Collection: Biography & Memoir

"In her raw, unflinching memoir . . . she tells the impassioned, wrenching story of the mental health crisis within her own family and community . . . A searing cry." --New York Times Book Review

The Mohawk phrase for depression can be roughly translated to "a mind spread out on the ground." In this urgent and visceral work, Alicia Elliott explores how apt a description that is for the ongoing effects of personal, intergenerational, and colonial traumas she and so many Native people have experienced.

Elliott's deeply personal writing details a life spent between Indigenous and white communities, a divide reflected in her own family, and engages with such wide-ranging topics as race, parenthood, love, art, mental illness, poverty, sexual assault, gentrification, and representation. Throughout, she makes thrilling connections both large and small between the past and present, the personal and political.

A national bestseller in Canada, this updated and expanded American edition helps us better understand legacy, oppression, and racism throughout North America, and offers us a profound new way to decolonize our minds.

"It is a perfect first book on the presidency in a young child's library and will leave a lasting positive first impression about Theodore Roosevelt and America."--Winner, 2023 Theodore Roosevelt Association Children's Book Prize

Introduce your brilliant baby to the conservationist and noted outdoorsman President Theodore Roosevelt.

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt suffered from severe asthma as a child, but he was determined to become stronger. He loved going on adventures and loved the outdoors. As president, he went camping in the wilds of Yosemite with John Muir, which strengthened his desire to preserve our nation's most beautiful spaces. In his lifetime, Roosevelt designated national parks and established national monuments, national forests, bird reserves, and national game reserves, along with the US Forest Service. Kate Coombs' engaging narrative and Seth Lucas' captivating art teach young readers about this inspiring conservationist and former president, encouraging little naturalists to Be Kind and Be Adventurous.

Like so many of us, Lucinda Fleeson wanted to escape what had become a routine life. So, she quit her big-city job, sold her suburban house, and moved halfway across the world to the island of Kauai to work at the National Tropical Botanical Garden. Imagine a one-hundred-acre garden estate nestled amid ocean cliffs, rain forests, and secluded coves. Exotic and beautiful, yes, but as Fleeson awakens to this sensual world, exploring the island's food, beaches, and history, she encounters an endangered paradise--the Hawaii we don't see in the tourist brochures.

Native plants are dying at an astonishing rate--Hawaii is called the Extinction Capital of the World--and invasive species (plants, animals, and humans) have imperiled this Garden of Eden. Fleeson accompanies a plant hunter into the rain forest to find the last of a dying species, descends into limestone caves with a paleontologist who deconstructs island history through fossil life, and shadows a botanical pioneer who propagates rare seeds, hoping to reclaim the landscape. Her grown-up adventure is a reminder of the value of choosing passion over security, individuality over convention, and the pressing need to protect the earth. And as she witnesses the island's plant renewal efforts, she sees her own life blossom again.

In this New York Times bestseller, the White House chief usher for nearly three decades offers a behind-the-scenes look at America's first families.
J. B. West, chief usher of the White House, directed the operations and maintenance of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue--and coordinated its daily life--at the request of the president and his family. He directed state functions; planned parties, weddings and funerals, gardens and playgrounds, and extensive renovations; and, with a large staff, supervised every activity in the presidential home. For twenty-eight years, first as assistant to the chief usher, then as chief usher, he witnessed national crises and triumphs, and interacted daily with six consecutive presidents and first ladies, as well as their parents, children and grandchildren, and houseguests--including friends, relatives, and heads of state.

J. B. West, whom Jackie Kennedy called "one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met," provides an absorbing, one-of-a-kind history of life among the first ladies. Alive with anecdotes ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt's fascinating political strategies to Jackie Kennedy's tragic loss and the personal struggles of Pat Nixon, Upstairs at the White House is a rich account of a slice of American history that usually remains behind closed doors.

Terry L Goedel is a nine-time Native American, World Hoop Dance Champion. As a young man living on the Tulalip Reservation in Washington State, he struggled to identify his Native Roots. Watching three hoop dancers for the first time in 1971 he felt a light that changed his perception of who he was. He followed that light and, has been sharing his hoop dancing story on stages around the world for the past fifty-two years.Take a fascinating journey with Terry as he explores his Native American roots and proudly embraces his cultural identity.

DETACHED! SURVIVING REACTIVE ATTACHMENT DISORDER is the true story of a young boy who never "attached" or "bonded" with his alcoholic mother. He felt unloved, uncared for, unsafe, sad, lonely and extremely angry. As he grew up, he, like most Reactive Attachment Disordered kids, acted out, exhibiting severely antisocial, even violent, behavior. You'll travel back in time to view a young child's life through his own eyes. You'll see an innocent boy become a severely emotionally disturbed teen. Then, against all odds, you'll read about miracles few ever thought possible.

Based on the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series, this timeline of world history gives a fresh take on global events, from King Tut to Malala Yousafzai.

Basada en la serie más vendida del New York Times, esta cronología de la historia mundial ofrece una nueva visión de los acontecimientos mundiales, desde el rey Tutankamón hasta Malala Yousafzai.

For the first time ever, the Who Was? subjects are gathered into a single title! The Who Was? History of the World is a journey along the timeline of history, noting the birthdays of 150 people in the series and what was happening in the world at that moment in time. Follow the timeline to learn who was doing what when, from the days of ancient Egypt, all the way up to the present.

Por primera vez en la historia, los temas de Quién fue? se reúnen en un solo título! Quién fue? Historia del mundo es un viaje cronológico a través de la historia, que muestra los cumpleaños de 150 personas de la serie y lo que estaba sucediendo en el mundo en ese momento. Sigue la línea de tiempo para saber quién estaba haciendo qué y cuándo, desde los días del antiguo Egipto hasta el presente.

NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST - The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower--and a Texas native--takes us on a journey through the most controversial state in America. - "Beautifully written.... Essential reading [for] anyone who wants to understand how one state changed the trajectory of the country." --NPR

The inspiration for the upcoming HBO Original documentary trilogy God Save Texas, streaming soon on Max

Texas is a red state, but the cities are blue and among the most diverse in the nation. Oil is still king, but Texas now leads California in technology exports. Low taxes and minimal regulation have produced extraordinary growth, but also striking income disparities. Texas looks a lot like the America that Donald Trump wants to create.

Bringing together the historical and the contemporary, the political and the personal, Texas native Lawrence Wright gives us a colorful, wide-ranging portrait of a state that not only reflects our country as it is, but as it may become--and shows how the battle for Texas's soul encompasses us all.

With the art of a practiced storyteller, Ignatia Broker recounts the life of her great-great-grandmother, Night Flying Woman, who was born in the mid-19th century and lived during a chaotic time of enormous change, uprootings, and loss for the Minnesota Ojibway. But this story also tells of her people's great strength and continuity. This popular book is also available on audiotape read by Debra Smith. An enrolled member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, she has performed her own poetry on a syndicated radio series on Native writers.

Ignatia Broker, who died in 1987, was a story-teller and teacher in the Ojibway tradition. In 1984 she received a Wonder Woman Foundation award honoring her as a woman striving for peace and equality.

An inspiring and beautifully illustrated picture book biography based on the life of Kate Moore, a twelve-year-old lighthouse keeper in the 19th century who saved the lives of twenty-three sailors.

With an evocative text and stunning illustrations, travel back to the stormy, rocky shores of 19th century Connecticut and meet an unforgettable heroine-- at a time when girls were considered anything but. Fayerweather Island had seen blustery blizzards and rip-roaring tides, but it had never seen a pint-sized hurricane until Kate Moore claimed that tiny island as her own. Little Kate was supposed to be the lighthouse keeper's daughter, but she thought of herself as Papa's assistant.

The thirty-three spiraling lighthouse stairs finally took a toll on Papa's body, and so twelve-year-old Kate stepped up. Over the years, she kept the flame lit to guide ships to safety, listened for cries for help, and, time and again, pulled men to safety--twenty-three of them in all. At the age of forty-seven, Kate received word--she had been named the official lighthouse keeper of Fayerweather Island. This girl-power picture book introduces a small heroine, who, with her can-do attitude and incredible spirit, is sure to inspire.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Trailblazing food writer and beloved restaurant critic Ruth Reichl took the job (and the risk) of a lifetime when she entered the high-stakes world of magazine publishing. Now, for the first time, she chronicles her groundbreaking tenure as editor in chief of Gourmet.

"A must for any food lover . . . Reichl is a warm, intimate writer. She peels back the curtain to a glamorous time of magazine-making. You'll tear through this memoir."--Refinery29

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Real Simple - Good Housekeeping - Town & Country

When Condé Nast offered Ruth Reichl the top position at America's oldest epicurean magazine, she declined. She was a writer, not a manager, and had no inclination to be anyone's boss. Yet Reichl had been reading Gourmet since she was eight; it had inspired her career. How could she say no?

This is the story of a former Berkeley hippie entering the corporate world and worrying about losing her soul. It is the story of the moment restaurants became an important part of popular culture, a time when the rise of the farm-to-table movement changed, forever, the way we eat. Readers will meet legendary chefs like David Chang and Eric Ripert, idiosyncratic writers like David Foster Wallace, and a colorful group of editors and art directors who, under Reichl's leadership, transformed stately Gourmet into a cutting-edge publication. This was the golden age of print media--the last spendthrift gasp before the Internet turned the magazine world upside down.

Complete with recipes, Save Me the Plums is a personal journey of a woman coming to terms with being in charge and making a mark, following a passion and holding on to her dreams--even when she ends up in a place she never expected to be.

Praise for Save Me the Plums

"Poignant and hilarious . . . simply delicious . . . Each serving of magazine folklore is worth savoring. In fact, Reichl's story is juicier than a Peter Luger porterhouse. Dig in."--The New York Times Book Review

"In this smart, touching, and dishy memoir . . . Ruth Reichl recalls her years at the helm of Gourmet magazine with clear eyes, a sense of humor, and some very appealing recipes."--Town & Country

"If you haven't picked up food writing queen Ruth Reichl's new book, Save Me the Plums, I highly recommend you fix that problem. . . . Reichl is in top form and ready to dish, with every chapter seeming like a dedicated behind-the-scenes documentary on its own."--Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle

Each picture book in this series is a biography of an American hero, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that made the person heroic. (Cover may vary)

The heros are depicted as children throughout, telling their life stories in first-person present tense, which keeps the books playful and accessible to young children. This book spotlights Abraham Lincoln who always spoke his mind and was unafraid to speak for others.This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big.

Included in each book are:
- A timeline of key events in the hero's history
- Photos that bring the story more fully to life
- Comic-book-style illustrations that are irresistibly adorable
- Childhood moments that influenced the hero
- Facts that make great conversation-starters
- A virtue this person embodies: Abraham Lincoln's compassion made him a great leader.

You'll want to collect each book in this dynamic, informative series!

The famous Renaissance artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci is the twentieth hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series. (Cover may vary)

This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of an icon in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This book features Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance artist and inventor. He always followed his interests, no matter where they led! His quest to fly led him to study birds' wings and his invention designs were the very earliest sketches of helicopters and other flying machines. Da Vinci's hard work and dedication to his curiosities is why we still remember him today.

This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big.

Included in each book are:
- A timeline of key events in the hero's history
- Photos that bring the story more fully to life
- Comic-book-style illustrations that are irresistibly adorable
- Childhood moments that influenced the hero
- Facts that make great conversation-starters
- A virtue this person embodies: Leonardo da Vinci's creativty is seen in everything he accomplished in his life

You'll want to collect each book in this dynamic, informative series!

Travel down the road of wisdom to discover how to think about a series of philosophical problems, how to defend your opinions on them, and how to evaluate the opinions of others.

Why is philosophy important? What's so great about it? Leap into the world of philosophy and discover questions about life, the universe, and human behavior that great thinkers have pondered throughout history, and which are still being asked today.

Philosophical ideas affect our day-to-day lives in ways that you might not expect. But understanding these ideas can be daunting - even for adults! If you want to learn how to argue the case for animal rights, why the concept of equality has many sides, or even what the theories are about why humans exist at all, What's the Point of Philosophy? is the perfect place to start.

Put your thinking cap on and get ready to explore:

- A variety of fascinating topics reveal pivotal questions in philosophy that are still discussed today.
- Timeline spreads illustrate major schools of thought and the women and men who developed them.
- Clear, accessible text makes the book appealing for readers of all ages.
- Uncoated paper gives a vintage feel to the book which perfectly complements the illustrator's style.

This fascinating philosophy book is a unique way to get kids to begin thinking critically about the world around them, and showcases the many ways in which philosophy has changed the world, one crazy idea at a time, and it is guaranteed to inspire, surprise, amuse, and entertain everybody who picks it up. By slowly unraveling arguments to unpack complex theories, What's the Point of Philosophy? allows you to connect with ideas in a new and exciting way. If you never stop asking 'why?', this is the book for you!

The legendary coach talks about his life, his players, and his winning philosophies in this bestselling autobiography

John Wooden's dedication and inspiration made him America's "winningest" coach. His beliefs in hard work and preparedness brought the UCLA Bruins an unparalleled 10 NCAA basketball championships. Now in this bestselling autobiography--with a Foreword by Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton--the college basketball legend reflects on his record-breaking career, his life behind the scenes, and how his top players went on to shape and change the NBA.

From the everyday basics to important life lessons ("It's not how tall you are, but how tall you play"), Wooden shares his worldly wisdom on and off the court to offer a personal history of an unforgettable time in college basketball, answering the most-asked questions about his life, his career, and the players who made his teams unbeatable.

"They Call Me Coach is grass-roots Americana, a story bigger than basketball. One of those rare sports books that is must reading for everyone."
--Chicago Tribune

"What Knute Rockne was to football, Connie Mack to baseball, and Wilbur and Orville Wright to flying, John Wooden is to basketball. This book captures the full flavor of the man, the philosophies that work in life, and the philosophies that work on the court. I commend it to people who want to succeed at either--or both."
--Los Angeles Times

Was Johnny Cash always the rebellious "Man in Black" that we remember him as today? Find out in this biography from the #1 New York Times bestselling series that takes us from Cash's childhood on an Arkansas cotton farm to his first days in rockabilly through his most famous years as a country music legend and icon of American songwriting.

Due to his wide range of musical talent and an incomparable career spanning forty-nine years, Johnny Cash has been inducted into the Country, Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, and Gospel Halls of Fame. He also won 18 Grammys and 9 Country Music Association Awards. Who Was Johnny Cash? lets young readers learn about every step in Johnny Cash's groundbreaking musical career. As one of the best-selling American musicians of all time, Cash, born JR Carter, was known for his rich, deep voice and musical style that featured a chugging, train-like beat.