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  About This Man Called Ali - The...

  Amal Ghandour

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  Ali al Jabri was an Arab artist who was murdered in 2002, a violent and lonely end to a life of passionate creativity and a restless search for identity. Ali was stranded between an English education and a struggle to find relevance in his Arab homeland, caught between his talents, his sexuality and the claims of his distinguished family. Amal Ghandour's painstakingly researched portrait reaches beyond the angst of a troubled artist to illuminate a whole people and a lost era. She reveals the lasting effects of colonial attitudes, and how the twin brutalities of the Arab world – Islamic fundamentalism and nationalistic military regimes – have waged war against the cultural and political possibilites of the region. Ali refused to remain an Arab expatriate, an exile in the gilded drawing rooms of Manhattan, Paris and London, and for this he paid with his life. This intimate and candid biography revels in the intricate realities of the Middle East, both past and present.

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  Captain James Carlin -...

  Colin Carlin

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  A biography of the British American who captained a blockade runner for the Confederacy during the Civil War. 
   
  Captain James Carlin is a biography of a shadowy nineteenth-century British Confederate, James Carlin (1833–1921), who was among the most successful captains running the US Navy’s blockade of Southern ports during the Civil War. Written by his descendent Colin Carlin, Captain James Carlin ventures behind the scenes of this perilous trade that transported vital supplies to the Confederate forces. 
   
  An Englishman trained in the British merchant marine, Carlin was recruited into the US Coastal and Geodetic Survey Department in 1856, spending four years charting the US Atlantic seaboard. Married and settled in Charleston, South Carolina, he resigned from the survey in 1860 to resume his maritime career. His blockade-running started with early runs into Charleston under sail. These came to a lively conclusion under gunfire off the Stono River mouth. More blockade-running followed until his capture on the SS Memphis. Documents in London reveal the politics of securing Carlin’s release from Fort Lafayette. 
   
  On his return to Charleston, General P. G. T. Beauregard gave him command of the spar torpedo launch Torch for an attack on the USS New Ironsides. After more successful trips though the blockade, he was appointed superintending captain of the South Carolina Importing and Exporting Company and moved to Scotland to commission six new steam runners. 
   
  After the war Carlin returned to the southern states to secure his assets before embarking on a gun-running expedition to the northern coast of Cuba for the Cuban Liberation Junta fighting to free the island from Spanish control and plantation slavery. 
   
  In researching his forebear, the author gathered a wealth of private and public records from England, Scotland, Ireland, Greenland, the Bahamas, and the United States. The use of fresh sources from British Foreign Office and US Prize Court documents and surviving business papers make this volume distinctive. 
   
  “A groundbreaking work that lifts the veil off the all-important ship captains who supplied the Confederacy with the necessary supplies to sustain its fight for independence. The author does a superb job in relating the story of his relative, James Carlin, a key member of the cadre of captains who sustained the Confederacy by running supplies through the northern blockade on specialized vessels. . . . A sweeping story from England to Charleston, Florida, and Cuba. This book is a must for anyone interested in Southern/Confederate maritime history.” —Stephen R. Wise, author of Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running during the Civil War

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  The Ordeal of Mark Twain

  Van Wyck Brooks

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  This book, published in 1920, analyzes the literary progression of Samuel Clemens and his shortcomings (which are debatable). Brooks attributes Clemens' increasing sense of pessimism to the repression of his creative spirit due largely to his mother and his wife. (Summary by Wikipedia and Lucretia B.).

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  The Du Mauriers Just as They Were

  Anne Hall

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  The Du Mauriers, Just As They Were tells the story of five generations of this remarkable family, beginning with Mathurin-Robert Busson, a master glassblower who immigrated to London in 1789, added the suffix 'Du Maurier' to his name, and so became a 'gentleman glassblower'. His three English-born children relocated to the continent, becoming respectively a doctor of philology in Hamburg; the governess to the daughters of a Portuguese statesman; and an aspiring inventor who married a daughter of the courtesan Mary Anne Clarke. This latter's son was George Du Maurier. He was born in Paris in 1834, then went to London to study chemistry and finally took up the beaux-arts in Paris, Antwerp and Düsseldorf. Later, he established himself in London as a beloved Punch cartoonist. In his last years, George Du Maurier wrote and illustrated three immensely popular semi-autobiographical novels. Of his children, the youngest Gerald Du Maurier became a prominent actor-manager, and Gerald's second daughter was the novelist Daphne Du Maurier.
  In the course of her career Daphne published four volumes of family history, culminating in the extensively-researched Glass-Blowers, which revealed her French forebear's aristocratic imposture for the first time. Daphne identified with her Victorian grandfather, sharing his love of France and deep interest in family history. However she puzzled over his first book, Peter Ibbetson, wondering why he had portrayed their ancestors as aristocrats. The reason is complicated, highly revealing, and would almost certainly have been a complete surprise to her.

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  A Year of Mr Lucky - A memoir of...

  Meg Weber

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  When Meg Weber - a recently divorced, queer, single parent - realizes she's ready to date again, she comes across the profile of Mr. Lucky; a smart dominant with similar interests. But not all goes as planned. In her memoir, A Year Of Mr. Lucky, Meg takes us through her journey of erotic encounters, pain and pleasure, explorations of self-worth, submission, yearning, and healing.

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  History of Vladimir Lenin

  A.J. A.J.Kingston

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  Introducing "History of Vladimir Lenin" - the definitive guide to one of the most influential figures in modern history!    Vladimir Lenin was a revolutionary leader who played a critical role in shaping the future of Russia and the world. His ideas and teachings continue to inspire political movements around the globe, making him a figure of both admiration and controversy.    In this comprehensive book, we delve deep into the life of Vladimir Lenin, exploring his childhood, his early political activism, his rise to power, and his lasting impact on the world. We examine his theories on communism, his leadership style, and his role in the Bolshevik Revolution.    But this book is more than just a historical account - it's a fascinating exploration of Lenin's character, motivations, and personal life. We examine the relationships that shaped him, his struggles with health issues, and his complex legacy.    Whether you're a history buff, a political science student, or simply someone who wants to understand the life of one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, "History of Vladimir Lenin" is the book for you. With engaging prose, meticulous research, and a wealth of insights, this book is sure to captivate and inform.    Order your copy today and discover the fascinating life and legacy of Vladimir Lenin!

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