Behind Closed Doors


Book Description

A compelling story about a loveless marriage, an abandoned child, and a mother and daughter's fight for survival.




Eartha & Kitt


Book Description

A luminous and inspiring portrait of a Black pioneer and artistic force—Eartha Kitt—and one of the most moving mother/daughter stories in Hollywood history. In this unique combination of memoir and cultural history, we come to know one of the greatest stars the world has ever seen—Eartha Kitt—as revealed by the person who knew her best: her daughter. Eartha, who was a mix of Black, Cherokee, and white, is viewed by the world as Black. Kitt, her biological daughter, is blonde and light skinned. This is the story of a young girl being raised by her mother, who happened to be one of the most famous celebrities in the world. For three decades, they traveled the world together as mother and daughter. Even after Kitt got married and started a family of her own, she and Eartha were never far from each other’s sides Eartha had a very difficult childhood growing up in extreme poverty in South Carolina. She described herself as being “just a poor cotton picker from the South.” She did not have her own familial ties to lean on after being abandoned by her own mother as a toddler and having never known who her father was. She and Kitt were each other’s whole world. Eartha’s legacy is still felt today. Not only do we still listen to “Santa Baby” every Christmas, but many of today’s most influential artists con­sistently mention Eartha, paying tribute to her groundbreaking stances on social issues such as racial equality and women’s and LGBTQ rights. And she is still widely remembered for her defin­itive portrayal of Catwoman in the classic Batman television series, voicing the character Yzma in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove, and her many other movie and Broadway roles. In these pages, Kitt brings her mother to life so vividly, you will feel as if you'd met her. You’ll embrace her love of nature, exercise, simple food, and independence, along with her lessons on the importance of treating people kindly and always being true to yourself. Filled with love, life lessons, and poignant laughter, Eartha & Kitt captures the passion and energy of two remarkable women.




A Daughter's Story


Book Description

You can't change the past but you can choose the future! Twenty-five years ago… Emma Sanderson's life was completely overturned. Her baby sister was kidnapped, right there in Comfort Cove, and her family fell apart. Now… Emma lives quietly, cautiously. Until suddenly she finds out that the cold case involving her sister's disappearance has been reopened. Then, she ends her engagement—and meets another man. Chris Talbot shares her intense unexpected attraction, and their hours together mean more than anything she's ever experienced. Despite that, she's uncertain about a relationship with him. He's a man in a dangerous profession, a man who makes his living from the sea, and there are reasons, good reasons, for Emma to keep her distance. But that night could have lasting consequences….




Down City


Book Description

Like James Ellroy's, My Dark Places, Down City is a gripping narrative built of memory and reportage, and Leah Carroll's portrait of Rhode Island is sure to take a place next Mary Karr's portrayal of her childhood in East Texas and David Simon's gritty Baltimore. Leah Carroll's mother, a gifted amateur photographer, was murdered by two drug dealers with Mafia connections when Leah was four years old. Her father, a charming alcoholic who hurtled between depression and mania, was dead by the time she was eighteen. Why did her mother have to die? Why did the man who killed her receive such a light sentence? What darkness did Leah inherit from her parents? Leah was left to put together her own future and, now in her memoir, she explores the mystery of her parents' lives, through interviews, photos, and police records. Down City is a raw, wrenching memoir of a broken family and an indelible portrait of Rhode Island- a tiny state where the ghosts of mafia kingpins live alongside the feisty, stubborn people working hard just to get by. Heartbreaking, and mesmerizing, it's the story of a resilient young woman's determination to discover the truth about a mother she never knew and the deeply troubled father who raised her-a man who was, Leah writes, "both my greatest champion and biggest obstacle."




Twice a Daughter


Book Description

Julie is adopted. She is also a twin. Because their adoption was closed, she and her sister lack both a health history and their adoption papers—which becomes an issue for Julie when, at forty-eight years old, she finds herself facing several serious health issues. To launch the probe into her closed adoption, Julie first needs the support of her sister. The twins talk things over, and make a pact: Julie will approach their adoptive parents for the adoption paperwork and investigate search options, and the sisters will split the costs involved in locating their birth relatives. But their adoptive parents aren’t happy that their daughters want to locate their birth parents—and that is only the first of many obstacles Julie will come up against as she digs into her background. Julie’s search for her birth relatives spans eight years and involves a search agency, a PI, a confidential intermediary, a judge, an adoption agency, a social worker, and a genealogist. By journey’s end, what began as a simple desire for a family medical history has evolved into a complicated quest—one that unearths secrets, lies, and family members that are literally right next door.




Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen


Book Description

"You'll be swept away by the passion and power of this remarkable, trailblazing woman who risked everything to follow her own heart." – Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author "An epic page-turner." – Christina Baker Kline Named Best Fiction Writer in the Austin Chronicle's "Austin's Best 2018" Named one of Lone Star Literary Life's "Top 20 Texas Books of 2018" The compelling, hidden story of Cathy Williams, a former slave and the only woman to ever serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers. “Here’s the first thing you need to know about Miss Cathy Williams: I am the daughter of a daughter of a queen and my mama never let me forget it.” Though born into bondage on a “miserable tobacco farm” in Little Dixie, Missouri, Cathy Williams was never allowed to consider herself a slave. According to her mother, she was a captive, destined by her noble warrior blood to escape the enemy. Her chance at freedom presents itself with the arrival of Union general Phillip Henry “Smash ‘em Up” Sheridan, the outcast of West Point who takes the rawboned, prideful young woman into service. At war’s end, having tasted freedom, Cathy refuses to return to servitude and makes the monumental decision to disguise herself as a man and join the Army’s legendary Buffalo Soldiers. Alone now in the ultimate man’s world, Cathy must fight not only for her survival and freedom, but she also vows to never give up on finding her mother, her little sister, and the love of the only man strong enough to win her heart. Inspired by the stunning, true story of Private Williams, this American heroine comes to vivid life in a sweeping and magnificent tale about one woman’s fight for freedom, respect and independence.




Little Mo's Legacy


Book Description

The record books say that Maureen Connolly may have been one of the greatest women's tennis players ever. This is an inspirational story of how a daughter recovered from grief and through the lessons she learned from her mother, is able to fully celebrate life. Through Cindy's stories, everyone will learn simple lessons of encouragement, motivation, and love. This is a story about the legacy left to Cindy Brinker Simmons by her mother. Through her work and Christian beliefs, Cindy has worked with dozens of people needing assurance and support during challenging times.




I Will Never Forget


Book Description

It is painfully difficult to watch a loved one decline as dementia ravages their mind, destroying memories, rational thinking, and judgment. In her touching memoir, I Will Never Forget, Elaine Pereira shares the heartbreaking and humorous story of her mother’s incredible journey through dementia. Pereira begins with entertaining glimpses into her own childhood and feisty teenage years, demonstrating her mother’s strength of character. Years later, as Betty Ward started to exhibit bizarre behaviors and paranoia, Pereira was mystified by her mom’s amazing ability to mask the truth. Not until a revealing incident over an innocuous drapery rod did Pereira recognize the extent of her mother’s Alzheimer’s. As their roles shifted and a new paradigm emerged, Pereira transformed into a caregiver blindly navigating dementia’s unpredictable haze. But before Betty’s passing, she orchestrated a stunning rally to control her own destiny via a masterful, Houdini-like escape. I Will Never Forget is a powerful heartwarming story that helps others know that they are not alone in their journey. “Poignant, shocking, and honest … far more than just words on paper. If you or someone you know is living through the hell of dementia, you need this book!” —Ionia Martin, developer of Readful Things Reviews and Alzheimer’s caregiver




Goa


Book Description

In December 1961, Indian Troops Marched Into Goa Putting An End To Over 450 Years Of Portuguese Rule, The Longest Spell Of Colonialism On The Subcontinent, And Goa Became Part Of The Indian Union. In Popular Imagination, However, Goa Has Remained A Place Not Quite India, And Stereotypes About Goa And Goans Abound. Maria Aurora Couto S Unique Blend Of Biography, Memoir And Social History Brings Us The Goa Behind The Beaches And Booze Culture That Is Projected For The Tourist And Which Has Unfortunately Come To Define Goa For The Vast Majority Outside The State. Starting With An Account Of The Immediate Aftermath Of Liberation, Couto Goes Back And Forth In Time To Examine The Fundamental Transformations In Goan Society From 1510, When Afonso De Albuquerque Conquered Goa, Up To The Present. Drawing Upon The Experiences Of Her Own Family And Those Of Others, Both Hindu And Catholic, She Writes Of The Influences That Have Touched All Goans The Luso-Indian Culture; Conversion And The Inquisition; Political And Cultural Changes In Europe Such As The French Revolution And The Ideals Of Republicanism; Folk Traditions, Music And The Konkani Language; And, Ultimately, Freedom And Integration With India. In The Process She Reveals How Goa, Which Combines The Best Of Traditional And Cosmopolitan Lifestyles, Has Evolved Into India S Twenty-First-Century Model Of Economic Development And Communal Harmony. Written With Sensitivity, Insight And Scholarship, Goa: A Daughter S Story Is At Once Expansive And Intimate: A Moving Narrative About Home, The Village And The World, In Which The Author Crosses The Boundaries Between History And Memory, Truth And Imagination, To Evoke Personal And Community Experience. It Is As Much An Appraisal Of Goa S Past As It Is An Examination Of Its Present And A Vision For Its Future.




A Daughter's Deadly Deception


Book Description

Now a Netflix Documentary What Jennifer Did • A sinister plot by a young woman left her mother dead and her father riddled with bullets. “The book is pure story: chronological, downhill, fast.” — Globe and Mail From the outside looking in, Jennifer Pan seemed like a model daughter living a perfect life. The ideal child, the one her immigrant parents saw, was studying to become a pharmacist at the University of Toronto. But there was a dark, deceptive side to the angelic young woman. In reality, Jennifer spent her days in the arms of her high school sweetheart, Daniel. In an attempt to lead the life she dreamed of, she would do almost anything: lie about her whereabouts, forge school documents, and invent fake jobs and a fictitious apartment. For many years she led this double life. But when her father discovered her web of lies, his ultimatum was severe. And so, too, was her revenge: a plan that culminated in cold-blooded murder. And it almost worked, except for one bad shot. The story of Jennifer Pan is one of all-consuming love and devious betrayal that led to a cold-hearted plan hatched by a group of youths who thought they could pull off the perfect crime. 2017 Arthur Ellis Award, Best Nonfiction Book — Winner