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The last million : Europe's displaced persons from World War to Cold War / by Nasaw, David,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."In May of 1945, German forces surrendered to the Allied powers, effectively putting an end to World War II in Europe. But the aftershocks of this global military conflict did not cease with the signing of truces and peace treaties. Millions of lost and homeless POWs, slave laborers, political prisoners, and concentration camp survivors overwhelmed Germany, a country in complete disarray. British and American soldiers gathered the malnourished and desperate foreigners, and attempted to repatriate them to Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and the USSR. But after exhaustive efforts, there remained over a million displaced persons who either refused to go home or, in the case of many, had no home to which to return. They would spend the next three to five years in displaced persons camps, divided by nationalities, temporary homelands in exile, with their own police forces, churches, schools, newspapers, and medical facilities. The international community couldn't agree on the fate of the Last Million, and after a year of fruitless debate and inaction, an International Refugee Organization was created to resettle them in lands suffering from labor shortages. But no nations were willing to accept the 200,000 to 250,000 Jewish men, women, and children who remained trapped in Germany. In 1948, the United States, among the last countries to accept anyone for resettlement, finally passed a Displaced Persons Bill - but as Cold War fears supplanted memories of WWII atrocities, the bill only granted visas to those who were reliably anti-communist, including thousands of former Nazi collaborators, Waffen-SS members, and war criminals, while barring the Jews who were suspected of being Communist sympathizers or agents because they had been recent residents of Soviet-dominated Poland. Only after the passage of the controversial UN resolution for the partition of Palestine and Israel's declaration of independence were the remaining Jewish survivors finally able to leave their displaced persons camps in Germany."--
Subjects: United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.; International Refugee Organization.; World War, 1939-1945; Refugees; Refugees; Jewish refugees; Political refugees; Jews; Humanitarianism; World War, 1939-1945;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The Goddess of Warsaw [text (large print)] : a novel / by Barr, Lisa,author.;
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire, the harrowing and ultimately triumphant tale of a Jewish WWII assassin turned Hollywood star. In 2005, Siena Hayes is Hollywood's latest It Girl, but she has her sights set higher than the screen, she wants to be behind the camera. So when Siena meets Lena Browning, the enormously mysterious and famous actor from decades past, Siena sees her big break. Siena wants to direct Lena's biopic-but Lena's past may turn out to be more than Siena bargained for. Before she was a "Living Legend," Lena Browning was Bina Blonski, a member of Warsaw's Jewish elite whose life and family were destroyed by the Nazis. In 1943, in the ghettos of Warsaw, Bina lives with her husband, Jakub. Determined to fight back against Nazi rule, beautiful, blonde Bina acts as a spy on the Aryan side fearlessly protecting the remaining Warsaw Jews, gaining intel, and stealing weapons. Along the way, her feelings grow more complicated as she falls in love with Aleksander, an ally to her in resistance ... and Jakub's brother. But the cause prevails-and Lena accomplishes amazing feats of bravery, though she can't help but sacrifice so much in the process ... Over a decade after escaping the ghetto, Bina, who now goes by Lena, has risen to fame in Hollywood. She sees her old life at every turn and hungers for revenge against the Nazis who are still everywhere around her. This is Lena's chance to right the past's wrongs and perhaps even find the happy ending she never had."--
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Large print books.; Novels.; Actresses; Man-woman relationships; Nazis; Revenge; Secrecy; World War, 1939-1945;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Her lotus year : China, the roaring twenties, and the making of Wallis Simpson / by French, Paul,1966-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Author Paul French examines a controversial and revealing period in the early life of the legendary Wallis, Duchess of Windsor -- her one year in China. Before she was the Duchess of Windsor, Bessie Wallis Warfield was Mrs. Wallis Spencer, wife of Earl "Win" Spencer, a US Navy aviator. From humble beginnings in Baltimore, she rose to marry a man who gave up his throne for her. But what made Wallis Spencer, Navy Wife, the woman who could become the Duchess of Windsor? The answers lie in her one-year sojourn in China. In her memoirs, Wallis described her time in China as her "Lotus Year," referring to Homer's Lotus Eaters, a group living in a state of dreamy forgetfulness, never to return home. Though faced with challenges, Wallis came to appreciate traditional Chinese aesthetics. China molded her in terms of her style and provided her with friendships that lasted a lifetime. But that "Lotus Year" would also later be used to damn her in the eyes of the British Establishment. The British government's supposed "China Dossier" of Wallis's rumored amorous and immoral activities in the Far East was a damning concoction, portraying her as sordid, debauched, influenced by foreign agents, and unfit to marry a king. Instead, French, an award-winning China historian, reveals Wallis Warfield Spencer as a woman of tremendous courage who may have acted as a courier for the US government, undertaking dangerous undercover diplomatic missions in a China torn by civil war. Her Lotus Year is an untold story in the colorful life of a woman too often maligned by history"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Windsor, Wallis Warfield, Duchess of, 1896-1986; Americans; Military spouses;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The lost art of Scripture : rescuing the sacred texts / by Armstrong, Karen,1944-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Today the Quran is used by some to justify war and acts of terrorism, the Torah to deny Palestinians the right to live in the Land of Israel, and the Bible to condemn homosexuality and contraception. The significance of Scripture--the holy texts at the centre of all religious traditions--may not be immediately obvious in our secular world but its misunderstanding is perhaps the root cause of most of today's controversies over religion. In this timely and important book, one of the world's leading commentators on religious affairs examines the meaning of Scripture. Today holy texts are not only used selectively to underwrite sometimes arbitrary and subjective views: they are seen to prescribe ethical norms and codes of behaviour that are divinely ordained--they are believed to contain eternal truths. But as Karen Armstrong shows in this fascinating trawl through millennia of religious history, this peculiar reading of Scripture is a relatively recent, modern phenomenon--and in many ways, a reaction to a hostile secular world. For most of their history, the world's religious traditions have regarded these texts as tools for the individual to connect with the divine, to transcend their physical existence, and to experience a higher level of consciousness that helped them to engage with the world in more meaningful and compassionate ways. Scripture was not a 'truth' that had to be 'believed.' Armstrong argues that only if the world's religious faiths rediscover such an open and spiritual engagement with their holy texts can they curtail the arrogance, intolerance and violence that flows from a narrow reading of Scripture as truth."--
Subjects: Religion and culture.; Religions.; Sacred books;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Smokin' aces [videorecording]. by Reynolds, Ryan; Liotta, Ray; Piven, Jeremy; Affleck, Ben; Keys, Alicia; Bateman, Jason; Garcia, Andy; Newton, Wayne; Common, ;
Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Alicia Keys, Jason Bateman, Andy Garcia, Wayne Newton, Common.DVD.CHVRS rating: 18A.Slick Vegas illusionist Buddy 'Aces' Israel isn't playing nice. Turns out, he's telling mob secrets to the FBI. After a $1 million contract is put out on him, he tries to pull his greatest disappearing act before a gallery of smokin' hot assassins come.
Subjects: Action.; Action / Adventure.;
© 2007., Universal Studios Home Entertainment,
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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What we buried / by Rotenberg, Robert,1953-author.;
A Toronto homicide detective is attacked at his doorstep when his investigation into possible links between the Nazi occupation of Italy and the murder of his brother decades later gets too close to the truth-in the new crime thriller from bestselling author Robert Rotenberg. Perfect for fans of Scott Turow and David Baldacci. It's been years since Daniel Kennicott's brother, Michael, was shot and killed the night before he was about to depart for Gubbio, Italy. The case, never solved, has haunted Daniel ever since. Long suspecting the killing was tied to Michael's planned trip but overwhelmed with grief, Daniel has put off going there-until now, the tenth anniversary of the murder. As he's about to leave, Daniel learns that his two mentors, detectives Ari Greene and Nora Bering, have been more involved in the investigation of Michael's murder than he ever knew. And they're concerned about Daniel's safety. But why? Is Daniel risking his life-and those of others-by trying to uncover the truth? When Daniel arrives in the bucolic Italian hill town, he learns the past has not been put to rest. Residents are still haunted by the brutal Nazi occupation, the brave acts of the local freedom fighters, and the swift savagery of German retribution. And as Daniel delves into his family's deadly connection to Gubbio, Ari Greene searches for a killer closer to home. Inspired by the true story of the Forty Martyrs in Gubbio, Italy, during World War II, What We Buried is an extraordinary crime novel about troubled legacies, revenge, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Novels.; Brothers; Cold cases (Criminal investigation); Murder; Police; Revenge; Secrecy;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 2
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No safe secret / by Michaels, Fern,author.;
Living a seemingly idyllic life of luxury with a husband who is privately oppressive and demanding, Molly reflects on her early life with her twin brother and neglectful mother in a run-down Florida trailer park, where an act of vengeance compelled her to flee and reinvent her identity.
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Psychological fiction.; Identity (Psychology); Secrets;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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Heart on my sleeve : stories from a life well worn / by Beker, Jeanne,author.; Evangelista, Linda,1965-writer of foreword.;
"Jeanne Beker's name is synonymous with style and grace in fashion. Recognized by many as the beloved host of Fashion Television and The New Music, Jeanne has spent an entire career interviewing celebrities and uncovering their most private selves. Now, in Heart on My Sleeve, Jeanne reveals who she is in an all-new way. This is not just a memoir but a wardrobe of memory. Jeanne walks us through her recollections of specific pieces of clothing and jewelry, precious items that have made an indelible impact on her. She invites readers to think more deeply about how what we wear--whether it's a thrift-store find or high-end couture--acts as a touchstone to our most treasured recollections, reminding us of who we once were or of loved ones we hold dear. With Jeanne as our style guide, we get up-close and personal with a star-studded cast, including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Kate Moss, Oscar de la Renta, Beyoncé, and Keith Richards. But equally important, Jeanne introduces us to the family members and loved ones who form her closest entourage--including her wise Yiddish mother and her industrious father, both Holocaust survivors; her childhood neighbor Mrs. Jaskolka, a style maven ahead of her time; her two trailblazing daughters; and her many warm and exuberant friends who have seen her through the best and worst of times. Jeanne proves that a life lived with style and substance is always in fashion. Bold, colorful, and authentic, this is Jeanne Beker at her very best and brightest."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Beker, Jeanne.; Fashion.; Journalists;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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The Blonde Dies First [electronic resource] : by Wellington, Joelle.aut; cloudLibrary;
A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies. Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early—The Best Summer Ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t ever mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the Best Summer Ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by…a demon? But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human—going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush, Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle. Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?
Subjects: Electronic books.; LGBT; Friendship; Thrillers & Suspense;
© 2024., Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers,
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Blood moon [text (large print)] / by Brown, Sandra,1948-author.;
"Detective John Bowie is one misstep away from being fired from the Auclair Police Department in coastal Louisiana. Recently divorced and slightly heavy-handed with his liquor, Bowie does all that he can to cope with the actions taken (or not taken) during the investigation of Crissy Mellin, a teenage girl who disappeared more than three years prior. But now, Crisis Point, a long-running true crime television series, is soon to air an episode documenting the unsolved Mellin case. Bowie has been instructed by his unscrupulous boss to keep to himself his grievances and criticisms over the mishandling of the investigation. Beth Collins, a senior producer on Crisis Point, knows what classifies as a great story and when there's something more to be told. After working on the show for seven years researching, fact checking, and editing dozens of episodes, Collins is convinced that Crissy Mellin's disappearance was not an isolated incident. A string of disappearances of teenage girls in nearby areas have only one thing in common: They took place on the night of a blood moon. In a last-ditch effort to find out the truth, Beth leaves New York City for Louisiana to enlist Detective Bowie in helping her figure out what happened to Crissy and find the true culprit before he acts on the next blood moon -- in four days' time. At the risk of their jobs and lives, Bowie and Collins band together to identify and capture a canny perpetrator, while fighting an irresistible spark between them that threatens to upend everything"--
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Large print books.; Novels.; Detectives; Man-woman relationships; Missing persons;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 2
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