up the muddy Alps.

 

 

In her classic, Julie Andrews charm, the actress writes:

“I happened to be wearing a fur coat. It was the 1960s after all, and the humor in the contrast between my attire and the mode of transport wasn’t lost on any of us.”

Andrews’ memoir will hit shelves on October 15th, and the audiobook will be available the same day!

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Jim Carrey to Publish Book: ‘Memoirs and Misinformation’

Jim Carrey, the 90’s comedy star known for his starring roles in The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, and Liar Liar, is jumping into the writing world with his forthcoming work Memoirs and Misinformation. 

 

 

Carrey co-wrote the book with author Dana Vachon, and in a press release it was explained that the work is intended as a “semi-autobiographical deconstruction of persona.”

 

Image via Rolling Stone

 

In recent years, the idea of persona has become a bit of a theme for Carrey. He’s become known for going on diatribes centered on what it means to exist and be perceived by others.

 

 

This hasn’t been great for Carrey’s image, as people often associate the actor with their childhood nostalgia, and quotes like “We don’t exist, we are nothing but ideas,” don’t gel with the wacky, happy-go-lucky, goofball we all assumed Jim Carrey was.

 

Image via ETOnline

 

This, combined with Carrey’s habit of being very vocal on social media about his political beliefs, has earned the actor a bit of a negative reputation. However, this hasn’t effected Carrey’s acting opportunities, and he starred as Dr. Eggman in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

His reputation will also serve as a selling point for Memoirs and Misinformation, as this press release statement hints at;

“Carrey and Vachon have fashioned a narrative about acting, Hollywood, agents, celebrity, privilege, friendship, loneliness, romance, addiction to relevance, fear of personal erasure, growing up in Canada, and a cataclysmic ending of the world — apocalypses within and without.”

 

 

Sonny Mehta, the Editor in Chief for the book publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, added, “Jim Carrey has written a novel that is more revealing about his life than any memoir could possibly be. It is a perceptive and highly entertaining book about the arc of fame, as well as a look inside the mind of an artist, the life that shaped him, and the world he inhabits.”

And in classic Jim Carrey fashion, when asked about the work he stated, “None of this is real, and it’s all true.”

Memoirs and Misinformation will be available in both hardcover and ebook form on May 5, 2020.

 

 

 

Featured image via The Wrap

Explore the Great Outdoors With the Help of Our Nonfiction Wildlife Picks!

Each week, Bookstr gives you a look at some of the best novels in a particular genre for your continued reading list.

Today, we’ll be recommending five of the best wildlife nonfiction books to give your motivation to explore the natural world!

 

 

5. ‘The Animal Dialogues’ by Craig Childs

 

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The Animal Dialogues by Craig Childs is a thrilling book about the author Craig Childs and his various encounters with grizzly bears, sharks, porcupines, elks, bighorn sheep, and many others. Captured with chilling, intimate descriptions and wry humor, this book is a must read for wildlife fans who want to see tons of varied encounters with dozens of different creatures.

 

4. ‘Field Guide to the natural world of New York City’ by Leslie Day

 

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Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City by Leslie Day showcases the wild world of a place you’d not normally think to look at for diverse wildlife: New York City! The book explores three islands full of different kinds of wildlife at its three rich islands: Manhattan, Long Island, and Staten Island. Written by a real life naturalist, this book sheds light on the real wild side of New York with tips of identifying different animals, plants, and more among the urban sprawl.

 

 

3. ‘Unlikely Friendships’ by Jennifer s. Holland

 

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Unlikely Friendships documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways. A cat and a bird. A mare and a fawn. An elephant and a sheep. A snake and a hamster. The well-documented stories of Koko the gorilla and All Ball the kitten; and the hippo Owen and the tortoise Mzee. And almost inexplicable stories of predators befriending prey—an Indian leopard slips into a village every night to sleep with a calf. A lionness mothers a baby oryx.

Ms. Holland narrates the details and arc of each story, and also offers insights into why—how the young leopard, probably motherless, sought maternal comfort with the calf, and how a baby oryx inspired the same mothering instinct in the lionness. Or, in the story of Kizzy, a nervous retired Greyhound, and Murphy, a red tabby, how cats and dogs actually understand each other’s body language. Your heart will expand at seeing this unlikely friendships come to life.

 

2. ‘Wild Justice’ by Marc Bekoff

 

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Wild Justice by Marc Bekoff tells about the morality animals. Are animals capable of complex emotions such as a understanding of justice?

With this book, the author answers yes and showcases many examples to support their argument: a female Gorilla who mourned the death of her beloved child, a rat who refused to push a lever for food when he saw doing so electrocuted his friend, or a wild elephant who paused to care for a younger one after it was injured. This book shows us that, whether we like it or not, animals are more like us than we think.

 

1. ‘Winter World’ by Bernd Heinrich 

 

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Winter World by Bernd Heinrich is all about how animals survive the harsh winters and the process of hibernation. From flying squirrels to grizzly bears, and from torpid turtles to insects with antifreeze, the animal kingdom relies on some staggering evolutionary innovations to survive winter.

Unlike their human counterparts, who must alter the environment to accommodate physical limitations, animals are adaptable to an amazing range of conditions. Examining everything from food sources in the extremely barren winter land-scape to the chemical composition that allows certain creatures to survive, Heinrich’s Winter World awakens the largely undiscovered mysteries by which nature sustains herself through winter’s harsh, cruel exigencies.

 

 

 

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Improve Your Quality of Life With Our Self-Development Picks!

Each week, Bookstr scans bestseller lists across the Internet to learn what people are reading, buying, gifting, and talking about most — just so we can ensure consistent, high quality recommendations. This week’s nonfiction picks are self development picks to improve your quality of life! Dig in and enjoy!

 

 

5. ‘Coffee Bean’ by Jon Gordon

 

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The Coffee Bean by Jon Gordon is about dealing with the stresses of life. It can be often harsh, stressful, and the environments we find ourselves in can weaken or harden us. This is an inspiring tale that follows a man called Abe as he faces challenges, pressures, and stresses at school and home.

Abe discovers that instead of letting the environment change him for the worse, he can change the environment around him for the better. Wherever his life can take him, Abe takes it to heart to live life like a coffee bean and transform into something better. Are you an egg, a carrot, or a coffee bean?

 

4. ‘Run The mile you’re in’ by Ryan Hall

 

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Ryan Hall is an Olympic athlete and American record holder in the half marathon (59:43), but in his autobiography, Run The Mile You’re In, he reveals that as kid he hated running. He wanted nothing to do with the sport until one day, he felt compelled to run the 15 miles around his neighborhood lake. He was hooked.

Now a coach, speaker, and nonprofit partner, Ryan shares the powerful faith behind his athletic achievements and the lessons he learned that helped him push past limits, make space for relationships that enrich life on and off the running trails, and cultivate a positive mindset.

 

 

3. ‘Witchery’ by Juliet diaz 

 

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Witches by Juliet Diaz is about connecting with your inner witch and embracing it to make your life healthier. Third generation witch Diaz teaches you how to embrace your inner Magick through casting off what doesn’t make you happy, embracing inner athleticism, and becoming an embodiment of truth. And through it all, you’ll build the knowledge to craft spells of your own.

 

2. ‘I am love’ by Allowah Lani 

 

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I Am Love by Allowah Lani is a sequel to his 2016 book, Who Am I? Yoga, Psychedelics and the Quest for Enlightenment. In that earlier book, the author looked critically at the issue of the legitimacy of psychedelics on the spiritual journey, ultimately leaving the question unanswered. In I Am Love, the intention is to offer a more definitive statement and practical method for those using psychedelics as a tool for spiritual growth.

Can psychedelics like ayahuasca really and truly reveal the ultimate nature of reality? Exploring ayahuasca in the context of studying the modern spiritual classic A Course in Miracles, the author answers cautiously in the affirmative. Yes, they can, but there is much inner work to be done to get there, not to mention confronting our great fear of awakening. Are you up for the greatest challenge of your lifetime, of any lifetime? Are you ready?

 

1. ‘There’s no plan b for your A-Game’ by Bo Eason

 

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There’s No Plan B For Your A-Game by Bo Eason is a book by the acclaimed athlete showcasing how to plot the best course in your life. There’s No Plan B for Your A-Game explains how to develop the character, integrity, and commitment it takes to become the best. Bo Eason focuses on a winning four-step process that helps you attain the skill, maintain the effort, and persist through challenges: Declaration: What do you want to achieve? Preparation: How can you make it happen? Acceleration: Where will you find the stamina to reach your goal? Domination: Why do you take others with you?

With inspiring, specific, real-word guidance, There’s No Plan B for Your A-Game teaches the best practices that lead to the best results, in every walk of life.

 

 

 

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