MBR: The Biography Shelf

[Midwest Book Review]

The Biography Shelf

Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781451648539, $35.00, www.simonandschuster.com

STEVE JOBS is a powerful definitive biography that comes just after
Steve's demise and is based on more than forty interviews with Jobs
conducted over a two-year period - as well as interviews with family,
colleagues and friends. As such it's likely to prove much more
definitive and insightful than any other title that might appear, and
deserves a lasting place in any biography holding. It covers the life
of a genius who changed the world through his vision of personal
computers, music, animated movies and more, and adds the further plus
of being a cooperative affair where the author had leeway over the
book's content. It's rare to find such an inclusive biography without
limits by its cooperating subject. STEVE JOBS packs in candid,
intimate details and is a 'must' for any computer or general holding.

Keeping the Faith
Wayne Flynt
University of Alabama Press
Box 87030, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
0817317546, $29.95, www.uapress.ua.edu

Keeping the Faith: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives comes from a
scholar who is a history professor at Auburn University. His memoir
details his academic career, the research he conducted which has
contributed vastly to Alabama's historical analysis and knowledge
base, and considers the methods he's used to give lectures and impart
that history to the public. It's a scholarly, in-depth read suitable
for college-level history and autobiography collections alike;
particularly those strong in Southern history.

A Heart for Freedom
Chai Ling
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414362465, $22.99, www.tyndale.com

A Heart for Freedom comes from the Commander in Chief of the Student
Democratic Movement Protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989 and shares
her account of events, from her personal odyssey to become an activist
to her escape from China and her personal mission to affect her
homelands policies. It not only tells what really happened at
Tiananmen, it provides a fine story of her escape to America and her
quest for freedom here. Collections strong in political
autobiographies in general and China social issues in particular will
find this a moving memoir.

Extraordinary, Ordinary People
Condoleezza Rice
Three Rivers Press
c/o the Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307888471, $15.00, www.randomhouse.com

Extraordinary, Ordinary People comes from the former secretary of
state and traces her childhood in Alabama, when blacks led segregated
lives, to her adulthood. Her descriptions of family strengths and
values, interactions, and how her parents in particular shaped the
lives of many in their community makes for a powerful saga recommended
for any autobiography holding.

I'm With Fatty
Edward Ugel
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson St., 13th Floor, New York NY 10014
9781602861374, $15.00, www.weinsteinbooks.com

I'M WITH FATTY blends humor with an autobiography and weight loss
account by an author who spent a year trying to lower his weight and
regain his health - without pills. His obsession with food and his
battle to control his obsession with Ben and Jerry's ice cream - among
other things - makes for enlightening and hilarious reading highly
recommended for any general lending library's collection.

Dear Me....
Joseph Galliano
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451649642, $20.00, www.simonandschuster.com

DEAR ME...A LETTER TO MY SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD SELF offers letters from
famous people from Stephen King to Suze Orman, offering tips the new-
adult personalities would give to their teen selves if they had the
chance. Reproductions of the actual letters accompany photos of many
of the writers at age sixteen and provide some common associations in
this fine survey, recommended for any general lending library
interested in autobiography or advice pieces.

Lucille Ball FAQ
James Sheridan and Barry Monush
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard
33 Plymouth St. Suit 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
9781617740824, $19.99, www.applausebooks.com

Lucille Ball FAQ has been published to mark the centennial birth of
Lucille Ball and offers a celebration of her life with facts ranging
from a complete Lucy timeline to lists of her awards, recorded songs,
episodes, inside jokes, performances, and much more. A prior affection
for Lucy is required to fully appreciate this collection of facts:
that given, LUCILLE BALL FAQ is a comprehensive detailing of her life,
achievements, and personality and is a top recommendation for film and
biography holdings alike.

Kris Jenner And All Things Kardashian
Kris Jenner
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781451646962, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Kris Jenner And All Things Kardashian provides a memoir that surveys
her life and that of the infamous Kardashian clan, and is a pick for
any collection strong in autobiographies of famous personalities. Here
she shares her daily hectic celebrity lifestyle and covers everything
from marriage and faith to love and divorce. Candid assessments of her
marriages, relationships, friendships and family and even her
controversial parenting style make for a fun read, pairing a
centerfold of black and white photos with a lively writing style
perfect for general lending collections.

Cornelia James Cannon and the Future American Race
Maria I. Diedrich
University of Massachusetts Press
Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498419, $28.95, www.umass.edu.umpress

Cornelia James Cannon and the Future American Race provides a fine
biography of the life of Cornelia James Cannon, the wife of a Harvard
professor and mother of five who became a writer and reformer,
producing novels and essays during the 1920s and 30s on a range of
controversial topics. Her works discussed women's rights, immigration
and other issues at a time when little was being said - and she
inspired many reform activities which would not have taken place
without her. College-level collections strong in social issues,
history, and biography will find this a fine study!

Off to Save the World
Ann Blackman
Maine Authors Publishing
558 Main Street, Rockland, ME 04841
9781936447541, $14.95, www.maineauthorspublishing.com

A presidential dynasty entered, she sought to do the name worthy. "Off
to Save the World" tells the story of Julia Taft, who married into the
famous family of the early twentieth century president, and traveled
the world in hopes of making a major difference in the world, working
in war torn regions and encouraging the United Nations towards
humanitarian efforts. "Off to Save the World" is an enlightening and
unique read of the impact one determined woman can make on the world.

The San Joaquin Siren
William M. Behrns
Amethyst Moon Publishing
PO Box 87885, Tucson, AZ 85754
9781935354611, $18.95, www.ampubbooks.com

The American way is when being told you can't do something, to do it
anyway. "The San Joaquin Siren: An American Ace in WWII's CBI" is the
story of a dedicated young man in William M. Behrns who writes of his
endeavors to become a P-38 pilot, and achieves his dream during a
critical time. Bill sees the world, and makes a difference while
sharing his story. "The San Joaquin Siren" is a fine read of one
pilot's tales of war and adventure.

Running Away to Home
Jennifer Wilson
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780312598952, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

Running Away to Home: Our Family's Journey to Croatia in Search of Who
We Are, Where We Came From, and What Really Matters provides the
memoir of a travel writer who made the decision to leave home - and
bring her family with her. Their family lived the typical American
dream in Iowa - and their lives were rushed and filled with work and
school. When they lost half their savings in the stock market crash,
they packed up and left to visit her family homeland in the Croatian
mountain village of Mrkopalj. Her memoir goes beyond a travel or food
account to probe a different world and its values in a pick for
travel, food or general memoir collections.

Sal Mineo
Michael Gregg Michaud
Three Rivers Press
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307716675, $16.00, www.threeriverspress.com

SAL MINEO: A BIOGRAPHY provides a fine survey of a creative actor who
was murdered at the young age of thirty-seven. Candid interviews with
Mineo's closest female and male lovers and new photos accompany a
complete story of his life and interests, his rise to fame, and more,
and make this a powerful and winning 'must'. The candid interviews
succeed in providing a well-rounded portrait of Mineo and make for a
biography that exceeds expectations. Film and biography holdings alike
will appreciate the detailed focus!

Black and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story
Michael Seth Starr
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard
33 Plymouth St. Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
9781557837547, $27.99, www.halleonard.com

Black and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story is based on the author's
interviews with dozens of Foxx's friends and colleagues and provides a
well-rounded view of his rise to fame in comedy and television. It
surveys his career and the TV show that both brought him to the
heights of his career and ultimately ruined it, and provides a fine
survey of his personality and many achievements. Entertainment, film
and biography collections alike will relish this!

Phillis Wheatley
Vincent Carretta
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820333380 $29.95 www.ugapress.org

Vincent Carretta (Professor of English, University of Maryland)
presents Phillis Wheatley: Biography of a Genius in Bondage, a
scholarly chronicle of Phillis Wheatley (1753?-1784), the first
English-speaking person of African heritage to publish a book, and the
second woman of any heritage to do so in America. Carretta traces what
little is known of Wheatley's life and how she gained her freedom from
slavery, her marriage, and how her widower fared after her untimely
passing. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Wheatley's life is her
skillful orchestration of a transatlantic network to produce, market,
and distribute her writing. The fascinating life story of a truly
extraordinary woman (illustrated with a handful of black-and-white
photographs of artistic portraits), Phillis Wheatley: Biography of a
Genius in Bondage is highly recommended especially for public and
college library collections.

Robert Curthose: Duke of Normandy (c. 1050-1134)
William M. Aird
Boydell Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc.
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9781843836605 $34.98 www.boydellandbrewer.com

Robert Curthose: Duke of Normandy (c. 1050-1134) is a detailed
biography of Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror and
Duke of Normandy from 1087 to 1106. Robert Curthose was twice driven
into exile, defeated his father in battle, and fought to defend his
duchy from his brothers William Rufus and Henry who controlled the
throne of England. His involvement in the success of the First Crusade
(1095-99) earned him a legendary reputation in his own time, as a
chivalric hero. Biographer William Aird (Senior Lecturer in Medieval
History, Cardiff University) meticulously studies the dynamics of
Norman political culture and medieval rulership, as well as Robert
Curthose's legacy influencing the kings of England even after Henry I
incarcinated him from 1106 to his death in 1134. Of especial interest
is Aird's historical study of a ruthless power-drama commonly
recounted from an English perspective. Robert Curthose: Duke of
Normandy is highly recommended especially for public and college
library biography shelves.

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