New Nonfiction Releases
September 2010

These books are being published and released this month. They have been ordered by the Library and will be available soon.

(Do you need more information on how to place a hold? )

• Biography and Memoir 
• General Nonfiction

Biography & Memoir

Brave Girl Eating:  A Family’s Struggle with Anorexia
By Harriet Brown
A journalist and professor recounts her family’s journey in dealing with her oldest daughter’s battle with anorexia and describes an alternative method called the Maudsley approach that focuses on the whole family.

Breaking Night:  A Memoir
By Liz Murray
The author offers an emotional account of her amazing journey from a 15-year-old living on the streets and eating garbage to her acceptance into Harvard, a feat that prompted a Lifetime movie and a successful career as a motivational speaker.

Edward Kennedy:  The Intimate Biography
By Burton Hersch
Friends for 50 years since they were students at Harvard, Hersch reveals never-before-published anecdotes and observations about the Lion of the Senate, including information about the Chappaquiddick accident and Kennedy’s behind-the-scenes efforts to bring down Richard Nixon.

Even Silence Has an End
By Ingrid Betancourt
The Colombian presidential candidate and long-time hostage of the FARC terrorist guerrilla organization shares the story of her captivity in the jungle, describing the conditions of her imprisonment, her near-escapes before her 2008 rescue, and her views on resilience, resistance, and faith.

The Grace of Silence:  On Matters of Race and the Consequences of Silence
By Michele Norris
An award-winning host of NPR’s All Things Considered traces her ancestry in America’s south and how it reflects the nation’s turbulent efforts towards racial equality, a heritage that has influenced her awareness about character, silence, and integration.

Growing Up Laughing:  My Story and the Story of Funny
By Marlo Thomas
The award-winning actress, #1 best-selling author, and daughter of comedian Danny Thomas shares her funny and heartwarming stories of a life filled with laughter, as well as her interviews with such comedians as Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Ben Stiller, Conan O’Brien, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, George Lopez, Joy Behar, and others.

Half a Life
By Darin Strauss
As a teenager and newly-licensed driver, Strauss hit a girl riding her bike. Now, half a lifetime later, the author of the best-seller More Than It Hurts You delves into the meaning and consequences of that fateful day, and all the culpability, anguish, and regret that continue to penetrate his every thought.

Hillel:  If Not Now, When?
By Joseph Telushkin
The best-selling author of Jewish Literacy delivers a provocative biography of one of the greatest rabbis of the Talmudic era and a figure of prophetic importance to today’s world.

How Lucky You Can Be:  The Story of Coach Don Meyer
By Buster Olney
Olney tells the amazing story of Coach Don Meyer, a stoic workaholic who, after a car accident that left him an amputee and then a bout with cancer, went on to beat Bobby Knight’s record for all-time wins by an NCAA basketball coach, but also suddenly began to express himself to his family, friends, and players in the most unexpected ways.

Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So:  A Memoir
By Mark Vonnegut
The son of Kurt Vonnegut picks up where his previous memoir, The Eden Express, in which he discussed the onset of his schizophrenia, left off, chronicling his battles with alcoholism, his calling to practice medicine, another psychotic break, marriage and fatherhood, and the passing of his father.

Keeper:  One House, Three Generations, and a Journey into Alzheimer’s
By Andrea Gillies
A prize-winning account in Britain describes how the author, her husband, and their three young children moved to a new home with her Alzheimer’s patient mother-in-law, an arrangement that exposed the entire family to the condition’s emotionally wrenching caregiving challenges.

Patti LuPone:  A Memoir
By Patti LuPone
The multiple award-winning actress traces the story of her career from her junior high school performance of the title character in “Gypsy” to her 2008 opening on Broadway as Louise’s mother, Rose, in a candid account that also describes her personal and professional relationships.

Poker Face:  The Rise and Rise of Lady Gaga
By Maureen Callahan
A noted rock and pop journalist chronicles the life of Lady Gaga, the most captivating and controversial pop sensation since Madonna, offering an in-depth account of how she developed her diverse talents, how she made it to the top in mere months, and how she fostered such a close relationship with her rabid fan base.

Promise Me:  How a Sister’s Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer
By Nancy Brinker
The founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure shares the inspirational story of her late sister’s battle with breast cancer and the author’s contributions to establishing one of the world’s most influential health advocacy organizations.

Proust’s Overcoat
By Lorenza Foschini and Eric Karpeles
French perfumer and collector Jacques Guerin undertakes a quest to find the writings and belongings of Marcel Proust, before the author’s family, shamed by his homosexuality and extravagant prose, destroy their inherited mountain of notebooks, letters, and manuscripts.

Songs of Blood and Sword:  A Daughter’s Memoir
By Fatima Bhutto
The author, whose father, Murtaza Bhutto, was murdered when she was just 14, tells the story of her political Pakistani family, from their roots as feudal landlords to their rise as political powerbrokers, as she tries to uncover the truth about her father’s life and death.

White House Diary
By Jimmy Carter
During his years in the White House, president Jimmy Carter kept a diary filled with insights into his presidency, his relationships with friends and foes, and his lasting impact on issues that are still important today, and now the diary is available to the public for the first time, with the best entries selected by Carter himself and complemented by his candid reflections.

The Woman I Was Born to Be
By Susan Boyle
The British singing sensation and YouTube phenomenon offers a moving memoir about overcoming adversity and achieving one’s dreams, regardless of obstacles.

General Nonfiction

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Book):  A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race
By Jon Stewart and the Writers of The Daily Show
The authors present a hilarious summation of humankind, in a book with color photos, graphs, and charts, that applies the show’s trademark wit, irreverence, and intelligence to every facet of human existence.

Ah-choo!  The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold
By Jennifer Ackerman
In an entertaining book that draws on cutting-edge research, the author dispels myths and explains what a cold is, how it works, and the best methods for preventing colds and reducing symptoms.

The Arab Lobby:  The Invisible Alliance That Undermines America’s Interests in the Middle East
By Mitchell Bard
Bard refutes the claim that an influential and manipulative Israeli lobby in the U.S. is benefitting Israel at the expense of American interests and argues that U.S. policy is instead shaped by fostering good relationships with Arab states.

Assholes Finish First
By Max Tucker
The best-selling author of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell presents a new collection of alcohol-induced “fratire” adventures in hedonism that convey the author’s experience of being intoxicated at inappropriate times, seducing a ludicrous number of women, and otherwise living in complete disregard of social norms.

At the Dark End of the Street:  Black Women, Rape, and Resistance – A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power
By Danielle McGuire
A history of America’s civil rights movement traces the pivotal influence of sexual violence that victimized African-American women for centuries, revealing Rosa Parks’s lesser-known contributions as an anti-rape activist years before her heroic bus protest.

Becoming a Woman of Destiny:  Turning Life’s Trials Into Triumphs!
By Suzan Johnson Cook
A groundbreaking African-American woman pastor presents an inspirational guide for women on enabling an empowered life, drawing on the biblical story of Deborah to reveal how to enjoy current resources while enabling spiritual and professional advancement.

C Street:  The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy
By Jeff Sharlet
A best-selling author shows how the corrupt, secretive Christian group at the center of his hit book, The Family, fuels and funds political fundamentalism from within the American government.

Changing Shoes:  Getting Older – Not Old – with Style, Humor, and Grace
By Tina Sloan
The actress best known for her role on Guiding Light shares anecdotes about her transition from a college student to a television grandmother while counseling women readers on topics ranging from personal appearance and relationships to careers and sexuality.

Choke:  What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting it Right When You Have To
By Sian Beilock
Beilock explains the brain science behind why some people “choke” under pressure while other people “click,” examining how attention and working memory guide human performance; how experience and practice, innate factors and brain development interact to create our abilities; and how these interconnected elements react to stress.

Clutch:  Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Others Don’t
By Paul Sullivan
Explaining why certain people are able to perform in high-stress conditions as if they were in everyday situations, Sullivan uncovers shared traits that define clutch performers and teaches readers how to apply these lessons.

The Coke Machine:  The Dirty Truth Behind the World’s Favorite Soft Drink
By Michael Blanding
A controversial expose on how Coca-Cola rose to one of the world’s most profitable and recognized brands shares unsettling reports on franchise deals in adversarial nations, the role of company products in obesity rates, and the environmental impact of bottling practices.

Composing a Further Life:  The Age of Active Wisdom
By Mary Catherine Bateson
An exuberant follow-up to Composing a Life evaluates the creative aspects of aging today, relating the experiences of men and women whose lasting health and resources have enabled them to realize a meaningful sense of purpose throughout the second half of life.

Conventional Idiocy:  Why the New America Is Sick of Old Politics
By Rick Sanchez
The host of CNNs Rick’s List argues that, in the brave new world of social-networking, Americans are fed up with politics as usual, want to trash partisanship, and won’t stand for lazy or biased journalism.

The Creative Life:  True Tales of Inspiration
By Julia Cameron
The best-selling author of The Artist’s Way outlines a lifestyle plan that is intrinsically creative, explaining how to tap one’s artistic instincts in order to reach specific goals, in an anecdotal reference that also reveals how to draw strength and inspiration from quiet moments.

Dirty Sexy Politics:  A True Story
By Meghan McCain
One of the Republican Party’s most outspoken and well-known young members writes about her experiences on the campaign trail during her father’s presidential bid, chronicling how the party veered so far off track, and explaining why she is still a Republican.

Divine Transformation (Soul Power)
By Zhi Gang Sha
A latest entry in the best-selling series that includes The Power of Soul counsels readers on how to transform key areas of life, from health and relationships to personal finances and creativity levels.

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead:  The Writers and Artists Who Made the National Lampoon So Insanely Great
By Rick Meyerowitz
A former National Lampoon illustrator selects the funniest pieces from the humor magazine’s golden age and gathers the most revealing and outrageous stories from those who worked on the laugh-out-loud periodical during its first decade, many of whom went on to work on such TV shows and movies as Saturday Night Live, Animal House, Spinal Tap, and more.

Good Boss, Bad Boss:  How to Be the Best – and Learn From the Worst
By Robert I. Sutton
Drawing on real-life case studies and psychological research, the author of the best-selling book, The No Asshole Rule, explains what differentiates a good boss from a bad boss and explains what the best bosses do correctly.

Gunn’s Golden Rules:  Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work
By Tim Gunn
The co-host of Project Runway, known for being friendly and approachable, explains how readers can find their true selves and lay the groundwork for success and happiness.

Half Empty
By David Rakoff
The author of the best-selling Don’t Get Too Comfortable and Fraud presents a whimsical defense of pessimism that intersperses accounts of his own experiences with wry observations on universal absurdities and injustices.

The Happiness Advantage:  The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuels Success and Performance at Work
By Shawn Achor
A Harvard lecturer identifies seven core principles of positive psychology to counsel readers on how to achieve greater effectiveness and fulfillment in the work place, explaining the role of happiness in enabling success and productivity.

Home Made Simple:  Fresh Ideas to Make Your Own
By Home Made Simple
A seasonally tailored, recipe-complemented reference for fans of the popular Procter & Gamble brand shares instructions for satisfying home living categorized under six sections that encompass organizing, cleaning, and decorating.

Hope Will Find You:  My Search for the Wisdom to Stop Waiting and Start Living
By Naomi Levy
A conservative woman rabbi who was in the first class of women admitted to the Jewish Theological Seminary of America counsels readers on how to recognize the legitimacy of their lives and start living a fulfilling existence, in a guide that also describes the inspiration she drew from the loss of her daughter.

Katie Up and Down the Hall:  The True Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors into a Family
By Glenn Plaskin
A celebrity journalist tells the inspiring story of his dog Katie, whose curiosity led him to befriend five neighbors in his Manhattan high rise, with whom he formed a makeshift family and weathered bad health, accidents, cold New York winter, and even the terrors of 9/11.

The Last Narco:  Inside the Hunt for the World’s Most-Wanted Drug Lord
By Malcolm Beith
A courageous journalist takes readers deep inside the hunt for the most powerful, feared, and charismatic drug lord in the world, Mexico’s Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, and tells the full story of the drug trade over the past 30 years.

On Second Thought:  Outsmarting Your Mind’s Hard-Wired Habits
By Wray Herbert
Herbert reveals the evolutionary science behind how and why the human brain makes snap decisions, explaining how biological programming helps and hinders modern lives, and how to avoid common mistakes by understanding the factors that promote biased choices.

Origins:  The Extraordinary New Science of Life Before Birth
By Annie Murphy Paul
In a book that aims to alleviate the fear and anxiety that many women feel when they obsess over prenatal influences, the author explores how fetuses are shaped in utero, separating the evidence from the hype and filling in cultural context, and examines the cultural mania that surrounds pregnancy today, sharing her own experience as a mother.

Pinheads and Patriots:  Where You Stand in the Age of Obama
By Bill O’Reilly
The host of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor offers a detailed examination of how the decisions President Obama is making, the programs he is championing, and the support and opposition he is getting from others, will ultimately impact everyday Americans.

Proofiness:  The Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception
By Charles Seife
The best-selling author of the New York Times Notable Book Zero shows how mathematical misinformation pervades – and shapes – people’s daily lives and is used to bring down government officials, convict the innocent, and ruin the U.S. economy.

Rock What You’ve Got:  Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty
By Katherine Schwarzenegger
The daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver pens a hip, empowering, get-real guide that aims to help women, young and old, accept themselves for who they are, inside and out, by dispelling myths and offering inspiring stories from other resilient women.

Running On Faith:  The Principles, Passion, and Pursuit of a Winning Life
By Jason Lester and Tim Vandehey
A one-armed athlete who became the first person with a disability to complete the Ultraman 320 mile annual endurance race competition – biking, swimming, and running – provides an inspirational guide to overcoming adversity and reaching goals.

The Shape of Inner Space:  String Theory and the Geometry of the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions
By Shing-Tung Yau and Steve Nadis
The authors argue that geometry is fundamental to string theory – which posits that we live in a 10-dimensional existence – as well as the very nature of the universe, and explain where mathematics will take string theory next.

Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat:  Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals
By Hal Herzog
Through research and real-life anecdotes from animal rights activists, professional dog show handlers, veterinary students, and biomedical researchers, Herzog examines the full spectrum of human-animal relations, including why some are pets, some frighten us, and some are food.

Stalling for Time:  My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator
By Gary Noesner
A longtime FBI Lead Hostage Negotiator offers a behind-the-scenes account of the many high-profile cases he worked on, from hijackings and prison riots to religious-cult and right-wing-militia standoffs, and explains how such failures as Ruby Ridge and Waco could have been averted.

Stress Less:  The New Science That Shows Women How to Rejuvenate the Body and the Mind
By Thea Singer
A veteran health and science journalist reveals how stress accelerates the aging process by affecting everything from mood to one’s genes, and explains how women can reverse the damage.

The Ten Commandments:  How Our Most Ancient Moral Text Can Renew Modern Life
by David Hazony
Examining the Ten Commandments’ biblical context and the ancient Jewish traditions of interpreting them, the author explains how these rules for living can be successfully applied to our hectic, modern-day world.

There Is Power in a Union:  The Epic Story of Labor in America
By Philip Dray
The Pulitzer Prize finalist author of At the Hands of Persons Unknown presents a narrative chronicle of American organized labor from the origins of the industrial age to the present, documenting the rise and fall of unions and the ongoing fight for workplace equality.

Third World America:  How Our Politicians are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream
By Arianna Huffington
A critical assessment of America’s current economic prospects cites such factors as a shift away from manufacture, a failing education system, and the outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries, arguing that today’s children will be facing a devastating lack of opportunities.

Through a Dog’s Eyes
By Jennifer Arnold
The founder of Canine Assistants, a nonprofit service-dog-trainer and provider, outlines her unique training method, which is based on teaching dogs to make choices as opposed to following commands, through kindness and encouragement rather than fear and submission.

Treat Me, Not My Age:  A Doctor’s Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older
By Mark Lachs
In a book that aims to help seniors take control of their health and navigate the confusing healthcare system, the director of Cornell’s Center for Aging Research and Clinical Care explains how to find the right doctors, why the hospital is no place for sick people, how to make home improvements that will keep the nursing home at bay, how to plan for financial surprises, and much more.

The Twilight of the Bombs:  Recent Challenges, New Dangers, and the Prospects for a World Without Nuclear Weapons
By Richard Rhodes
A Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author, Rhodes offers a secret history of post-Cold War nuclear weapons, assesses the emerging threat of nuclear terrorism and the U.S.’s complicated relationships with rogue nations, and explains what would make a post-nuclear world possible.

War Is Not Over When It’s Over:  Women and the Unseen Consequences of Conflict
By Ann Jones
Based on a project where women in Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East recorded the aftermath of war and conflict, a startling inquiry reveals how women and children are more affected by the destruction of communities and social institutions and how the end of war often brings domestic and sexual violence against women.

The Wave:  In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean
By Susan Casey
Casey traces the recent discovery of physics-defying ocean waves at heights previously thought impossible, describing the efforts of the scientific community to understand the phenomenon, the pursuits of extreme surfers to ride dangerously large waves, and the destructive capabilities of tsunamis.

The Weekend That Changed Wall Street:  An Eyewitness Account
By Maria Bartiromo
A noted business reporter from CNBC draws on her network of high-level sources to give her unique perspective on the white-knuckled weekend that brought Wall Street to its knees – the three-day period in September, 2008, when Lehman Brothers failed, Merrill Lynch barely survived, and AIG became a ward of the government.

Working Together:  Why Great Partnerships Succeed
By Michael D. Eisner and Aaron R. Cohen
The former Disney CEO and entertainment business veteran highlights successful business partnerships and describes what works and what doesn’t, and offers behind-the-scenes insights from interviews with successful partners including Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger, and Bill and Melinda Gates.

The World in 2050:  Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future
By Laurence C. Smith
In a report that makes related predictions about future populations, politics, and military engagements, Smith draws on the latest research to present a balanced forecast of mid-21st-century Earth, suggesting how climate change may actually benefit several countries.

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9/2010