New Nonfiction Releases
December 2012

These books are being published and released this month. They have been ordered by the Library and will be available soon.

(Do you need more information on how to place a hold? )

• Biography and Memoir 
• General Nonfiction

Biography & Memoir

Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man
By Brian McGrory
After losing a beloved dog, McGrory fell in love with a veterinarian and pursued a family life replete with several pets, including a portly rooster who initially treated him as a male rival and eventually prompted inspirational realizations about love, acceptance and change.

Charles Dickens in Love
By Robert Garnett
An intimate portrait of the 19th-century literary master’s relationships with definitive women in his life includes coverage of mysterious beneficiary Ellen Ternan, creative muse Maria Beadnell and beloved sister-in-law Mary Scott Hogarth.

Churchill: The Prophetic Statesman
By James C. Humes
Humes chronicles the amazing predictions that Winston Churchill made throughout his life, including the rise of a Hitler-like figure and the rise of Nazi Germany; the year the Iron Curtain would fall and the Cold War would end; and the exact day of his own death as he entered his final years.

Counting One’s Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
By William Shawcross
Drawn from the vast wealth of material in the Royal Archives and at Glamis Castle, this deeply personal collection of letters, written by Queen Elizabeth from her earliest childhood to the very end of her long life at the beginning of the 21st century, reveals the real woman behind the public face.

Empress of Fashion: A Life of Diana Vreeland
By Amanda Mackenzie Stuart
This rare glimpse into the life of the innovative fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue who, redefining women’s sense of beauty and style, launched the careers of such timeless beauties as Lauren Bacall and Lauren Hutton, and explores her originality, her tenacity and her inimitable sensibility.

The Entertainer:  Movies, Magic, and My Father’s Twentieth Century
By Margaret Talbot
In an uplifting account that documents his work as a traveling performer before he advanced to regular roles in film and on television shows such as Leave It to Beaver and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet that evinced the period culture of small-town America, Talbot traces the rise of popular entertainment through the past 100 years as reflected by the career of her father, veteran character actor Lyle Talbot.

Geronimo
By Robert M. Utley
This biography of the famous Apache uncovers the truth behind the myths and rumors that enshrouded his life, describing how the warrior escaped capture, what his training was like and why he was feared by both whites and other Apaches.

Great Expectations: The Sons and Daughters of Charles Dickens
By Robert Gottlieb
Opening a unique window into Victorian England, this thought-provoking study of the author as a father and as a man highlights the strange and surprising stories of each of Dickens’ ten children, from Kate, who became a successful artist, to Frank, who died after serving in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
By Jacob Tomsky
A veteran of the hospitality business uses humor and irreverence to describe working in the industry, coming clean on the housekeeping department, the unwritten code of bellhops and what really goes on in a valet parking garage.

The Horror of Love: Nancy Mitford and Gaston Palewski in Paris and London
By Lisa Hilton
Hilton documents the complicated romance between the author of The Pursuit of Love and the influential Free French commander that played out against a backdrop of post-war Europe, analyzing how their relationship was impacted by their social and political connections and Palewski’s decision to marry another woman.

Life Is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett
By Tony Bennett
The entertainment icon and award-winning singer presents a vast array of stories that capture hilarious, heartwarming and inspirational moments from his 60-year career, and shares the wisdom he has gained from his own experiences and from the people he has met along the way.

My Life in Politics
By Jacques Chirac
An unstinting personal account by the iconic two-time president of France traces a political career that spanned a half-century and included coverage of his efforts to maintain stability during the 1968 riots in Paris,  his controversial decision to sell Iraq its first nuclear reactor and his role in establishing the European Union.

Open Heart
By Elie Wiesel
During his recovery after a life-threatening heart surgery, Wiesel reflected on his many losses and accomplishments and all that remained to be done, sharing his aspirations for his writings and his hope that he made the world a better place.

Sex Changes: A Memoir of Marriage, Gender, and Moving On
By Christine Benvenuto
A wife’s memoir of her husband’s sex change describes how she endeavored to salvage her family life and protect her children, the difficult responses of their neighbors and the support she received from friends.

Young Thurgood: The Making of a Supreme Court Justice
By Larry S. Gibson
The only biography of Thurgood Marshall endorsed by his immediate family covers his entire life, from his upbringing to his landmark work with the NAACP and his appointment as the first African-American justice of the Supreme Court.

General Nonfiction

1775: A Good Year for Revolution
By Kevin Phillips
An unconventional assessment of the American Revolution by the author of Pulitzer Prize-finalist The Cousins’ War assesses the events, politics, economic factors and military preparations of 1775 that he believes ignited the war and established Patriot control over American governance and key territories.

38 Nooses: Lincoln, Little Crow, and the Beginning of the Frontier’s End
By Scott W. Berg
Placing this seminal moment in our history within the larger context of the Civil War, this gripping true account revisits the little-known Dakota War of 1882 during which 38 Dakota warriors were hanged the morning after Christmas for defending their lands from white soldiers and settlers on the Minnesota frontier.

The 8-Hour Diet: Watch the Pounds Disappear, Without Watching What You Eat!
By David Zinczenko and Peter Moore
Two Men’s Health editors outline a deprivation-free alternative approach to weight loss that focuses on the strategic consumption of eight nutrient rich “superfoods” and an eight-hour window during which readers can eat according to personal preferences, explaining how to reset a metabolism to burn fat and enable more rapid weight loss.

Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder
By Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The best-selling author of The Black Swan shares philosophical insights into how adversity and chaos can bring out the best in individuals and communities, drawing on multiple disciplines to consider such topics as the superiority of city states over nation states, the drawbacks of debt and why modern developments usually fail.

The Barbarous Years: The Peopling of British North America: The Conflict of Civilizations, 1600-1675
By Bernard Bailyn
A Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning historian presents an account of the first great transit of people from Britain, Europe and Africa to the North American British colonies, evaluating its diversity, the survival struggles of immigrants and their relationships with the indigenous populations of the Eastern seaboard.

Because I Said So!: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales, and Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids
By Ken Jennings
In the tradition of Why Do Men Have Nipples? and The Dangerous Book for Boys, a best-selling author and all-time Jeopardy!  champion separates myth from fact to hilariously debunk a vast array of parental edicts.

Brothers
By George Howe Colt
The author of the National Book Award finalist, November of the Soul, blends history and memoir in an account that, in alternating chapters, explores his quest to understand the impact of his brothers on his life and the complex relationships between famous iconic brothers, including the Thoreaus, the Van Goghs and the Marxes.

Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing Your Goals and Resolutions
By John C. Norcross; Kristin Loberg; and Jonathon Norcross
An internationally recognized expert on behavior change presents a revolutionary approach to personal improvement that converts scientifically proven techniques into a 90-day plan with five simple steps.

Detroit City Is the Place to Be: The Afterlife of an American Metropolis
By Mark Binelli
A Rolling Stone reporter and Detroit native traces the city’s demise and recovery efforts, evaluating the ambitious plans of urban developers, speculators, politicians, agriculturists and utopian environmentalists to transform Detroit into a viable, desegregated and economically diverse post-industrial region.

Dogfight: The 2012 Presidential Campaign in Verse
By Calvin Trillin
The “deadline poet” for The Nation presents a riotous ode to the 44th president’s reelection campaign and the various contenders to the presidency that likens the election to a three-ring circus and includes riffs on figures ranging from Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich to Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.

An Extraordinary Theory of Objects: A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris
By Stephanie Lacava
Returning to the Parisian suburb of Le Vesinet to make peace with her childhood, during which wonder gave way to anxiety and deep depression, the author, through a series of essays, reveals how the magic of seemingly ordinary objects helped her survive when she felt like she was losing control.

Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm
By Thich Nhat Hanh
Exploring the origins of fear, a renowned Zen master and Buddhist monk provides detailed practices for removing the toxic presence of fear from our lives and reveals how, without fear and anxiety, we can embrace the gifts of life and find true happiness.

Five Lieutenants: The Heartbreaking Story of Five Harvard Men Who Led America to Victory in World War I
By James Carl Nelson
Nelson documents the stories of five young Harvard students who met different fates while serving in World War I, drawing on uncensored letters and memoirs to illuminate the impact of the conflict on the educated class of soldiers.

The Future Is the Beginning: The Words and Wisdom of Bob Marley
By Bob Marley and Gerald Hausman
Collected from interviews, the words of the most renowned Jamaican singer-songwriter paints a vivid and inspiring picture of the artist who sought to bring faith, unity and love to his listeners through his music and lyrics.

The Great Charles Dickens Scandal
By Michael Slater
Slater describes the scandal that followed Dickens through the last years of his life concerning an affair with a young actress that broke up his marriage and describes how the details surrounding the incident have flourished and grown over time.

Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1945-1956
By Anne Applebaum
The author discusses the creation of the Communist regimes that took hold in Eastern Europe at the end of World War II and describes what daily life was like in those countries.

The Law of Divine Compensation: Mastering the Metaphysics of Abundance
By Marianne Williamson
A best-selling author and world-renowned teacher reveals the secrets of the divine law of compensation and offers spiritual counsel about how God will work with the universe to help give us everything we need if we live our lives to the best of our abilities.

Listening for Madeleine: A Portrait of Madeleine L’Engle in Many Voices
By Leonard S. Marcus
A collection of intimate interviews about the Newberry Medal-winning author of A Wrinkle in Time and other literary classics offers insight into her lesser-known contributions as an inspiring mentor, a strong-willed matriarch, a spiritual guide and a rare friend.

Mad Science: Einstein’s Fridge, Dewar’s Flask, Mach’s Speed, and 362 Other Inventions and Discoveries that Made Our World
By Randy Alfred, ed.
The editor of Wired’s “This Day in Tech” provides a calendar of entries citing the anniversaries of culturally significant inventions, discoveries and technological innovations, from the maiden voyage of the airplane “black box” to the patent for the Rubik’s Cube.

Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works – And Sometimes Doesn’t
By Mark Geragos and Pat Harris
A critical manifesto on the vulnerabilities of today’s criminal justice system argues that the modern, sensation-driven media reflects only a small and distorted example of what really happens in courtrooms, challenging beliefs about American impartiality practices while citing the roles played by swing jurors and corrupt officers.

My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop
By Ronald Rice, ed.
In an anthology of essays, stories and expressions of gratitude that includes contributions by Fannie Flagg, John Grisham, Richard Russo, and Ann Patchett, dozens of famous authors write about the pleasure, guidance and support that their favorite bookstores and booksellers have provided throughout their careers.

Napoleon: Life, Legacy and Image
By Alan Forrest
A comprehensive account of the life and enduring influence of the early 19th-century French emperor includes coverage of his rise to prominence, the ways his life reflected period times and the lingering impact of his death on national stability.

No Silent Night: The Christmas Battle for Bastogne
By Leo Barron and Don Cygnan
The authors describe the battle of Christmas morning, 1944, when a small group of American soldiers fought to defend Bastogne, a small Belgian town that was essential to Hitler’s plan to alter the trajectory of the war.

Notes to the Future: The Authorized Book of Selected Quotations
By Nelson Mandela
With an introduction by fellow countryman and activist Desmond Tutu, this collection of inspirational quotes from the anti-apartheid activist who went on to become president of South Africa help spread his message of hope and endurance.

Paul and Jesus: How the Apostle Transformed Christianity
By James D. Tabor
The author of The Jesus Dynasty draws on St. Paul’s letters and other early sources to reveal the apostles’ sharply competing ideas about the significance of Jesus and His teachings while controversially demonstrating how St. Paul independently shaped Christianity as it is known today.

Perfect Health Diet
By Paul Jaminet and Shou-Ching Jaminet
In a book drawn from five years of rigorous research, husband-and-wife scientists explain how anyone can regain health and lose weight by optimizing nutrition, detoxifying the diet and supporting a healthy immune function.

The Second Nuclear Age: Strategy, Danger, and the New Power Politics
By Paul Bracken
In this thought-provoking and agenda-setting book, the author, drawing on his years of experience analyzing defense strategy, makes a strong case that the U.S. needs to pay renewed attention to nuclear weapons and how their presence will transform the way crises develop and escalate.

Selected Letters of William Styron
By William Styron; ed. by Rose Styron
Handpicked by his estate, a collection of letters written to and from the literary master and author of The Confessions of Nat Turner spans sixty years and documents major historical and cultural events as well as his receipt of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and other accolades.

Twentysomething: Why Do Young Adults Seem Stuck?
By Robin Marantz Henig & Samantha Henig
Exploring what it means to be 20 today with the help of her daughter, the author examines the latest neuroscience and psychological resources, social media, the Internet, financial pressures and more, and provides the viewpoints of more than 120 millennials and baby boomers.

The Violin: A Social History of the World’s Most Versatile Instrument
By David Schoenbaum
Schoenbaum traces the history of the instrument, from its first appearance in the mid-16th century to its modern use by artists, writers and filmmakers, and discusses how the affordable, portable instrument can be used to play everything from Beethoven to bluegrass.

What’s a Dog For? The Surprising History, Science, Philosophy, and Politics of Man’s Best Friend
By John Homans
Homans describes the loving relationship he enjoyed with a rescued dog and his observations about how today’s pet dogs are treated with considerably more care than in past generations, exploring the dog’s complex and prominent place in the world while assessing related issues about animal rights and ethics.

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11/2012