Doonesbury And The Art Of G.B. Trudeau edited by Brian Walker

Edited by Brian Walker
"Trudeau began creating comic strips as a lark while at Yale in 1968, paying mischievous tribute to the universitys star quarterback Brian Dowling, hence B. D., a Doonesbury stalwart, and one of many characters based on real people. Trudeaus clever if slapdash college strip caught the eye of an editor at an up-and-coming news syndicate, and the audacious Doonesbury (doone is preppy slang for a well-meaning fool) debuted in 1970. As his fame escalated, along with the controversies his topical strip ignited, the wizard of Doonesbury became notoriously private. Comics expert Walkers disclosure of Trudeaus artistic process, therefore, is fresh and riveting, and it is a thrill to see Trudeaus never-before-published pencil drawings, from which Dan Carlton, Trudeaus dedicated inker, has worked all these years. A comic saga like no other, Doonesbury, intelligently funny and profoundly human, is unceasing in its evolution as Trudeau explores the self, relationships, the zeitgeist, and war, from B. D.s service in Vietnam, to nearly 250 strips about the Gulf War, and B. D.s loss of a leg in Afghanistan. This inside look at Trudeaus on-demand creativity, daring and caring satire, and compelling cast of more than 60 nuanced characters induces new and intensified appreciation for this phenomenal endeavor, a fun-house mirror to and intrinsic part of American culture."  (Booklist)  Check Our Catalog

Autobiography Of Mark Twain, Volume 1 (Mark Twain Papers) published by U of C Press

"In explaining his dissatisfaction with his early attempts to write his life story, Mark Twain blamed the narrowness of the conventional cradle-to-grave format: The side-excursions are the life of our life-voyage, and should be, also, of its history. This volume, the first of three, makes public autobiographical dictations in which Twain unpredictably pursues the many side-excursions of his remarkably creative life. Embedded in a substantial editorial apparatus, these free-spirited forays expose private aspects of character that the author did not want in print until he had been dead at least a century. Readers see, for instance, a misanthropic Twain consigning man to a status below that of the grubs and worms, as well as a tenderhearted Twain still grieving a year after his wifes death. But on some side-excursions, Twain flashes the irreverent wit that made him famous: Who will not delight in Twains account of how, as a boy, he gleefully dons the bright parade banner of the local Temperance Lodge, only to shuck his banner upon finding a cigar stub he can light up? But perhaps the most important side-excursions are those retracing the imaginative prospecting of a miner for literary gold, efforts that resulted in such works as Roughing It and Innocents Abroad. A treasure trove for serious Twain readers. (Booklist)  Check Our Catalog

Fannie’s Last Supper; Recreating One Amazing Meal

By Christopher Kimball
"Kimball, founder of Cook's Illustrated and host of the PBS series America's Test Kitchen, spent more than two years of "research, recipe testing, and intense planning" in order to host a Victorian dinner based on the recipes of Fannie Farmer, author of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, which was first published in 1896. Kimball is as exhaustive in his research as he is in one of his own test recipes for Cook's Illustrated, and fans of his work will appreciate his attention to even the smallest morsel of information. Kimball is off on a culinary and historical adventure as he literally traces Fannie Farmer's steps around Boston at the turn of the century, regaling the reader with a history of Boston, observations of the Victorian character, manner of dress, and cooking implements and appliances available. In the meantime, his own team has been assembled and they are methodically testing recipes and ingredients in Kimball's 1859 red-brick Boston bowfront. All this work culminates in a foodie's dream dinner party, complete with Victorian plate settings, an all-star guest list, and 12 courses you won't find in any restaurant today. A must-read for history buffs, home cooks, and professional chefs alike. "    (Publishers Weekly)   (Check Our Catalog)

Paris Was Ours; Thirty-Two Writers Reflect On The City Of Light

By Penelope Rowlands
"Design writer Rowlands ("A Dash of Daring: Carmel Snow and Her Life in Fashion, Art, and Letters" here returns to the city to which she sailed in her twenties to live the intriguing life she'd seen in French films. Many of the writers in this anthology moved to Paris to work or study, drawn by the culture, history, architecture, and romance. But the gorgeous light, the art and theater, and the beauty of the skyline were not always compensation for the humiliation, indifference, hostility, and loneliness these writers encountered in this city with a past. Edmund White describes it as a "mild hell so comfortable that it resembles heaven." Others find it sinister, melancholy, and full of contradictions. Featured are writers from diverse backgrounds and nationalities and such well-known authors as David Sedaris, Joe Queenan, and Diane Johnson. VERDICTNot a guidebook to the Paris that most travelers see, this compilation provides an honest view into Parisian life for an outsider. Absorbing reading; essential for anyone thinking of living in la Ville-Lumière."  (Library Journal)
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The Haves And The Have-Nots; A Brief and Idiosyncratic History Of Global Inequality

By Branko Milanovic
"Milanovic defies the typical image of an economist by presenting research overlaid with humor, literary insights, and fully imagined portraits of daily life as he examines inequality across time and continents. He weighs the wealth divide between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice as well as Anna Kareninas financial prospects had she married Vronsky. He ponders John Rawls, Alexis de Tocqueville, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and others to explore theories regarding the rich and the poor. Using complicated economic models that he explains very well, Milanovic breaks down incomes to make comparisons between the haves and the have-nots within nations, between nations, and among citizens of the world. He offers vignettes that make his concepts all the more accessible and entertaining as he explains the errors of Marxism and why a persons relative wealth is determined more by their country of origin than by their familys wealth. Milanovic writes as much like a philosopher as an economist as he ponders the growing trend of inequality in income around the world and answers questions many readers likely ask themselves about their economic prospects."  (Booklist)  Check Our Catalog

India Calling; An Intimate Portraint of A Nation’s Remaking

By Anand Giridharadas
"The authors parents, from India, lived a comfortable, professional life in the U.S. Shaker Heights Ohio, Giridharadas says, was a warm and generous place. While growing up, Giridharadas recognized his mother and fathers continued love of their ancestral homeland, but at the same time he witnessed that they accepted and came to savor the American way of life. Hearing an inner call to reverse the migration process of his folks, he flew, as a new college graduate, to Mumbai to work, having already secured a position in the local office of an American management-consulting firm. He plunged into Indian life in the midst of the countrys awakening as an economc and technological giant, as an ancient culture surfacing as a world power. The author is now a New York Times and International Herald Tribune columnist stationed in India. His perambulations around the subcontinent have revealed to him significant aspects of Indias changes to meet modern ways, and this anecdote-rich account of what he did and saw is as well expressed as it is well informed."  (Booklist )  Check Our Catalog

Six And Eleven; A Television News Anchor’s Story

By Ed Dague
"A journalist is charged with producing the first draft of history - generally on deadline and under pressure-packed circumstances found in no other business. For most consumers of TV news in the Albany region for decades, Ed Dague was the face and the voice of the news. He was calm, unflappable and unfailingly affable in presenting the day's events, and the inherent turmoil surrounding that task never showed in his presentation of stories that alternately horrified and amused his audience. Dague's book offers a sage and penetrating look at the news business in the Albany metro area, at the people and personalities who both made and reported that news and at how the news business has changed and continues to change. This book also offers insight into the personality and character of a man who was part of the daily routine of hundreds of thousands of Capital District residents who depended on him for a fair and balanced recitation of the events that affected their lives in myriad ways. Twice a day for decades, Ed Dague painted a picture for his audience of the world in which they lived. Now, he tells you what that world was like from his perspective."  (Publisher Description)  Check Our Catalog

Entrelac; The Essential Guide To Knitting

By Rosemary Drysdale
"One of today's hottest knitting trends is entrelac, a modular technique that results in striking basketwork designs of rows within rows and interlocking diamond patterns. Using only simple knit and purl stitches, knitters can create eye-catching pieces with incredible texture. "Entrelac" introduces both the history and how-to of this fun style, along with 20 patterns for a variety of garments, home decor items, and baby accessories. Comprehensive instructions and a wide array of swatches provide endless possibilities in lace, colorwork, and much more."  (Publisher Description)

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