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Defiant dreams : the journey of an Afghan girl who risked everything for education / by Mahfouz, Sola,1996-author.; Kapoor, Malaina,author.;
"A searing, deeply personal memoir of a tenacious Afghan girl who educated herself behind closed doors and fought her way to a new life. Sola Mahfouz was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 1996. That same year, the Taliban took over her country for the first time. They banned television and photographs, presided over brutal public executions, and turned the clock backwards on women's rights, practically imprisoning women within their own homes and forcing them to wear cruel, tent-like burqas. At age eleven, Sola was forced to stop attending school after a group of men threatened to throw acid in her face if she continued. After that she was confined to her home, required to cook and clean and prepare for an arranged marriage. She saw the outside world only a handful of times each year. As time passed, Sola began to understand that she was condemned to the same existence as millions of women in Afghanistan. Her future was empty. The rest of her life would be controlled entirely by men, fathers and husbands and sons who would never allow her to study, to earn money, or even to dream. Driven by this devastating realization, Sola began a years-long fight to change the trajectory of her life. She decided that education would be her way out. At age sixteen, without even a basic ability to add or subtract, she began secretly to teach herself math and English. She progressed rapidly, and within just two years she was already studying topics such as philosophy and physics. Faced with obstacles at every turn, Sola still managed to sneak into Pakistan to take the SAT. In 2016, she escaped to the United States, where she is now a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University. An engrossing, dramatic memoir, co-written with young Indian American human rights activist Malaina Kapoor, Defiant Dreams is the story of one girl, but it's also the untold story of a generation of women brimming with potential and longing for freedom"--
Subjects: Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Mahfouz, Sola, 1996-; Girls; Sex discrimination in education; Women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Endeavour : the ship that changed the world / by Moore, Peter,1983-author.;
Includes bibliographical references (pages 357-363) and index.An unprecedented history of the storied ship that Darwin said helped add a hemisphere to the civilized world. The Enlightenment was an age of endeavors, with Britain consumed by the impulse for grand projects undertaken at speed. Endeavour was also the name given to a collier bought by the Royal Navy in 1768. It was a commonplace coal-carrying vessel that no one could have guessed would go on to become the most significant ship in the chronicle of British exploration. The first history of its kind, Peter Moore's Endeavour: The Ship That Changed the World is a revealing and comprehensive account of the storied ship's role in shaping the Western world. Endeavour famously carried James Cook on his first major voyage, charting for the first time New Zealand and the eastern coast of Australia. Yet it was a ship with many lives: During the battles for control of New York in 1776, she witnessed the bloody birth of the republic. As well as carrying botanists, a Polynesian priest, and the remains of the first kangaroo to arrive in Britain, she transported Newcastle coal and Hessian soldiers. NASA ultimately named a space shuttle in her honor. But to others she would be a toxic symbol of imperialism. Through careful research, Moore tells the story of one of history's most important sailing ships, and in turn shines new light on the ambition and consequences of the Age of Enlightenment.
Subjects: Cook, James, 1728-1779.; Great Britain. Royal Navy; Endeavour (Ship); Navigation;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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God rest ye, royal gentlemen / by Bowen, Rhys,author.;
"Lady Georgiana Rannoch is hanging the stockings with care when a murder interrupts her holiday cheer in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness series from Rhys Bowen. For my first Christmas as a married woman, it seems fitting that I throw a little house party for my nearest and dearest at Eynsleigh, my lovely new home. While this sounds delightful in theory, the fact of the matter is I cannot trust Queenie not to burn the house down, let alone cook a decent dinner for my prospective guests. However, all of my problems appear to be solved when Darcy receives a letter from his aunt, Ermintrude, who has moved to a small house on the edge of the Sandringham estate, near the royal family. It appears Darcy's odd aunt wants to meet me, but I had not realized she was the former lady-in-waiting and close confident of the Queen! Her majesty has told Aunt Ermintrude that it would be a great comfort to have me nearby during this festive time of year. Realizing that the invitation from Darcy's aunt is actually a royal summons in disguise, we pack up our guests: Mummy, Binky and Fig-and yes, even Queenie-and head to Sandringham. Once settled at Aunt Ermintrude's grace-and-favor house, I learn that the notorious Mrs. Simpson, mistress to the Prince of Wales, will also be in attendance along with the Prince himself, my cousin David. It is now as clear as crystal that the Queen expects me to do a bit of spying. But when I pay Her Majesty a visit, I learn that there is more to her request than just some simple eavesdropping. There have been a couple of strange incidents at the estate in recent years. Two gentlemen of the royal household died in mysterious circumstances during the previous December. And now it seems that the deadly accidents are starting up again. Is the real target the Prince of Wales and his prickly paramour, or is there an even more sinister plot at work? I must get to the truth of the matter to ensure that my first Christmas married to my darling Darcy is not our last ..."--
Subjects: Detective and mystery fiction.; Christmas fiction.; Historical fiction.; Sandringham House (Sandringham, England); Aristocracy (Social class); Murder; Newlyweds; Rannoch, Georgie (Fictitious character); Secrecy;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Broughtupsy : a novel / by Cooke, Christina,author.;
"Akúa is returning home to Jamaica for the first time in ten years. Her younger brother has died suddenly, and Akúa hopes to reconnect with her estranged older sister, Tamika. Over three fateful weeks, the sisters visit significant places from their childhood where Akúa spreads her brother's ashes. But time spent with Tamika only seems to make apparent how different they are and how alone Akúa feels. Then Akúa meets Jayda, a brash stripper who reveals a different side of Kingston. As the two women grow closer, Akúa is forced to confront the difficult reality of being gay in a deeply religious family, and what it means to be a gay woman in Jamaica. Her trip comes to a frenzied and dangerous end, but not without a glimmer of hope of how to be at peace with her sister-and herself. By turns diasporic family saga, bildungsroman, and terse sexual awakening, Broughtupsy asks: What are we willing to do for family, and what are we willing to do to feel at home?"--Back cover.
Subjects: Bildungsromans.; Domestic fiction.; Queer fiction.; Novels.; Families; Homecoming; Lesbians; Sisters; Stripteasers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Battle of ink and ice : a sensational story of news barons, North Pole explorers, and the making of modern media / by Hartman, Darrell,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."A sixty-year saga of frostbite and fake news that follows the no-holds-barred battle between two legendary explorers to reach the North Pole, and the newspapers which stopped at nothing to get--and sell--the story. In the fall of 1909, a pair of bitter contests captured the world's attention. The American explorers Robert Peary and Frederick Cook both claimed to have discovered the North Pole, sparking a vicious feud that was unprecedented in international scientific and geographic circles. At the same time, the rivalry between two powerful New York City newspapers--the storied Herald and the ascendant Times--fanned the flames of the so-called polar controversy, as each paper financially and reputationally committed itself to an opposing explorer and fought desperately to defend him. The Herald was owned and edited by James Gordon Bennett, Jr., an eccentric playboy whose nose for news was matched only by his appetite for debauchery and champagne. The Times was published by Adolph Ochs, son of Jewish immigrants, who'd improbably rescued the paper from extinction and turned it into an emerging powerhouse. The battle between Cook and Peary would have enormous consequences for both newspapers, and help to determine the future of corporate media. BATTLE OF INK AND ICE presents a frank portrayal of Arctic explorers, brave men who both inspired and divided the public. It also sketches a vivid portrait of the newspapers that funded, promoted, narrated, and often distorted their exploits. It recounts a sixty-year saga of frostbite and fake news, one that culminates with an unjustly overlooked chapter in the origin story of the modern New York Times. By turns tragic and absurd, BATTLE OF INK AND ICE brims with contemporary relevance, touching as it does on themes of class, celebrity, the ever-quickening news cycle, and the benefits and pitfalls of an increasingly interconnected world. Above all, perhaps, its cast of characters testifies--colorfully and compellingly--to the ongoing role of personality and publicity in American cultural life as the Gilded Age gave way to the twentieth century-the American century"--
Subjects: Cook, Frederick Albert, 1865-1940.; Peary, Robert E. (Robert Edwin), 1856-1920.; New York herald; New York times; Explorers; Newspapers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The road from Raqqa : a story of brotherhood, borders, and belonging / by Conn, Jordan Ritter,author.;
Includes bibliographical references."The Alkasem brothers, Riyad and Bashar, spend their childhood in Raqqa, the Syrian city that would later become the capital of ISIS. As a teenager in the 1980s, Riyad witnesses the devastating aftermath of the Hama massacre--an atrocity that the Hafez al-Assad regime commits upon its people. Wanting to expand his notion of government and justice, Riyad moves to the United States to study law, but his plans are derailed and he eventually falls in love with a Southern belle. They move to a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, where they raise two sons and where Riyad opens a restaurant--Café Rakka--cooking the food his grandmother used to make. But he finds himself confronted with the darker side of American freedoms: the hardscrabble life of a newly arrived immigrant, enduring bigotry, poverty, and loneliness. Years pass, and at the height of Syria's civil war, fearing for his family's safety halfway across the world, he risks his own life by making a dangerous trip back to Raqqa. After his older brother moves to America, Bashar embarks on a brilliant legal career under the same corrupt Assad government that Riyad despises. Reluctant to abandon his comfortable (albeit conflicted) life, he fails to perceive the threat of ISIS until it's nearly too late."-- Publisher marketing.
Subjects: Biographies.; Alkasem, Bashar.; Alkasem, Riyad.; Refugees; Brothers; Refugees;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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There's just one problem : true tales from the former, one-time, 7th most powerful person in the WWE / by Gewirtz, Brian,author.;
"With untold stories from a career spanning over 15 years and featuring the biggest names and controversial moments in wrestling history, THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM is an honest, unflinching look on how an introverted life-long fan unexpectedly became one of the most powerful men in all of professional wrestling. For decades wrestling was shrouded in secrecy. It had larger than life personalities, bone crunching physicality and jaw-dropping theatrics but backstage it was an industry devoid of outsiders. Then in 1999, after working together on a special for MTV, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson turned to 26-year old television writer Brian Gewirtz and asked "You ever consider writing for WWE?" That question, and its answer, would have a profound effect on both of their lives for years to come. THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM is a story about perseverance, tenacity, and steel chairs. Most writers in the WWE last for a matter of months; Gewirtz was there for over 15 years, writing some of the most memorable and infamous storylines in WWE history (covering the "Attitude Era", the "Ruthless Aggression Era" and into the "PG" and "Reality" eras). Throughout this journey Gewirtz found himself becoming both friend and antagonist to some of the biggest names in WWE history - Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Stephanie McMahon, Bill Goldberg, Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and the two men who he worked the most closely with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. These men not only shaped his life professionally but also personally, forcing him to grow and change both as a writer and a human being. So how does a lifelong fan and outsider break through to become the ultimate insider? How does a low-key personality deal directly with his boss, the most brash, unpredictable "alpha male" on the planet, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon? How does one gain respect in a locker room that wants nothing more than to see him disappear? Where does one go when every year in wrestling takes you further away from the writing career you always wanted? Taking advice from his idol, the late "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, when you're so full of fear, there's only one way to push through: become fearless"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Gewirtz, Brian.; World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.; World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.; Television producers and directors; Television writers; Wrestling;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Mayim's vegan table : more than 100 great-tasting and healthy recipes from my family to yours / by Bialik, Mayim,author.; Gordon, Jay,1948-;
Who are we and why are we telling you what to eat? -- Is plant-based eating really better for us? Nutritional choices -- What do we actually eat? Easy meal tips -- What's in our kitchens and cupboards? Stocking a plant-based kitchen -- Breakfast -- Soups, salads and sandwiches -- Snacks, sauces and dips -- Veggies and sides -- Entrees -- Breads -- Desserts.Star of TV's "Blossom" and "The Big Bang Theory", Mayim Bialik is also a trained neuroscientist and mother of two sons who have been raised entirely vegan. In this cookbook Mayim shares her favorite plant-based recipes along with nutritional information and advice from a pediatrician and nutritionist.
Subjects: Cookbooks.; Bialik, Mayim.; Vegan cooking.; Veganism.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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In the weeds : around the world and behind the scenes with Anthony Bourdain / by Vitale, Tom,author.;
"In the nearly two years since Anthony Bourdain's death, no one else has come close to filling the void he left. His passion for and genuine interest in the cultures he visited made the world feel smaller and more knowable. Despite his affable, sometimes arch TV persona, the real Tony was intensely private, deeply conflicted about his fame, and an enigma even to those close to him-except for the crew following him around the world. And almost no one knew him better than his long-time producer and director Tom Vitale. Over the course of ten years traveling together, Tony became a boss, a friend, a hero and, sometimes, a tormentor. In the Weeds takes readers behind the scenes and behind the guise, to reveal not just the insanity that went into filming in some of the most volatile places in the world, but the complicated man behind the Anthony Bourdain persona. Tom tells the stories behind-the-scenes of traveling to places like Borneo, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, and many more, all while trying to film a TV show"--
Subjects: Cookbooks.; Recipes.; Vitale, Tom; Anthony Bourdain, parts unknown.; No reservations (Television program); Bourdain, Anthony; Food habits; Television cooking shows; Travelogues (Television programs);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Realm of ice and sky : triumph, tragedy, and history's greatest Arctic rescue / by Levy, Buddy,1960-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."National Outdoor Book Award-winning author Buddy Levy's thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship -- and the men who sacrificed everything to make history. Arctic explorer and American visionary Walter Wellman pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation, making history's first attempts at each. Wellman has been cast as a self-promoting egomaniac known mostly for his catastrophic failures. Instead he was a courageous innovator who pushed the boundaries of polar exploration and paved the way for the ultimate conquest of the North Pole -- which would be achieved not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship. American explorer Dr. Frederick Cook was the first to claim he made it to the North Pole in 1908. A year later, so did American Robert Peary, but both Cook's and Peary's claims had been seriously questioned. There was enough doubt that Norwegian explorer extraordinaire Roald Amundsen -- who'd made history and a name for himself by being first to sail through the Northwest Passage and first man to the South Pole -- picked up where Walter Wellman left off, attempting to fly to the North Pole by airship. He would go in the Norge, designed by Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile. The 350-foot Norge flew over the North Pole on May 12, 1926, and Amundsen was able to accurately record and verify their exact location. However, the engineer Nobile felt slighted by Amundsen. Two years later, Nobile returned, this time in the Italia, backed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. This was an Italian enterprise, and Nobile intended to win back the global accolades and reputation he believed Amundsen had stripped from him. The journey ended in disaster, death, and accusations of cannibalism, launching one of the great rescue operations the world had ever seen. Realm of Ice and Sky is the thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship-and the men who sacrificed everything to make history"--
Subjects: Nobile, Umberto, 1885-1978.; Italia (Airship); Airships; Search and rescue operations;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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