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Under the Influence: Unauthorized Story of the Anheuser-Busch Dynasty
Peter Hernon - 1991
Reprint.
Rembrandt's Portrait: A Biography
Charles L. Mee Jr. - 1988
Charles Mee, historian and playwright, renders a finely textured portrait of the artist against a richly described background of seventeenth-century life.He captures the human Rembrandt, the ordinary man and unexpected genius. We see the youthful, arrogant poseur, son of a small-town miller, seeking a life of art amid the cosmopolitan bustle of Amsterdam in its heyday. We see the outsider struggling to rise without patron or court commissions, failing as an entrepreneur while immortalizing simple people in works of haunting complexity.We see the inspired moments behind masterworks like TheAnatomy Lesson and Nightwatch and all the conflicting guises of their creator - bohemian and aspiring bourgeois, husband and lover, honored genius, penurious vagabond, and, finally, the essential dichotomy - the egocentric master who, despite his intense self-absorption, captured the diversity of humanity with extraordinary empathy, sensitivity, and grace.Charles Mee’s Rembrandt’s Portrait is a major, enduring work.
Shankly: My Story By Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly - 1976
Published to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Bill Shankly's arrival at Liverpool in 1959 This is the book Liverpool tried to ban, as it was originally published just after Shankly left the club and contains information that they wished to suppress.
India's Railway Man: A Biography of E. Sreedharan
Rajendra B. Aklekar - 2017
The [Chithoni railway link] bridge was completed eleven weeks ahead of schedule and proved to be helpful to one and all.Two key railway projects changed the way India travels by train—the 760-km stretch of Konkan Railway and the Delhi Metro. Both the projects were up and running in seven years flat and the man in charge was Dr Elattuvalapil Sreedharan, popularly known as the Railway Man. He has been hailed as the messiah of new-age infrastructure projects and his success stories have become railway engineering benchmark.Respected, loved and equally hated, this book covers the amazing story of one man—his perseverance, beliefs, and public and private battles. India’s Railway Man: A Biography of E. Sreedharan is a tribute to this extraordinary man.
The Importance Of Being Ernest: The Life of Actor Jim Varney
Justin Lloyd - 2013
Today, millions of fans still mourn the loss of actor Jim Varney, who portrayed Ernest and who died at age 50 in 2000 of cancer. Ernest fans are finally getting the biography they have been waiting for in this comprehensive work by Jim’s nephew, Justin Lloyd. “The Importance of Being Ernest: The Life of Actor Jim Varney” traces Jim’s journey from a child in Lexington, Kentucky, with dreams of being a stage and film actor to becoming an iconic entertainment figure in the tradition of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Little Tramp.”The book is based on numerous interviews with family members and intimates of Jim who have never spoken publicly before about what drove the actor and how he overcame many personal and professional obstacles to attain success. But with that success came a price: Jim longed for stage and film roles beyond Ernest, and they were difficult to come by because of his symbiosis with the character. Yet Jim persevered, ultimately winning major movie roles such as Jed Clampett in “The Beverly Hillbillies” and (the voice of) Slinky Dog in the first two “Toy Story” films. The book also explores the genius of the small Nashville advertising agency that created Ernest and how it spread his popularity decades before “going viral” became associated with achieving global stardom.Even at the height of his career, Jim never forgot he was a descendant of Appalachian coal miners, and he remained true to his values, his friends and his family. Jim always strove for authenticity and humanity inside his hillbilly humor, endearing him to fans from every walk of life. “The Importance of Being Ernest: The Life of Actor Jim Varney” documents the life of an unforgettable figure in American comedy whose legacy endures today.
Made in India: A Memoir
Milind Soman - 2020
There's more to Milind Soman than meets the eye (although, as his legions of female fans will agree, what meets the eye is pretty delish).Combining in himself the passion of an entrepreneur, the mind of a nerd, the discipline of an athlete, the curiosity of an explorer, the heart of a patriot and the soul of a philosopher, Milind has made the stunning-and apparently seamless- transition from champion swimmer to supermodel to actor to extreme sportsperson to women's fitness activist, enabler and proselytiser, all in one lifetime.How does he do it? What makes him tick? On the twenty-fifth anniversary of 'Made in India', the breakout pop music video of the 1990s that captured the apna-time-aagaya zeitgeist of post-liberalization India and made him the nation's darling across genders and generations, Milind talks about his fascinating life-controversies, relationships, the breaking of vicious habits like smoking, alcohol, rage, and more-in a freewheeling, bare-all (easy, ladies-we're talking soul-wise!) memoir.Co-authored with bestselling author Roopa Pai, MADE IN INDIA is a rare glimpse into the mind and heart of a very unusual man that will leave you thoughtful, awed and inspired.
Ambon: The truth about one of the most brutal POW camps in World War II and the triumph of the Aussie spirit (Hachette Military Collection)
Roger Maynard - 2014
Over a thousand of these soldiers were Australian. By the end of the war, just one-third of them had survived and Ambon became a place of nightmares, one of the most notorious of all POW camps the war had seen.Many of the men captured were massacred, and of those who initially survived, many later succumbed to the sadistic brutality of the Japanese guards. Starvation also took a fearful toll, and then there were the medical 'experiments'. It was a place almost without hope for those who held on, made worse by the fact that the savagery inflicted on them wasn't limited to their captors but also came from their own. One soldier described their hopelessness towards the end with the bleak words: 'The men knew they were dying.'Yet astoundingly there were survivors and in Ambon they speak of not just the horrors, but the bravery, endurance and mateship that got them through an ordeal almost impossible to imagine.The story of Ambon is one of both the depravity and the triumph of the human spirit; it is also one that's not been widely told. Until now.
Rethinking Life on the Appalachian Trail: The 2008 Thru-hike of "Rethinker"
Gary Bond - 2012
For Gary Bond, that dream had lain just below the surface for over 30 years. But in 2008, Bond adopted the trail name Rethinker and the dream was traded for an adventure. At the Trailhead Leading up to this excursion and the chosen trail name was a period of “rethinking” for Bond. The beliefs that had been the foundation of his entire life had turned into nagging doubts. He longed to shed this burden and seek out Truth and a simpler way of life. And what better way than a long walk in the wilderness?What would Rethinker discover during five months on the Trail? What would he learn about Nature, about long-held beliefs, and about himself? How would he apply these lessons to the Larger Trail? The Long Walk This book captures the many aspects of Rethinker’s AT thru-hike. Experience the physical and mental highs and lows of the grueling journey. Meet various characters and “legends of the trail” that Rethinker encounters, including the “Harbinger of Maine,” and enjoy their stories as well.Walk alongside Rethinker as he gains his “trail legs” in the mountains of North Carolina. Confront fear as peaceful sleep is invaded by a frightful night-time visitor in Tennessee. Be taught the definition of “necessity” beneath the spreading limbs of a Virginia maple. Endure the crucible of New Hampshire’s White Mountains and observe confidence turn to humility by the magnitude of the quest.Witness restoration beside a New England pond as Rethinker marvels at the strange contrasting harmony of Nature. Slog through mucky bogs and ford swollen streams while hiking through Maine’s 100-mile wilderness. And experience that “diamond day” when lifelong visions of a mystical fish camp are finally realized.Hear from mentors of times past whose words both haunt and encourage Rethinker along the way. See how lessons learned in childhood are applied to overcome obstacles and threats. Be amazed, as Rethinker was, by “trail angels” and the kindness of strangers. The Larger Trail Whether you have made the hike yourself, or if you’re a thru-hiker-wanna-be, or if you simply like to vicariously experience the journeys of others, this book will have something for you. Rethinker vividly portrays the wonder of the Appalachian Trail thru-hike experience while also examining the deeper meaning for him on the Larger Trail. In addition, he shares many useful tips and hiking gear advice from his own experiences for those who would attempt the trek.After five million steps and thousands of white blazes, covering 2,175 miles of trail stretching from Georgia to Maine, join Rethinker during the bittersweet moment of journey's end on the rocky peak of Katahdin. After all the rethinking of the journey and all the lessons learned, what would be the answer to life's questions? Would a key be found to unlock life's Great Mystery?
Billy Graham: The Man I Knew
Greg Laurie - 2021
But Very Few Knew Him Personally. Pastor and bestselling author Greg Laurie was one of those fortunate few, blessed with an insider’s view of Billy Graham’s world for more than two decades. With the same painstaking research and eye for detail that distinguishes his previous biographies, Steve McQueen: Salvation of an American Icon and Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Laurie now turns to the life of his beloved mentor, offering the intimate perspective of a disciple and friend. As a strapping North Carolina farm boy, Graham surrendered his life to Jesus at a camp meeting led by a blustery itinerant preacher, but he never lost the mischievous twinkle in his eye or his fun-loving air. Laurie sheds light on Graham’s lesser-known struggles—such as a broken heart before he met the love of his life and a crisis of faith from which he emerged stronger than ever. From the evangelist’s private challenges and public successes to his disappointments and joys, Billy Graham: The Man I Knew provides a vivid portrait of one of history’s most remarkable Christian lives.