Readers' Advisory

Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York
By Kenneth Ackerman (2005)

A lively account of the life of a New York legend traces the rise of Boss Tweed, the corrupt party boss who controlled New York politics through a combination of corruption, bribery, and coercion until his own over-reaching destroyed him. (Publisher)

Music

Farewell Joe Cocker

Musician

1944-2014

Joe Cocker's voice was perfectly suited to sing the blues.  He became well known in the late 1960 and early 1970s. Personal and professional problems rivaling those described in blues songs plagued him over the years, and at times it seemed that his career was finished. In recent years, however, Cocker returned to music, expanded his range, and established a presence as a romantic balladeer.

Cocker began his musical career playing harmonica with The Cavaliers.  The band reorganized in the early 1960s as Vance Arnold and the Avengers with Cocker singing lead.  Between 1966-1970 Cocker was the leader of The Grease Band.  Cocker became as solo artist in 1972.

Click here for music by Joe Cocker.

Readers' Advisory

Farewell P. D. James

Author

1920-2014

 

 

 

Phyllis Dorothy James died Thursday at the age of 94. She was a best-selling author who didn't publish her first novel until she was 42. When she started writing mysteries in the early 1960s, she was holding down a full-time job, raising two daughters and supporting her ill husband, who died in 1964.  The enormous popularity of her novels — and of her detective hero, Adam Dalgliesh — eventually allowed her to devote herself full time to writing. Seven of her books were adapted for the public television series Mystery. And her novel The Children of Men was adapted into a 2006 film.

In 1991, Queen Elizabeth made P.D. James a baroness. (NPR)

Click here for books by P. D. James.

Readers' Advisory

Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight
By Jay Barbree with Forward by John Glenn (2014)

 

To date, everything written about Armstong's life and flights has been written from the outside looking in; Barbree is the only person whom Neil Armstrong trusted to share close personal details about his inspiring life story. Working from his years of notes, and with the full cooperation of the Armstrong family, Barbree has written the definitive biography of America's most famous astronaut and one of our greatest modern heroes. Much has already been written about Armstrong and the major players who helped him fly to the moon, but he wanted this book to emphasize his two passions--family and flight. Barbree and Armstrong discussed everything, from his two marriages and the death of his baby daughter, to his love of flying, the war years and of course, his time in space. The book, timed to coincide with the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch and full of never-before-seen photos, includes many personal details that have never before been written, such as what Armstrong really felt when he took that first step on the moon, what life in NASA was like, his relationships with the other astronauts, and what he felt the future of space exploration should be. (Publisher)

Readers' Advisory

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry : A Novel
by Gabrielle Zevin (2014)

A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner of Island Books, has recently endured some tough years: his wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and his prized possession--a rare edition of Poe poems--has been stolen. Over time, he has given up on people, and even the books in his store, instead of offering solace, are yet another reminder of a world that is changing too rapidly. Until a most unexpected occurrence gives him the chance to make his life over and see things anew.

Readers' Advisory

The Great Riots of New York, 1712-1873
By Joel Tyler Headley (1873)

First published in 1873, this book was republished in 2003 with an introduction by Pete Hamill. The Great Riots of New York presents an illustrated, fast-paced and chilling account of the major players and victims of over ten riots that rocked New York City from 1712 to 1873.  Headley's main purpose in writing this account over a century ago was to show his appreciation for the metropolitan police force, for he believed they "saved the city" during the Draft Riots. Using eyewitness testimonies by military authorities, policemen, and those involved, and extracting facts from available archives, pamphlets, and newspapers, Headley discusses with precise detail such uprisings as The Negro Riots of 1712-1741, The Doctors' Riots of 1788, and the Abolitionist Riots of 1834 and 1835, among many others.

Readers' Advisory

Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America's Favorite Spectator Sport
by Matthew Algeo (2014)

Strange as it sounds, during the 1870s and 1880s, America’s most popular spectator sport wasn’t baseball, boxing, or horseracing—it was competitive walking. Inside sold-out arenas, competitors walked around dirt tracks almost nonstop for six straight days (never on Sunday), risking their health and sanity to see who could walk the farthest—500 miles, then 520 miles, and 565 miles! These walking matches were as talked about as the weather, the details reported from coast to coast.

This long-forgotten sport, known as pedestrianism, spawned America’s first celebrity athletes and opened doors for immigrants, African Americans, and women. The top pedestrians earned a fortune in prize money and endorsement deals. But along with the excitement came the inevitable scandals, charges of doping—coca leaves!—and insider gambling. It even spawned a riot in 1879 when too many fans showed up at New York’s Gilmore’s Garden, later renamed Madison Square Garden, and were denied entry to a widely publicized showdown.