Henri Marie-Raymond de Toulouse 'Lautrec Monfa was a little man with a big name. When he was a child, he was in a series of accidents which revealed that he had a rare bone disease. As he grew up, his arms and upper body grew with him, but his legs remained those of a child. Lautrec was a cheerful, optimistic sort, though, so he didn't let it get him down. His love of art helped him through the hard times, so he moved to the beautiful, glittering city of Paris to study it. He made many friends in Paris, and there was no place he loved better than the district of Montmartre. There, he would visit the music halls like the Moulin Rouge and mingle with artists, workers on their days off, and middle class people looking for adventure. Throughout this biography are full-color reproductions of some of Lautrec's most famous works, paintings done by other artists of the time, and photographs of Lautrec and some of his closest friends. Lautrec was a talented artist who produced many, many paintings and other works of art, and his work reflects the spirit of the exciting times that he lived in.

Similar books: Frida by Jonah Winter; Uncle Andy's by James Warhola; Dinner at Magritte's by Michael Garland

Reviewed by: lauraf

Date read: 5/14/2012

ISBN-10: 0810958678

ISBN-13: 9780810958678

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Ibn Battuta lived when people thought the earth was flat. However, he wanted to travel, and so he did, from Morocco to China, and back. He traveled for 30 years, having many adventures, and seeing wondrous sights. Finally, he was ready to go back home, and relive his adventures in stories.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/13/2009

ISBN-10: 0618432337

ISBN-13: 9780618432332

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Mark Twain wrote two of America's greatest novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. His own life was full of excitement and adventure. From Mark's boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri through his adventures in the wild west and his world travels, Sid Fleischman tells the story of how Samuel Clemens became the celebrated author Mark Twain.

Reviewed by: caroll

Date read: 2/14/2011

ISBN-10: 006134432X

ISBN-13: 9780061344329

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Born just after the Civil War, Sarah Breedlove knew the hardships of being a sharecropper when she was young. In her twenties, her hair started falling out, and she wanted to stop this before she became entirely bald. After trying others' remedies, she decided to make her own, and succeeded. This gave her the idea of helping other African - American women with the same problem, and she began selling her products door-to-door. Along with selling hair products, she also preached the ideas of pride and self-reliance. She married Mr. Charles Walker, and decided to name her company Madam C. J. Walker, since 'Madam' sounded French, and gave an air of sophistication. When she became a great success, she gave back to her community, by founding a large cultural center in Indianapolis, among other projects.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/13/2009

ISBN-10: 0763618349

ISBN-13: 9780763618346

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The Legend of Count Dracula was inspired by this real-life Prince. Vlad had a thirst for blood and loyalty meant nothing to him. He betrayed his friends and family and befriended his enemies.

Reviewed by: St. Charles Reader

Date read: 11/28/2009

ISBN-10: 0531125998

ISBN-13: 9780531125991

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