Showing results by publisher "Phoenix Books" in Biographies & Memoirs

Selections from Reader's Digest magazine's most popular series The Most Unforgettable Character I Ever Met. All of these stories have one thing in common: Somehow, each of the characters featured struck home in the memory of the storyteller. These characters enriched lives through humor, wisdom, adventure, and affection, each possessing a unique regard for humanity, each a gem reflecting its own light.

Here is the absolute best of Dave Barry; selections from four of his most popular books, including the hilarious Guide to Guys. Dave Barry is on the loose and no one is safe....

After the New York Post's Cindy Adams lost her beloved husband, the famed comedian Joey Adams, the last thing on her mind was finding a companion. But that's exactly what she got when a visitor arrived with a surprise: a Yorkshire terrier named Jazzy. This is the true story of a tell-it-like-it-is gossip columnist who takes on society's most powerful and glamorous every day, but is ultimately redeemed by a tiny dog who teaches her more about joy and survival than any human ever could.

It's hard to believe there was only one Steve Allen! This same person created The Tonight Show, wrote more than 50 books, composed more than 8,500 songs, recorded some 40 record albums, starred on Broadway and in motion pictures, composed Broadway, television, and film scores, starred in his own television series, and created, wrote, and hosted the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Meeting of Minds.

Regal and dazzlingly beautiful, Mary Stuarts succumbed to the irresistible impulses of passion and gambled away her throne for love in a deadly game of power against her envious cousin, Elizabeth I. She not only lost her kingdom, but also her life. Betrayed by those she trusted most, pampered and adored even as she was led to her own beheading, she remained an enigma five centuries after her death.

It was the triumph and the tragedy of his life. As a producer, he had reached the pinnacle of success; there was nowhere else to go. In this biography, noted Hollywood chronicler Bob Thomas reveals the stormy career of a shrewd, self-confident intellectual whiz kid who today personifies the image of a studio head during the Golden Age of movies. It tells of the women Selznick loved and the fortunes he amassed and lost; of the great stars he made and the magnificent motion pictures he created— the man who was an entrepreneurial genius, a driven perfectionist, and the author of endless memos.

Controversial and outspoken, hated and admired, Larry Flynt was one of the most polarizing figures of the 20th century. The life of the infamous publisher needs no exaggeration to make it one of the most interesting stories of our time. The found of Hustler magazine, Flynt was an ardent advocate of First Amendment rights and a man whose landmark Supreme Court cases are studied by law students across the country.

Honor's Voice provides a revealing look at how Abraham Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States and one of the greatest men of his time. Douglas Wilson traces the development of this great leader from an insecure country boy full of ambition to schoolboy, storekeeper, riverboat man, and, finally, politician. The author returns to original sources, including friends and acquaintances in the Illinois of the 1830s and '40s and exposes truths about Lincoln never before revealed.

The Canterbury Tales & Paradise Lost are two epic works that have been entertaining—and sometimes exasperating—readers for centuries. In a series of lectures, literary scholar Elizabeth McNamer provides engaging insights into these two iconic works of British literature. Geoffrey Chaucer's merry charm and John Milton's high seriousness become relatable to modern minds when explored by Dr. McNamer. Chaucer's lively, lusty, and never boring Pilgrims have tales to tell that for six centuries have delighted the hearts of readers and listeners.

Long before Shark Tank, there was Ron Popeil, the man who demonstrated products on the small screen with enthusiasm and a mega-watt smile. For five decades, the late-night, rapid-fire pitchman was a television staple, and virtually every corner of America knew who he was and bought in the millions the "indispensable" products he hawked. Here is the rags-to-riches story of Popeil, the man who sliced, diced, and julienned his way into our hearts and wallets— packed with hands-on, nuts-and-bolts guidance on how anyone with a product idea can make big money.

One of America's most beloved social commentators—Pulitzer Prize-winning and bestselling author Russell Baker—followed up his bestselling memoir, The Good Times, with this collection of his best New York Times columns, dating back to 1962. There' s a Country in My Cellar covers Baker's usual wide range of topics, told in a wonderfully funny style, and many of which are profoundly serious beneath the banter.

The definitive biography of the world's most renowned monarch and richest woman, and of her controversial husband, H.R.H. Prince Philip.

The former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department describes his life and career as head of one of the world's largest police forces. He looks back at the headline-making events in which he played a pivotal role: the Watts riots, shootouts with the Black Panthers and the SLA, the investigations into the death of Marilyn Monroe and the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and the infamous video-taped beating of Rodney King.

For Forgotten Heroes, thirty-five prominent historians chose their favorite stories of unsung American figures. From Johnny Appleseed and John Quincy Adams to abolitionist Sojourner Truth and Margaret Anderson, the publisher of James Joyce's Ulysses, these profiles remind us that history depends upon the great deeds of women and men, whether famous or humble. Designed for delight, instruction, and inspiration, this collection includes nearly as many women as men, and nearly as many people before 1900 as after— little-known or forgotten heroes who deserve to be remembered.

She is the most popular novelist in history, yet the drama and torment of Agatha Christie's private life remains a mystery even to her most ardent fans. She made no secret of her disdain for the press and for those who wished to intrude on her private life. Nonetheless, in this immensely readable and intimate biography, best-selling author Richard Hack reveals the romance, scandal, and betrayal that drove one of the 20th century's most celebrated literary figures.

Fun While It Lasted is the story of Bruce McNall's life as a player. McNall started in the ancient coin business. Soon, he branched out into horse racing, movies, and major league sports as owner of the L.A. Kings hockey team. Ultimately his empire collapsed amid charges of fraud and deception, and he was sent to prison for admittedly bilking banks out of more than $200 million. Here is the tale of how he played fast and loose in Hollywood.

This audio contains two best sellers that relate the extraordinary, courageous life of actress Jill Ireland. These revealing autobiographies cover the joys and tragedies of Ireland's life, from her marriage to movie star Charles Bronson, to their family of seven children, to her courageous battle with breast cancer, and the fight to save her 22-year-old son from the maze of drug addiction. These memoirs are candid, inspiring works from a truly remarkable woman.

In 1992, a novel by university professor Robert James Waller was published to less than glowing reviews. Despite the critical reception, The Bridges of Madison County became a publishing phenomenon, spending two years on the New York Times bestseller list and selling more than 50 million copies. Decades before, Waller had met 18-year-old Jana St. James at an Indiana University coffeehouse.

There is a theater superstition that if the emptied house is ever left completely dark, a ghost will take up residence. To prevent this, a single "ghost light" is left burning at center stage after the audience and all of the actors and musicians have left. In this eloquent and moving memoir, celebrated New York Times drama critic and columnist Frank Rich reveals how theater became a beacon of security for him as a child. As he struggled with his parent's divorce, Rich found his way in a tumultuous world, transformed by the magic of Broadway.

Bad Dogs Have More Fun is an unforgettable collection of more that 75 newspaper columns by John Grogan, the number-one New York Times best-selling author of Marley & Me. Combining humor, wit, poignancy and affection, these columns provide insight into the intriguing and wonderful world we live in.