True Tales of American Life

True Tales of American Life PDF Author: Paul Auster
Publisher: Faber & Faber
ISBN: 0571266789
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 495

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Book Description
Chosen by Paul Auster out of the four thousand stories submitted to his radio programme on National Public Radio, these 180 stories provide a wonderful portrait of America in the twentieth century. The requirement for selection was that each of the stories should be true, and each of the writers should not have been previously published. The collection that has emerged provides a richly varied and authentic voice for the American people, whose lives, loves, griefs, regrets, joys and sense of humour are vividly and honestly recounted throughout, and adeptly organised by Auster into themed sections. The section composed of war stories stretches as far back as the Civil War, still the defining moment in American history; while the sequence of 'Meditations' conclude the volume with a true and abiding sense of transcendence. The resultant anthology is both an enduring hymn to the strange everyday of contemporary American life and a masterclass in the art of storytelling.

True Tales of American Life

True Tales of American Life PDF Author: Paul Auster
Publisher: Faber & Faber
ISBN: 0571266789
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 495

Get Book Here

Book Description
Chosen by Paul Auster out of the four thousand stories submitted to his radio programme on National Public Radio, these 180 stories provide a wonderful portrait of America in the twentieth century. The requirement for selection was that each of the stories should be true, and each of the writers should not have been previously published. The collection that has emerged provides a richly varied and authentic voice for the American people, whose lives, loves, griefs, regrets, joys and sense of humour are vividly and honestly recounted throughout, and adeptly organised by Auster into themed sections. The section composed of war stories stretches as far back as the Civil War, still the defining moment in American history; while the sequence of 'Meditations' conclude the volume with a true and abiding sense of transcendence. The resultant anthology is both an enduring hymn to the strange everyday of contemporary American life and a masterclass in the art of storytelling.

I Thought My Father Was God

I Thought My Father Was God PDF Author: Paul Auster
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 9780312421007
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 418

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Book Description
A collection of 180 personal, true-life accounts from NPR's National Story Project reflects the work of men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life and is accompanied by a look at the role of storytelling in our lives.

True Tales from Another Mexico

True Tales from Another Mexico PDF Author: Sam Quinones
Publisher: UNM Press
ISBN: 9780826322968
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 348

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Book Description
Merges keen observation with astute interviews and storytelling in the search for an authentic modern Mexico, finding it in part with emigrants.

Expat

Expat PDF Author: Christina Henry de Tessan
Publisher: Seal Press
ISBN: 1580055206
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 324

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Book Description
It's one thing to travel abroad—to stay in charming hotels and deliberate over whether to visit this museum or relax at that café even to head off the beaten track for a glimpse of "real" life—and another thing altogether to move to another country. Expat chronicles the experiences of twenty-two ordinary women living extraordinary lives in outposts as far flung as Borneo, Ukraine, India, Greece, Brazil, China and the Czech Republic. In vivid detail, these writers share how the realities of life abroad match up to the expat fantasy. One woman negotiates the rough courtesies of Serbia, finding lives limned by harshness and an insurmountable spirit. Another is tutored on English manners by an eclectic bunch from Liverpool: "The cardinal sin in America is to be insincere, whereas the cardinal sin in England is to be boring." For some, their new home prompts them to reconnect or confront lost parts of themselves: One woman rediscovers her Judaism—in Japan; another writer's Western outlook is challenged by Javanese mysticism. Many share their own naíve blunders and private confessions: a Thanksgiving dinner that doesn't translate in Paris, a sudden yearning for bad Hollywood films. And all discover that what it means to be "American" is redefined, again and again. taps into the bewilderment, the joys and surprises of life overseas, where the challenges often take unexpected forms and the obstacles overcome are all the more triumphant. Featuring an astonishing range of perspectives, destinations and circumstances, this collection offers a beautiful portrait of expatriate life.

True Tales of Old-time Kansas

True Tales of Old-time Kansas PDF Author: David Dary
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
'Rollicking, adventurous, touching. Whether the reader invests only a few minutes at a time or finishes the book at one sitting, he is in for a lot of fun.' - American West'Fascinating tales set down succinctly and excitingly. There are stories of lost treasure and sudden riches, of outlaws and sheriffs, of massacres and heroics.' - Kansas City Times'A fun book. Where else but in the frontier West were such stories really lived?' - Richard Bartlett, author of Great Surveys of the American West and The New Country: A Social History of the American Frontier

The Least of Us

The Least of Us PDF Author: Sam Quinones
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1635578582
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 433

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Book Description


The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History

The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History PDF Author: Jennifer Armstrong
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0375812563
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 370

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Book Description
American history comes alive in these 100 true stories that define our country. This magnificent treasury tells the story of America through 100 true tales. Some are tales of triumph—the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the Wright brothers taking to the air, Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. Some are tales of tragedy—the fate of the Donner Party, the great fire in Chicago, the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. There are stories of inventors and athletes and abolitionists and artists. Stories about struggling for freedom—again and again, in so many ways. With full-color illustrations on nearly every page and short, exciting stories, this book is perfect for browsing by the entire family. Notes at the end of each story direct readers to related stories. And a guide to thematic story arcs offers readers (and teachers) an easy way to follow their particular interests throughout the book. A treasure trove of a book that belongs in every home! “This lively and engaging collection of stories recounting American history is a wonderful gift not only to the children of this country but also their parents. I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren.” —Tom Brokaw

Eat Now; Talk Later

Eat Now; Talk Later PDF Author: James Vescovi
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1491831499
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 159

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Book Description
Prepare yourself for a feast consumed in delicious bites. This collection of stories can be read before bed, on a lunch hour, or waiting in line. They can even be shared with friends who complain they have enough to read. Together they ask the question, "How do you make modern life run smoothly for parents or grandparents who grew up in an era when oxen were used for plowing, children left school after third grade to tend chickens, and meat was eaten only twice a year? When Tony and Desolina Vescovi arrived in America, they collided with the 20th century. Born around 1900, they were stumped by telephones, banks, fast food, TV wrestling, and supermarkets. It was up to their only child, a son, to serve as their shepherd, and it wasn’t easy For example, how to explain that his job was taking him and his family 700 miles away when, in their day, sons stayed put to work the family farm? Or that it wasn’t wise to hide $10,000 in the bedroom? Or that the ice cream they just tried and enjoyed is called ‘Chubby Hubby’? This collection of 52 bite-size stories offers a twist on the American immigrant tale and is a testament to love, loyalty, and frequent half-truths.

The Great Book of American Heroes

The Great Book of American Heroes PDF Author: Bill O'Neill
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781648450655
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 300

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Book Description
American history is full of many great men and women who changed the course of the United States and even the world. They are rightfully considered heroes by many Americans, because of their contributions. This book is unique because it focuses on the personal struggles and triumphs that made each individual a hero to millions of Americans.In The Great Book of American Heroes, you'll learn the answers to the following questions: What were some of the barriers that nearly prevented the Wright Brothers from making their historic first flight? - How did Helen Keller beat incredible odds and learn how to speak and write?- Why was Al Capone considered a hero by so many Americans? - How was the "pen mightier than the sword" for Upton Sinclair?- Who is America's greatest hero of the silver screen and why? - Which presidents are America's greatest heroes? - How did Babe Ruth become America's first sports hero? - Who were America's greatest explorer heroes?- Why were some of these heroes reluctant to accept their status? And so much more! This book is filled with a plethora of facts about some of the most fascinating and impactful Americans in history. So much more than a boring history book, you'll be engaged throughout the book, ready to turn each page to learn more.This book also looks at the very term "hero" in a unique way by including a fair share of rebels, bad boys, and anti-heroes, who were also considered heroes by many.Whether you have a passing interest in American history, are distantly related to one of the heroes, or just want something fascinating to read, you can't go wrong with The Great Book of American Heroes.

Hear My Sad Story

Hear My Sad Story PDF Author: Richard Polenberg
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501701487
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
In 2015, Bob Dylan said, "I learned lyrics and how to write them from listening to folk songs. And I played them, and I met other people that played them, back when nobody was doing it. Sang nothing but these folk songs, and they gave me the code for everything that's fair game, that everything belongs to everyone." In Hear My Sad Story, Richard Polenberg describes the historical events that led to the writing of many famous American folk songs that served as touchstones for generations of American musicians, lyricists, and folklorists. Those events, which took place from the early nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, often involved tragic occurrences: murders, sometimes resulting from love affairs gone wrong; desperate acts borne out of poverty and unbearable working conditions; and calamities such as railroad crashes, shipwrecks, and natural disasters. All of Polenberg’s account of the songs in the book are grounded in historical fact and illuminate the social history of the times. Reading these tales of sorrow, misfortune, and regret puts us in touch with the dark but terribly familiar side of American history. On Christmas 1895 in St. Louis, an African American man named Lee Shelton, whose nickname was "Stack Lee," shot and killed William Lyons in a dispute over seventy-five cents and a hat. Shelton was sent to prison until 1911, committed another murder upon his release, and died in a prison hospital in 1912. Even during his lifetime, songs were being written about Shelton, and eventually 450 versions of his story would be recorded. As the song—you may know Shelton as Stagolee or Stagger Lee—was shared and adapted, the emotions of the time were preserved, but the fact that the songs described real people, real lives, often fell by the wayside. Polenberg returns us to the men and women who, in song, became legends. The lyrics serve as valuable historical sources, providing important information about what had happened, why, and what it all meant. More important, they reflect the character of American life and the pathos elicited by the musical memory of these common and troubled lives.