Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Teddy Roosevelt, John Singer Sargent, James Whistler, Henry James, and Edith Wharton.Orphaned at a young age, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser claimed lineage from one of New York’s best-known families. She grew up in Newport and Paris, and her engagement and marriage to George Vanderbilt was one of the most watched events of Gilded Age society. But none of this prepared her to be mistress of Biltmore House.Before their marriage, the wealthy and bookish Vanderbilt had dedicated his life to creating a spectacular European-style estate on 125,000 acres of North Carolina wilderness. He summoned the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to tame the grounds, collaborated with celebrated architect Richard Morris Hunt to build a 175,000-square-foot chateau, filled it with priceless art and antiques, and erected a charming village beyond the gates. Newlywed Edith was now mistress of an estate nearly three times the size of Washington, DC and benefactress of the village and surrounding rural area. When fortunes shifted and changing times threatened her family, her home, and her community, it was up to Edith to save Biltmore—and secure the future of the region and her husband’s legacy.The Last Castle is the uniquely American story of how the largest house in America flourished, faltered, and ultimately endured to this day.

    Yet as historian David B. Woolner reveals, the end of FDR’s presidency might very well surpass it in drama and consequence.Drawing on new evidence, Woolner shows how FDR used every ounce of his diminishing energy to pursue the things that mattered most to him: the establishment of the United Nations, the reinvigoration of the New Deal, the possibility of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, and some quiet moments with his closest companions. We see a president shorn of the usual distractions of office, a man whose sense of duty and personal responsibility for the fate of the American people, and the world, bore heavily upon him. From his final Christmas at Hyde Park to his death on April 12, 1945, FDR strove to finish the work he had started twelve long years before.

    Get your style therapy with The Power of Style: Everything You Need to Know Before You Get Dressed Tomorrow by Today Show style editor Bobbie Thomas.This thoughtful and inspiring guide provides the information you need to feel stylish, smart, sexy, and satisfied—with a look that’s uniquely your own—in order to become your most confident and beautiful self.You're invited to gain self-awareness, clarity, and confidence, and take full advantage of the fashion tips, tools, and lessons that Bobbie Thomas lays out, including how to identify your best colors, how to select the most flattering clothes for your individual shape, how to edit your closet, and how to shop smart—to harness the power of self-expression.The foreword by fashion icon Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, and color illustrations throughout, reinforce Bobbie's mantra of self-expression: "Style is the way you to speak to the world without words."

    It is proving an immensely popular walk and in the first 18 months of its opening in 2003 it attracted almost 400,000 walkers.

    Sections include Pattern Construction and Cutting, Fashion Movements, Textiles, Creative Thinking, and Selling Clothes. With exciting visuals and clear text, The Fundamentals of Fashion Design uses detailed diagrams, historical references, and innovative layout to challenge readers to consider the underlying principles of design.

    And we pay close attention to how others dress as well; though we may not be able to put what we observe into words, we unconsciously register the information, so that when we meet and converse we have already spoken to one another in a universal tongue.Alison Lurie, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, is our savvy guide and interpreter on this tour through the history of fashion. She provides fascinating insights into how changing sex roles, political upheavals, and class structure have influenced costume. Whether she is describing the enormous amount of clothing worn by early Victorian women or illuminating the significance of the long robes worn by aging men throughout history to connote eminence, her analysis is playful, clever, and always on target.

    Like William Clarke Quantrill and "Bloody Bill" Anderson, Samuel Hildebrand was a proud Missouri bushwhacker. In this long out of print book, Hildebrand describes raids and executions his band of men carried out. He remained at the end of the war and unreconstructed rebel and fervent racist. Like many of his southern brethren who fought, he never owned slaves but kept a captured black man with him after the war. This self-serving but fascinating account is a valuable addition to the canon of Civil War literature. In it, Hildebrand claims that others have tried to tell his story but have gotten it wrong, so he has a notarized statement by prominent men included as verification of authenticity. Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever. For the first time ever, this long-out-of-print book is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE or download a sample.

    He spoke to his pregnant wife on the telephone before he began his evacuation after the South Tower fell. Sensing something ominous, Pasquale crouched down and huddled into a corner of the stairwell as the 110-story tower came crashing down around him. He survived the tower collapse and woke up in the open air hours later on The Pile, a stack of debris seven stories high. The firemen who rescued Pasquale shared his remarkable story of survival with the media, as did others who cared for him that day. His story became a myth, an urban legend, and an enigma that gave rise to much speculation. Here he tells his story in captivating detail of falling and "surfing' the collapse of the North Tower.Visit www.911surfer.com for more details.

    Army, the last to be deployed before the end of World War Two. Arriving in Europe in late 1944, they were immediately, and with very little battle experience, thrust into battle at St Vith. The Battle of St. Vith was part of the Battle of the Bulge, which began on December 16, 1944, and represented the right flank in the advance of the German 5th Panzer Army, toward the ultimate objective of Antwerp. The inexperienced American troops were faced with adverse weather conditions, difficult terrain and a desperate German opponent fighting for their lives and the quickly-disappearing hope of victory. The defense of St Vith is recognized as one the most important Allied victories of this period, driving the Germans away from their goal of Antwerp and halting the last great German offensive of the war. Compiled from records and first-hand accounts from the officers and soldiers of the 106th Division, Colonel Dupuy’s account of the final days of 1944 is a must-read for WW2 enthusiasts and fans of regimental histories. Colonel R. Ernest Dupuy (1887- 1976) was a soldier, newspaperman and military historian. He worked as a journalist in New York before enlisting in the army. Serving in both wars, he retired in 1947. Continuing his writing career, he specialized in writing military history, and authored or co-authored many books on the U.S. Army, West Point, and military affairs. St Vith: Lion in the Way was first published in 1949.

    What began as a fun hobby quickly turned into something much bigger, and she's spent the past five years seeking out the best products, top tips and easiest ways for us all to look and feel more fabulous. In The Glam Guide she shares all of her secrets and discoveries so whether you're looking for makeup tips, wardrobe cheats, first-date pointers or healthy lifestyle motivation, this is the book for you.

    From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive—until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

    Ideal for carrying on trips through the park as well as for the armchair historian, this book includes comprehensive maps and deft descriptions of the action that situate visitors in time and place. Crisp narratives introduce key figures and events, and eye-opening vignettes help readers more fully comprehend the import of what happened and why. A wide variety of contemporary and postwar source materials offer colorful stories and present interesting interpretations that have shaped--or reshaped--our understanding of Gettysburg today.Each stop addresses the following: What happened here? Who fought here? Who commanded here? Who fell here? Who lived here? How did participants remember this event?

    On a broader scale, initiatives to promote a more sustainable approach to fashion have made headlines and grown like never before, from the release of the high-profile documentary The True Cost to the launch of the worldwide “Fashion Revolution” campaign.This timely book is organized into four chapters—Buy, Wear, Care, and Dispose—each containing a short introduction with essential information followed by practical tips and illustrated case studies to help you make the first step toward a more sustainable wardrobe. A detailed reference section recommends not only the best ethical fashion labels and collections but also eco-friendly fabrics, standards, and certifications; cleaning methods; renting, swapping, and recycling initiatives; and much more.

    Why is it that simply getting dressed in the morning can be a bewildering experience? Last month's must-haves date you faster than a frizzy perm, and before the credit-card bill is paid, some expert is telling you your latest fashion fantasy is now "so last season." The more you buy, the less it seems you have to wear.Knowing what works and what doesn't, how and when to shop, how best to dress your body shape, and how to work an accessory like a styling pro will propel you on your way to fashion nirvana: the effortlessly chic set. With timeless tips and practical advice, fashion editor Paula Reed proves that you don't have to have a big budget, a whole new wardrobe, or the latest fad to look great.Transform your life with these expert lessons.When to spend: what is worth a budget blowout and what can be a cheap buy.How to find the fabulous in every figure: dress thin, tall, and timeless . . . promise!Secrets of the successful shopper: how to know if it's ieek!or chic!The essential proportions of the perfect pants, the jacket you'll love forever, and dresses to die for.And much more on coats, suits, shirts, shoes, bags, and essential accessories. Here you'll find everything else you need to release your individual style.Each chapter focuses on a particular element of fashion coats, dresses, suits, bags, jewelry making it easy to navigate the world of fashion. From evening wear to work wear, weekends to big nights out, from the boardroom to the home office, Reed covers it all with warmth, wit, and intelligence. With a little basic skill, deftly applied, you can have confidence in knowing that what you put on looks great and serves you well. Whatever your age, whether you have a big budget or are flat broke, Style Clinic will help make fashion work for you.

    Kathryn Finney, a.k.a. the Budget Fashionista, is the expert on all things chic and cheap. Now she opens up her Prada bag of shopping and style tips to make you fashionably frugal, with change to spare. It's as easy as 1-2-3!1. Know your budget: Learn innovative, money-saving ways to increase your clothing funds. 2. Know your style: Get helpful hints from fashion insiders and use them to develop your own mode of self-expression. 3. Know your bargains: Discover the art of scoring exclusive friends-and-family coupons for your favorite department storesWhether you're a homemaker from Houston, a grandma from Grand Rapids, or an M.D. from Manhattan, you don't need to break the bank to look your best. With great cost-cutting tips, at-home spa secrets, designer discount websites, and access to exclusive deals, The Budget Fashionista is like having your own personal stylist at your beck and call. So before you go out and commit the eighth deadly sin-buying a fake Louis Vuitton-read this must-have guide and learn to be style-smart and budget-wise!