This authoritative biography of film icon James Dean offers a clear-eyed look at the actor who crossed America's cinematic landscape with the brilliance and brevity of a meteor.
Reveals the complex man behind the famous movie actor, exploring among other things Cooper's long friendship with Ernest Hemingway and his involvement with the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Written with Lead offers a compelling narrative history of twenty-one tragic episodes in American history-all involving firearms, heroes, and the ongoing public fascination with guns and gunfighters.
Martini Man goes beyond the simple caricature of the boozy lounge singer with a penchant for racy humor to reveal the substantive man behind that mask. Although Martin's movie roles receive in-depth a
The Velvet Underground is arguably one of the most influential American rock bands ever. Based on interviews with former members Lou Reed, John Cale, Maureen Tucker, and Sterling Morrison, as well as
Moring (1946-2002) (zoology, U. of Maine) begins with Lewis and Clark as enthusiastic amateurs of the early 19th century, progresses through a few well known figures such as John James Audubon and Joh
The subtitle continues: ...as detailed in his diary, reports, and letters, including his famous last journals; with maps and numerous illustrations. It is unlikely that all of the 1874 volume, of wh
Rock journalist Greenwald presents the story of The Mamas & The Papas as told by the people who knew them, from their friends, musical peers, critics, and fans. Also included are interviews with t
Written with erudition, insight, and enthusiasm, Runaway Bride is a brilliant mix of film and social history that renews our vision and broadens our understanding of some of the best-loved movies ever
Fremont's memoirs are a firsthand account of the growth and expansion of the United States from the years 1828-1846, and include descriptions of the adventures that he shared with Kit Carson.
The Grateful Dead's manager provides an eyewitness account of the band's history, from the writing of their greatest songs and their encounters with other celebrities to their emergence as cultural ic
Illustrated with twenty-five reproductions of Pollock's paintings, the book looks into the passions, conflicts, relationships, and influences of the artist, Jackson Pollock, widely considered the fine
Hardly the buffoon he is frequently made out to be, Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) was an able politician who won the esteem of many statesmen and who knew how to cooperate peacefully with foreign gover
Celebrates the life and work of one of the original members of the Supremes, including her battles with Diana Ross, the tragic death of her son, and her own personal growth.
Silent screen sensation Clara Bow (1905-1965), the greatest box-office draw of her day, was the embodiment of the Roaring Twenties, Hollywood's first sex symbol, and a natural talent with an independ
One of the great literary figures of the modern age, French novelist Marcel Proust (1871-1922) probes the precarious mental and erotic nuances of love, the frail mysteries of time passing and time pas
Legendary opera singer Maria Callas (1923-1977) was a brilliant soprano adored for her staggering triumphs at La Scala, the Met, and Covent Garden. But behind the public facade Callas wrestled with l
From the first frame Greta Garbo (1905-1990) awed moviegoers with her ethereal beauty and palpable presence. Rising to stardom between two world wars, Garbo appeared at a time when she was most needed
"Stop, Hey, What's That Sound, Everybody Look What's Going Down."These lyrics from the Buffalo Springfield 1967 hit For What It's Worth have come to symbolize the turbulent decade of the 1960s, employ
What was it like to be part of one of the most famous TV and music groups in pop culture history? In fascinating, star-studded anecdote filled biography, original Monkee Micky Dolenz gives readers a s
Sheaffer's two-volume biography of American platwright Eugene O'Neill-the second volume of which won a Pulitzer Prize-makes use of previously unknown documents and numerous interviews to present an in
Campaign consultant Potholm explores the U. S. A.'s democratic process, explaining how the election of 2000 revealed the system's strengths, why low voter turn-out is not exactly a bad thing, and why
Sheaffer's two-volume biography of American platwright Eugene O'Neill-the second volume of which won a Pulitzer Prize-makes use of previously unknown documents and numerous interviews to present an in
McKale (humanities, Clemson U.) has written widely about Germany and the Nazi Party. Here he surveys the history of the Holocaust to show how the concept of racial war strongly influenced Hitler's thi
The Temptations were the most commercially successful and critically lauded male vocal group of the '60s and '70s. Through the years, the group's trademark razor-sharp choreography, finely tuned harmo
Countering the current unfashionable status of this Flemish Renaissance artist (1577-1640), Oppenheimer (comparative medieval literature, English, and history of science, City U. of New York) provides
This account of four of World War II's most colossal battles presents these epic conflicts from the perspective of the man largely responsible for Russia's most decisive victories during the Patriotic
This is the chilling and unforgettable story of the sensational trial, unjust conviction, and lynching of Leo M. Frank for the murder of his thirteen-year-old employee Mary Phagan. In the heated atmo
This highly praised book uses letters, diaries, and memoirs by Mongo Park, Richard Burton, David Livingstone, Henry Morton Stanley, and others to provide a gripping account of the search for the sourc
This sharp, engaging biography details the life and achievements of Constantine the Great who unified the Roman Empire, adopted Christianity as its official religion, and transferred the capital of th
This monumental triple biography weaves together the personal and public lives of the triumvirate behind the 1917 Russian Revolution, the creation of totalitarian Soviet state, and the repression and
This revelatory biography of Folies-Bergere dance Josephine Baker (1906-1975) is a study of struggle, triumph, and tragedy. Abandoned at birth, she battled racism, poverty, and sexism to become an in
Based on more than 150 interviews, this in-depth biography casts new light on every aspect of Marilyn Monroe's thirty-six years: her mysterious childhood and adolescence; her complex marriages; her pe
This is the remarkable story of German and European Jehovah's Witnesses persecuted by the Nazis, who could have avoided persecution by simply renouncing their faith yet who refused in the majority of
Malins interviews the pop synthesizer gods themselves and many others in creating this portrait of one of England's most successful rock groups. The book covers in detail lead singer Dave Gahan's near
After leaving the White House, Theodore Roosevelt embarked in 1909 on a lengthy African safari/collecting expedition for the Smithsonian that covered hundreds of miles, from Mombasa on the Indian Ocea
Tracing the history of Japanese aggression from 1853 onward, Hoyt masterfully examines the issues behind the war in the Pacific and sheds new light on the "China Question," the rape of Hong Kong, the
