Nonfiction

Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust shares the"important and inspiring" (Miranda Lambert) never-before-told complete story of the remarkable relationship between country music icons Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.
Loretta Lynn and the late Patsy Cline are legends--country icons and sisters of the heart. For the first time ever Loretta tells their story: a celebration of their music and their relationship up until Patsy's tragic and untimely death.

 

Full of laughter and tears, this eye-opening, heartwarming memoir paints a picture of two stubborn, spirited country gals who'd be damned if they'd let men or convention tell them how to be. Set in the heady streets of the 1960s South, this nostalgia ride shows how Nashville blossomed into the city of music it is today. Tender and fierce, Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust is an up-close-and-personal portrait of a friendship that defined a generation and changed country music indelibly--and a meditation on love, loss and legacy.

A New York Times Best Book of the Year
A Time Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year
2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence Winner

From journalist Adam Higginbotham, the New York Times bestselling "account that reads almost like the script for a movie" (The Wall Street Journal)--a powerful investigation into Chernobyl and how propaganda, secrecy, and myth have obscured the true story of one of the history's worst nuclear disasters.

Early in the morning of April 26, 1986, Reactor Number Four of the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station exploded, triggering one of the twentieth century's greatest disasters. In the thirty years since then, Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility, and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers its citizens and the entire world. But the real story of the accident, clouded from the beginning by secrecy, propaganda, and misinformation, has long remained in dispute.

Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over the course of more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, Adam Higginbotham brings the disaster to life through the eyes of the men and women who witnessed it firsthand. The result is a "riveting, deeply reported reconstruction" (Los Angeles Times) and a definitive account of an event that changed history: a story that is more complex, more human, and more terrifying than the Soviet myth.

"The most complete and compelling history yet" (The Christian Science Monitor), Higginbotham's "superb, enthralling, and necessarily terrifying...extraordinary" (The New York Times) book is an indelible portrait of the lessons learned when mankind seeks to bend the natural world to his will--lessons which, in the face of climate change and other threats, remain not just vital but necessary.

Every one of us sooner or later walks through hell. The hell of being hurt, the hell of hurting another. The hell of cancer, the hell of a reluctant, thunking shovel full of earth upon the casket of someone we deeply loved, the hell of betrayal, the hell of betraying, the hell of divorce, the hell of a kid in trouble . . . the hell of knowing that this year, like any year, may be our last.

We all walk through hell. The point is not to come out empty-handed. . . . There is real and profound power in the suffering we endure if we transform that suffering into a more authentic, meaningful life.

In the spirit of such classics as When Bad Things Happen to Good People, A Grief Observed, and When Things Fall Apart, More Beautiful Than Before How Suffering Transforms Us examines the many ways we can transform physical, psychological, or emotional pain into a more beautiful and meaningful life.

As the leader of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, one of America's largest and most important congregations, located in the heart of Los Angeles, Rabbi Leder has witnessed a lot of pain: It's my phone that rings when people's bodies or lives fall apart, he writes. The couch in my office is often drenched with tears. After 27 years of listening, comforting, and holding so many who suffered, he thought he understood pain and its challenges--but when it struck hard in his own life and brought him to his knees, a new understanding unfolded before him as he felt pain's profound effects on his body, spirit, and soul.

In this elegantly concise, beautifully written, and deeply inspiring book, Rabbi Leder guides us through pain's stages of surviving, healing, and growing to help us all find meaning in our suffering. Drawing on his experience as a spiritual leader, the wisdom of ancient traditions, modern science, and stories from his own life and others', he shows us that when we must endure, we can, and that there is a path for each of us that leads from pain to wisdom. Pain cracks us open, he writes. It breaks us. But in the breaking, there is a new kind of wholeness.

This powerful book will inspire in us all a life worthy of our suffering; a life gentler, wiser, and more beautiful than before.

Does Chinatown subvert the film noir genre? What is the effect of Pulp Fiction's episodic plot? How do multiple points of view undermine notions of reality in Rashomon?

Part of DK's bestselling Big Ideas series, The Movie Book answers these questions and more as it chronicles the greatest movies ever to grace the silver screen. From the golden age of black-and-white films to international art-house and 21st-century sci-fi, this book uncovers the key themes and big ideas behind more than 100 of the world's most celebrated cinematic gems.

Beginning with the iconic A Trip to the Moon (1902), immerse yourself in the world of film, from The Wizard of Oz (1939), Vertigo (1958), and Jaws (1975) to Spirited Away (2006), Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Boyhood (2014). Discover everything about your favorite movies, as well as celebrated classics and the films you need to see, through film stills, posters, biographies, movie memorabilia, and narrative timelines. Along with iconic quotes from the films themselves and key critics, this book brings cinema to life.

Whether you are a fan of comedies, romance, musicals, action movies, or thrillers, The Movie Book is essential for anyone with a passion for cinema.

Series Overview: Big Ideas Simply Explained series uses creative design and innovative graphics along with straightforward and engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand. With over 7 million copies worldwide sold to date, these award-winning books provide just the information needed for students, families, or anyone interested in concise, thought-provoking refreshers on a single subject.

'Fabulously smart and entertaining . . . If virtue-signalling wokery drives you as nuts as it drives me, you will love it' Piers Morgan

'Required reading for anyone needing an antidote to the mass hysteria of humanity's latest religion' Entertainment Focus

After the success of her debut Woke: A Guide to Social Justice, radical slam poet and intersectional feminist Titania McGrath has turned her talents to the realm of children's non-fiction.

Aimed at activists from the age of six months to six years, Titania's book will help cultivate a new progressive generation. In a series of groundbreaking and poignant chapters, she will take you on a journey with some of the most inspiring individuals in history, such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Meghan Markle, Nelson Mandela, Hillary Clinton, and Joseph Stalin.

Praise for Woke:

'Beautiful classic satire' Ricky Gervais

'The latest genius twist in Britain's long tradition of satirical spoof' Daily Express

'Titania McGrath mercilessly satirises the Left's online umbrage brigade, the permanently offended, those who have taken on the role of policing thoughts and words to the point of absurdity' The Herald

'Hilarious' Evening Standard

'Hilarious' Spectator

'Hilarious' The Times

'Utterly unfunny' Peter Hitchens

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The perfect gift for new parents and grandparents this Mother's Day: a bighearted book of wisdom, wit, and insight, celebrating the love and joy of being a grandmother, from the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and #1 bestselling author

"This tender book should be required reading for grandparents everywhere."--Booklist (starred review)

"I am changing his diaper, he is kicking and complaining, his exhausted father has gone to the kitchen for a glass of water, his exhausted mother is prone on the couch. He weighs little more than a large sack of flour and yet he has laid waste to the living room: swaddles on the chair, a nursing pillow on the sofa, a car seat, a stroller. No one cares about order, he is our order, we revolve around him. And as I try to get in the creases of his thighs with a wipe, I look at his, let's be honest, largely formless face and unfocused eyes and fall in love with him. Look at him and think, well, that's taken care of, I will do anything for you as long as we both shall live, world without end, amen."

Before blogs even existed, Anna Quindlen became a go-to writer on the joys and challenges of family, motherhood, and modern life, in her nationally syndicated column. Now she's taking the next step and going full nana in the pages of this lively, beautiful, and moving book about being a grandmother. Quindlen offers thoughtful and telling observations about her new role, no longer mother and decision-maker but secondary character and support to the parents of her grandson. She writes, "Where I once led, I have to learn to follow." Eventually a close friend provides words to live by: "Did they ask you?"

Candid, funny, frank, and illuminating, Quindlen's singular voice has never been sharper or warmer. With the same insights she brought to motherhood in Living Out Loud and to growing older in Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, this new nana uses her own experiences to illuminate those of many others.

Praise for Nanaville

"Witty and thoughtful . . . Nanaville serves up enough vivid anecdotes and fresh insights--about childhood, about parenthood, about grandparenthood and about life--to make for a gratifying read."--The New York Times

"Classic, bittersweet Quindlen . . . [Her] wonder at seeing her eldest child grow into his new role is lovely and moving. . . . The best parts of Nanaville are the charming vignettes of Quindlen's solo time with her grandson."--NPR

"Updated to include the 2019 World Cup victory"--Cover.

First there was hygge, now there's niksen - a simple Dutch philosophy for anyone looking to slow down, relax and daydream.

'Time is money. Stop being lazy. Do something.'

Everyday we're told to get up, take action and be productive: if you work hard, you'll make it. But your body is desperate for you to stop, your frantic mind craves a timeout, and your friends and family are finding you more moody and stressed than ever. It's time for some Dutch wisdom: find out when, how and why to do nothing with niksen, the Dutch 'be idle' philosophy that is taking the world by storm.

Niksen literally means to do nothing, but it's not the same thing as boredom or laziness. Niksen helps to free you from the daily grind of work, family demands and social pressure, to destress and just... stop. In this book, Dutch mindfulness expert Annette Lavrijsen shows you how, through daily practice, and by following the exercises within, you will grow comfortable with yourself, with silence and will reap niksen's countless rewards.

Using this book to cultivate niksen you can:

Find new ways to relax, slow down and combat burnout

Bust I'm-too-busy, nothingness-is-laziness myths

Honestly communicate boundaries and reset your priorities

Create a zen sanctuary that's all yours

Master the work-life balance

Boost your creativity, mood and even productivity

Raise a happy family and be a better friend

Niksen is about the enjoyment of life's little pauses. It's not the easiest thing to commit to at first; we are used to having our attention and diaries consumed, and doing nothing doesn't come to us naturally. But with some sensible scheduling and a smart mindset it's easy to fit into your day, and soon will become your essential daily pick-me-up. Stop worrying about you have to do next or over analysing every thought. Instead, use your timeout to let your mind recuperate and take a moment to yourself.

Turn to this niksen manual whenever you want to declutter your mind.

An urgent call for climate justice from Teen Vogue, one of this generation's leading voices, using an intersectional lens - with critical feminist, indigenous, antiracist and internationalist perspectives. As the political classes watch our world burn, a new movement of young people is rising to meet the challenge of climate catastrophe. This book is a guide, a toolkit, a warning and a cause for hope.
"I hope that this book embodies Teen Vogue's motto of making young people feel seen and heard all over the world. I hope that it forces their parents, communities, loved ones, friends, and--most importantly--those in power to see that the health of our planet depends on how quickly and drastically we change our behaviors. I hope it forces them all to respond." --From the foreword by Teen Vogue editor-in-chief, Lindsay Peoples Wagner

NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Beyond investigates the intersection of the global rise of anti-Olympics activism and the declining popularity of hosting of the Games. The Olympics were once buoyed by myths of luminous prosperity and upticks in tourism and jobs, but in recent years these assurances have been debunked. Now more than ever, it's clear that the Olympics have transmogrified into a political-economic juggernaut that arrives with displacement, expanded policing, and anti-democratic backroom deals.
Jules Boykoff - a former professional soccer player who represented the US Olympic soccer team - zooms in on Los Angeles, where the Democratic Socialists of America have launched the NOlympics LA campaign ahead of the 2028 Summer Games. Boykoff shows how DSA-LA's anti-Olympics activism fits with the resurgence of socialism in the US and beyond.
Boykoff's research, based on more than 100 interviews with anti-Olympics activists, personal experiences at protests in Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, London, and Tokyo, academic research, mass- and alternative-media coverage, and Olympic archives, is the backbone for this story of activists fighting against the odds and embracing the transformative politics of democratic socialism.

Can the president launch a nuclear attack without congressional approval? Is it ever a crime to criticize the president? Can states legally resist a president's executive order? In today's fraught political climate, it often seems as if we must become constitutional law scholars just to understand the news from Washington, let alone make a responsible decision at the polls.

The Oath and the Office is the book we need, right now and into the future, whether we are voting for or running to become president of the United States. Constitutional law scholar and political science professor Corey Brettschneider guides us through the Constitution and explains the powers--and limits--that it places on the presidency. From the document itself and from American history's most famous court cases, we learn why certain powers were granted to the presidency, how the Bill of Rights limits those powers, and what "we the people" can do to influence the nation's highest public office--including, if need be, removing the person in it. In these brief yet deeply researched chapters, we meet founding fathers such as James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, as well as key figures from historic cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Korematsu v. United States.

Brettschneider breathes new life into the articles and amendments that we once read about in high school civics class, but that have real impact on our lives today. The Oath and the Office offers a compact, comprehensive tour of the Constitution, and empowers all readers, voters, and future presidents with the knowledge and confidence to read and understand one of our nation's most important founding documents.

An instant New York Times bestseller!

The sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Odd 1s Out, with all new and never-before-seen content featuring opinions, stories, and signature characters from YouTube phenomenon James Rallison

James Rallison has always felt like he was on the outside looking in. His YouTube videos are all about his odd behavior, and with over 13 million subscribers and millions more followers on social media, these animations have found their way into the hearts of fans who also feel like a bit of an odd one.

In this second installment in the Odd 1s Out series, James is back with characters, stories, and opinions, including:

- The upside of the robot uprising
- Questionable pizza toppings
- Strange yet completely reasonable fears
- Inventions that don't exist, but should

Offering advice on accepting your quirks and growing up in the Internet age, The Odd 1s Out: The First Sequel is sure to be a must-have for old and new fans alike.