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

As millions of radio listeners already know, no one has had a life quite like storyteller Daniel Pinkwater. In this comical collection of memories, Pinkwater tells of how he grew into the beloved figure he is today: a robust genius of the printed page and rotund genie of the radio. He shares a conversation with his father about art school that changed the course of his career, describes his inauguration as a sculptor in a sleazy Chicago art factory, and recounts setting off for a bright center of the American art scene— or at least as close as Hoboken, New Jersey.

In seafaring literature, no fictional sailor's story can match this true, real-life adventure. Before the Wind is the memoir of early nineteenth-century sea captain Charles Tyng— from his childhood and love affair with the sea to his rise through the ranks to captain and ship owner in the tea and sugar trade. Before the Wind takes listeners on a trip around the world— from visits to Lord Byron in Italy and King Kamehameha in Hawaii to Napoleon's prison isle of St. Helena.

The American guy is not to be confused with a husband, father, hunk, or intellectual, says guy expert Dave Barry. Published just in time (the American guy faces extinction due to feminism, the men's movement, and stricter sanitation laws), this guide gives women helpful advice for understanding Him (or It) and offers men useful tips on remembering the names of their children and other dilemmas of life.

Every other Thursday on Santa Monica Boulevard's Comedy Central Stage, a motley assortment of Hollywood writers, actors, and comics convened to reveal the most personal—and colorful—parts of their lives. Their soul-baring monologues revealed the sources of their creative genius, from wacky families and psycho exes to random ramblings and unbelievable Hollywood insights.

In 1948, an Austrian-Hungarian Jewish 22-year-old from New York began his new career. Determined to be famous, he bought a one-way ticket to Paris, France. His assignment: cover nightclubs, sidewalk cafes, and weddings for the legendary Paris Herald Tribune. For the next 14 years, he developed a life and career by socializing and reporting on the folkways and foibles of some of the most powerful and famous people in the world.

In 1986, newspapers across America called it "the espionage case of the century." While serving as a security guard at the American Embassy, Sgt. Clayton Lonetree, a Native American marine, fell in love with a beautiful Russian woman. Then, a KGB officer posing as the woman' s "Uncle Sasha" recruited Lonetree to become a spy for the Soviet Union. The "sex-for-secrets Marine spy scandal"—as it was called by the press—had all the elements of a great novel.

From columnist and author of Marley and Me, John Grogan, comes a collection of more than 80 newspaper articles. In pieces that reflect his unique understanding of the crazy-quilt world we inhabit, Grogan shows us all sides of the human condition. From the fragility of life at a crosswalk to cell phones driving us to distraction (as we drive!), from turning the tables on telemarketers to the Iraq War coming home to a small town in Pennsylvania, these pieces are filled with insight and sensitivity.

This collection of letters conveys timeless tales of love and passion written by some of the most interesting male figures in history, including revolutionary thinkers, visionary painters, and enlightened writers. Even dark minds like Edgar Allan Poe experience love, and each letter reveals personal desires, intimate details, and intense emotions.

Iron Rose takes an intimate look at the incredible life of Rose Kennedy—head of the Kennedy dynasty and one of the 20th century's most influential women—and her nine famous children. A riveting account of the power behind America's political throne for several decades, Iron Rose reveals the secrets behind the triumphs and tragedies of the renowned "Queen Mother of Camelot." It chronicles her life—from a mayor's daughter in Boston and her marriage to the multimillionaire ambassador to Great Britain—to the birth of her children and becoming the mother of a president.

As head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, Barry Switzer was the fourth most successful coach in NCAA history. Both praised and reviled by the media as the "outlaw" of college football, Switzer was characterized as the "greatest rogue, pirate, hustler, and con man" ever to command a football team. As head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, he led America's team to victory in Superbowl XXX. In Bootlegger's Boy, Switzer gets the chance to tell it all from his point of view.

Made in America is a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at what Ueberroth and his colleagues encountered on the road to the 1984 games. Despite the international intrigues, terrorist threats, boycotts, and financial obstacles, Ueberroth managed to make the Los Angeles Olympics an unprecedented success—and the standard for future games.

Lana Turner was the last of the great screen goddesses. A legendary blonde bombshell, Turner led a fairy-tale life that turned into a nightmare following the bizarre murder of her gangster lover, Johnny Stompanato, in 1958. This detailed, honest, heartwarming account reveals the real woman behind the Hollywood facade, as well as a tender friendship that endured both heaven and hell for 25 years.

For more than thirty years, Andy Rooney had the last word on the most-watched television program in history. "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney"—a segment on 60 Minutes—aired from 1978 to 2011. A man of wit, gruffness, and common sense, Rooney spoke candidly about what drove him—and us—crazy, what brought us joy, and what made us human. Hear the man himself as he reads some of his finest newspaper essays, offering his observations on a variety of topics, including politics and politicians, the economy, doctors, sex, clothes, football, toilet paper, ice cream, and cough drops.

In July of 1987, Judge Robert H. Bork was nominated to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan, but by late October that year, his confirmation was denied. In this candid account of his experiences, Bork describes the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing from his point of view. He also expounds on his view of politics versus the law, which he was able to see in action during this period. A warning against the politicization of American law, The Tempting of America is a fascinating, insider's perspective about the nominating process and its impact on the Supreme Court.

After years of cowboying, Charles A. Siringo settled down in Caldwell, Kansas to run a store—until an acquaintance told him that he was "cut out" for detective work. Thereupon, Siringo joined the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, where he worked for more than twenty years. A Cowboy Detective chronicles Siringo's adventures as an undercover operative in the wilder parts of the West, where he rode with the lawless and escaped violent death more than a few times.

On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were violently murdered, leading to the arrest and trial of former NFL player, O.J. Simpson. The "Trial of the Century" soon turned into a spectacle on both sides of the aisle—and in the jury box itself!

In this insider's look at one of the 20th century's most infamous trials, ex-juror Tracy Kennedy discloses what life was like for himself and his wife in the days leading up to the O.J. Simpson trial, and how it subsequently differed so much from their expectations. Kennedy reveals what happened during the trial and sequestration, a sequestration that turned the lives of a normal, married couple into an emotional hell.

From the pen of a Santee Sioux—Charles Eastman—come these biographical portraits of American Indian leaders Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and Chief Joseph. Eastman was born in Red Falls, Minnesota, and raised by his grandmother and uncle in Manitoba, Canada, where he learned Native American traditions and lore. Eastman's writings are truly invaluable and unique, as he is known to have been acquainted with the individuals about whom he wrote.

Nearly two years after the disappearance of 27-year-old Laci Peterson, her husband Scott was found guilty for the murder of his wife and their unborn son. According to the jurors, it wasn't one thing that condemned Scott Peterson—it was everything. Despite a series of internal battles that brought them to the brink of a mistrial, the jurors ultimately decided Peterson's fate.