Classic Biography

James Branch Cabell's career was short-lived - his works fit neatly within the 1920s literary escapist culture and then quickly declined in popularity as the author veered away from the fantasy niche. In his heyday, Cabell garnered praise from several of his contemporaries such as H. L. Mencken and Sinclair Lewis. Lewis even acknowledged Cabell's successful Jurgen in his 1930 Nobel Prize address.

Two works by the Roman historian, Tacitus. Agricola is a portrait of Julius Agricola, a governor of Roman Britain, and the first surviving account of the geography, climate, and peoples of Britain. The German tribes of Northern Europe are discussed in Germania.

Colditz Castle was Nazi Germany’s infamous "escape-proof" wartime prison, where hundreds of the most determined and resourceful Allied prisoners were sent. Despite having more guards than inmates, Australian Lieutenant Jack Champ and other prisoners tirelessly carried out their campaign to escape from the massive floodlit stronghold, by any means necessary.

In Wild Things, Vanity Fair contributing editor Bruce Handy revisits the classics of every American childhood, from fairy tales to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and explores the back stories of their creators, using context and biography to understand how some of the most insightful, creative, and witty authors and illustrators of their times created their often deeply personal masterpieces.

New York Times best-selling author Gregg Olsen ( If Loving You Is Wrong, Starvation Heights) and veteran journalist Rebecca Morris ( Ted and Ann - The Mystery of a Missing Child and Her Neighbor Ted Bundy), authors of the upcoming If I Can’t Have You – Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance and the Murder of Her Children (St. Martins) take a new look at the Northwest’s most notorious crimes. Many of them made history.

In 1902, newly-married Jeannie Gunn (Mrs Aeneas Gunn) left the security and comfort of her Melbourne home to travel to the depths of the Northern Territory, Australia, where her husband had been appointed manager of 'The Elsey', a large cattle station. One of the very few white women in the area, she was at first resented by people on and around the station, till her warmth and spirit won their affection and respect. This is her moving and simple account of her life amidst the beauty and cruelty of the land.

The book begins in 1521 at the great turning point in the life of St Ignatius, when he was wounded at the battle of Pamplona. It then covers the next 17 years up to the arrival of Ignatius and his early companions in Rome. Those were the years of pilgrimage, travel and searching, and of preparation for the establishment of the great religious order he would found.

The late film icon and screen legend Kirk Douglas was married to Anne Buydens for more than six decades. Here they both look back on a lifetime filled with drama both on and off the screen. Sharing priceless correspondence with each other as well as the celebrities and world leaders they called friends, Kirk and Anne is a candid portrayal of the pleasures and pitfalls of a Hollywood life lived in the public eye. Compiled from Anne's private archive of letters and photographs, this is an intimate glimpse into the Douglases' courtship and marriage.

And on its surface, the Chappaquiddick Incident (as it has infamously become known) was a simple but tragic traffic accident. However, its political fallout caused it to become the most speculated-upon car accident until Princess Diana's fatal ride, some 28 years later: Was Kennedy drunk? Was he trying to conceal an affair by deliberately killing Kopechne? Why did he wait for so long before reporting the accident? And who else was involved?

Orlando is the extraordinary biography of a young nobleman in the court of Elizabeth I who transforms into a woman and lives for over three centuries. In his youth, Orlando is a passionate lover and poet. He dotes on the Queen, serves King James faithfully, falls deeply in love with a Russian princess, and becomes an ambassador to Constantinople, but at his heart all Orlando ever wants to be is a great writer (and living at the same time as Marlowe, Donne, and Shakespeare, this is no easy thing). But while living in Constantinople, one evening Orlando is transformed into woman.

From 1969 to 1971, as the United States convulsed with political upheaval and transformative social movements, no band was bigger than Creedence Clearwater Revival. They managed a two-year barrage of top-10 singles and LPs that doubled as an ubiquitous soundtrack to one of the most volatile periods in modern American history, and they remain a staple of classic rock radio and films about the era. Yet despite their enduring popularity, no book has ever sought to understand Creedence in conversation with their time. A Song for Everyone finally tells that story.

Do you love cars? Do you love interesting stories about startups? Do you love crazy stories about founders and their ups and downs? This book, and the books in this series, are for you.

The Music Man stands as one of the greatest achievements in American musical theatre, but few know about its rocky beginnings and the against-all-odds success story of its creator, Meredith Willson. Mark Cabaniss steps back into the Golden Age of Broadway and brings to life the origins of this classic show, the music behind it, and the unlikely story of its creator. Interweaving behind-the-scenes accounts of people who worked with Willson, Cabaniss looks at his long and unusual career as a composer, conductor, radio personality, and flutist.

Much like The Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs Of Christmas, The Stories Behind The Great Traditions of Christmas and More Stories Behind The Best Loved Songs of Christmas this new Collins Christmas book will fill a void in the book world.

Some Like It Hot occupies a unique place in American culture. This beloved classic showcases five comic geniuses: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, I. A. L. Diamond, Billy Wilder, and Marilyn Monroe. It has been honored by the American Film Institute as the funniest film of all time. It has contributed quotes, styles, and stories to film lore. Yet the full story of its making has never been told - until now.

"Nexus" è il terzo volume del ciclo "La crocifissione rosea", scritto tra il 1949 e il 1960, una trilogia cruciale per l'autore del "Tropico del cancro". I tre libri, inizialmente banditi dalle autorità americane, rappresentano il percorso della cosiddetta "illuminazione spirituale" di Miller attraverso l'arte e il sesso, fino alla sua piena consapevolezza di scrittore.

This album contains fully dramatized, true-to-life, character-building audio adventures exemplifying the high moral values necessary for successful living. You'll enjoy hearing of Lottie Moon's courage and compassion for the people of China, Lillian Trasher's dedication and love for Egypt's orphans, the triumphant pursuit of a dream by pioneering educator Dr. Mary Bethune, and the faithfulness of Africa's Mayala, the Congo chief. Enjoy these and other heart-warming stories of courage and character.

Der Roman vom ungleichen Brüderpaar Walt und Vult, dem empfindsamen Idealisten und dem kritischen Humoristen, löst die Gegensätzlichkeiten, trotz aller inneren Nähe, nicht in Übereinstimmung auf: Er wird zur Geschichte ihrer Trennung. Jean Pauls großer Roman, der 1804-1805 in vier Bänden erschien, gehört zu jenen "Fragmenten", denen ihre "Endlosigkeit" eher zugutekommt.

In this set of exciting, dramatized audio stories, you'll enjoy hearing the compelling adventures of Thomas Jefferson, the heroism of Polish social worker Irena Sendler during the Nazi occupation of her country in WWII, the perseverance of the civilian passengers of the sunken ship Zamzam, the compassion of pioneering woman doctor Helena Wink in Dakota territory, and the lifesaving inventions of Garrett Morgan. Enjoy these and other heart-warming stories of courage and character.

An engaging, moving, and inspiring memoir, The Bee and the Acorn traces the journey of Wallace and her family to the historic Georgia coastal town of Savannah, where they set about creating a new university for the arts. The tiny college would be a radically different kind of institution, buzzing with progressive ideas about what education could be and what it should do for students. Nearly 40 years later, SCAD has become one of the largest and most highly regarded arts universities in the world.