Biography & Autobiography

Bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver returns with her first nonfiction narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat. ''As the U.S. population made an unprecedented mad dash for the Sun Belt, one carload of us paddled against the tide, heading for the Promised Land where water falls from the sky and green stuff grows all around. We were about to begin the adventure of realigning our lives with our food chain. ''Naturally, our first stop was to buy junk food and fossil fuel. . . .''. Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet. ''This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air.''. more...

Price: $11.95

Athénaïs de Montespan reigned as official mistress to Louis XIV during the most glorious period of "the splendid century." As lovely and charming as she was witty and cunning, Athénaïs quickly rose to far greater prominence than the King's own spouse. It was Madame de Montespan who was known as "the real Queen of France," the symbol of the apotheosis of French culture in the seventeenth century. As a lover, she risked the disgrace of double adultery to conduct an affair that scandalized Europe; as a patron, she supported many of the leaders of the cultural renaissance; as a mother, she is the ancestor of most of the royal houses of Europe. In her superb new biography, Lisa Hilton chronicles the life of this extraordinary woman. She vividly describes Athénaïs's unhappy marriage to a gamester nobleman, her entry into the decadent and intricate world of court politics, and her brilliant seduction of France's most desired suitor, the King himself. Athénaïs transformed Louis from a shy, awkward young monarch into the polished Sun King of legend. Louis's court, too, was guided by his lover's hand: Athénaïs was famous for the brilliance of her fêtes, the extravagance of her gambling, and the impeccability of her taste in everything from fashion to buildings. She inspired plays by Molière and Racine, organized ballets and operas by Lully and Quinault, and commissioned châteaux by the leading architects in France. Throughout the "âge Montespan," Athénaïs used her wit and beauty to stave off the intrigues of courtiers, the machinations of Versailles's clerics, and the wiles of lovely young pretenders to the King's heart?all doggedly seeking to unseat her. It was not until the Affair of the Poisons, a bizarre witch hunt which uncovered conspiracy in the highest echelons of the nobility, that Athénaïs's hold on the King and cour more...

Price: $11.99

Badiou is the first comprehensive introduction to Alain Badiou’s thought to appear in any language; it provides a highly readable discussion of each of the basic features of his ontology. Peter Hallward demonstrates in detail and in depth why Badiou’s ongoing philosophical project should be recognized as the most resourceful and inspiring of his generation. more...

Price: $78.00

On Christmas morning in the year 800, Pope Leo III placed the crown of imperial Rome on the brow of a Germanic king named Karl. With one gesture, the man later hailed as Charlemagne claimed his empire and forever shaped the destiny of Europe. Becoming Charlemagne tells the story of the international power struggle that led to this world-changing event. Illuminating an era that has long been overshadowed by legend, this far-ranging book shows how the Frankish king and his wise counselors built an empire not only through warfare but also by careful diplomacy. With consummate political skill, Charlemagne partnered with a scandal-ridden pope, fended off a ruthless Byzantine empress, nurtured Jewish communities in his empire, and fostered ties with a famous Islamic caliph. For 1,200 years, the deeds of Charlemagne captured the imagination of his descendants, inspiring kings and crusaders, the conquests of Napoléon and Hitler, and the optimistic architects of the European Union. In this engaging narrative, Jeff Sypeck crafts a vivid portrait of Karl, the ruler who became a legend, while transporting readers far beyond Europe to the glittering palaces of Constantinople and the streets of medieval Baghdad. Evoking a long-ago world of kings, caliphs, merchants, and monks, Becoming Charlemagne brings alive an age of empire building that continues to resonate today. more...

Price: $10.95

Since first learning to handle a Winchester .22 as a kid, Dan Aadland has exulted in hunting—not as a sport but as a calling. In this book he takes readers to Montana’s prairies and mountains in search of antelope, whitetail deer, moose, and the occasional upland bird as he vividly describes the rituals and camaraderie of hunting culture. more...

Price: $24.95