Publication Date: June 3, 2014 NAL/Penguin Group Formats: eBook, Paperback, Audio 352 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction
As recovery from World War II begins, expat American Nora Tours travels from her home in southern France to London in search of her missing sixteen-year-old daughter. There, she unexpectedly meets up with an old acquaintance, famous model-turned-photographer Lee Miller. Neither has emerged from the war unscathed. Nora is racked with the fear that her efforts to survive under the Vichy regime may have cost her daughter's life. Lee suffers from what she witnessed as a war correspondent photographing the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps.
Nora and Lee knew each other in the heady days of late 1920's Paris, when Nora was giddy with love for her childhood sweetheart, Lee became the celebrated mistress of the artist Man Ray, and Lee's magnetic beauty drew them all into the glamorous lives of famous artists and their wealthy patrons. But Lee fails to realize that her friendship with Nora is even older, that it goes back to their days as children in Poughkeepsie, New York, when a devastating trauma marked Lee forever. Will Nora's reunion with Lee give them a chance to forgive past betrayals, and break years of silence?
A novel of freedom and frailty, desire and daring, The Beautiful American portrays the extraordinary relationship between two passionate, unconventional woman.
"Will transport you to expat Paris." - Suzanne Rindell, author of The Other Typist
"A brilliant, beautifully written literary masterpiece" - Sandra Dallas, author of Fallen Women
"Leaves its essence of love, loss, regret and hope long after the novel concludes." - Erika Robuck, author of Fallen Beauty
"Achingly beautiful and utterly mesmerizing...her vividly drawn characters...come heartbreakingly alive in their obsessions, tragedies and triumphs" - Jennifer Robson, author of Somewhere in France
"From Poughkeepsie to Paris, from the razzmatazz of the twenties to the turmoil of World War Two and the perfume factories of Grasse, Mackin draws you into the world of expatriate artists and photographers and tells a story of love, betrayal, survival and friendship...an engaging and unforgettable novel" - Renee Rosen, author Doll Face
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeanne Mackin’s novel, The Beautiful American (New American Library), based on the life of photographer and war correspondent Lee Miller, received the 2014 CNY award for fiction. Her other novels include A Lady of Good Family, about gilded age personality Beatrix Farrand, The Sweet By and By, about nineteenth century spiritualist Maggie Fox, Dreams of Empire set in Napoleonic Egypt, The Queen’s War, about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and The Frenchwoman, set in revolutionary France and the Pennsylvania wilderness.
Jeanne Mackin is also the author of the Cornell Book of Herbs and Edible Flowers (Cornell University publications) and co-editor of The Book of Love (W.W. Norton.) She was the recipient of a creative writing fellowship from the American Antiquarian Society and a keynote speaker for The Dickens Fellowship. Her work in journalism won awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, in Washington, D.C. She has taught or conducted workshops in Pennsylvania, Hawaii and at Goddard College in Vermont.
To enter to win a paperback copy of The Beautiful American, please enter via the GLEAM form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 2nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Like you, I am a reader. My early memories including reading Little Golden Books, going to the library, falling in love with series like the Betsy-Tacy books, Nancy Drew mysteries, and the Little House on the Prairie books. My favorite genres to read now are children's books (still/always), mysteries, and historical fiction. One of these genres frequently contains banned books. Sadly, that category is children's books and young adult novels. The top 10 banned books for 2014 were:
1) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
2) Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi 3) And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell 4) The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison 5) It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris 6) Saga, by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples 7) The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini 8) The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky 9) A Stolen Life, Jaycee Dugard 10) Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
A few of the classic children's books that frequently appear on banned book lists include:
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling The Witches by Roald Dahl James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl Forever by Judy Blume Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson The Giver by Lois Lowry Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank Charlotte's Web by E.B. White Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak The Lorax by Dr. Seuss Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katharine Patterson
Banned Book Week was founded in 1982 by First Amendment activist Judith Krug. It was designed as a way to promote intellectual freedom in libraries, schools, and bookstores. You can find out more at the official Banned Books Week site. The site includes a great list of events (state by state) including read ins, panel discussions, and celebrations of books. As a reader, I encourage you to find out more about Banned Book Week and celebrate your freedom to read! Are you doing anything to celebrate Banned Book Week? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.
I always say that I don't like falsetto voices in music - and then I have to amend and add that I really like Lou Christie and Frankie Valli. "Lightnin' Strikes" was a number one hit in 1966, and was written by Lou Christie and Twyla Herbert. Lou Christie was born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Saccoin 1943 and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was an aspiring recording artist since his teens, and had his first hit in 1962 ("The Gypsy Cried"). I remember this song from AM radio when I was a very little girl. I loved it then and still do. The recording is below, for your listening pleasure.
Hi vintage friends! I went a little crazy listing some retro goodies at auction last week. As a result, I now have a record (for me!) 156 auctions running right now on eBay. I hope you'll stop by and peek at them: Birdhouse Books on eBay
You'll find some unique items, including: Cookbooks, like Savannah a la Carte and It's Dessert Time (a 1952 Jello cookbook):
Nonfiction, like Sojourn in Savannah (guide book with map) and Make a Merry Christmas (a 1970's vintage holiday crafts book from Current):
Unopened craft kits, like this project to embroider a Christmas angel ornament (Leisure Arts):
Vintage travel brochures, like the Fernbank Science Center (Atlanta) and Parrot Jungle (Miami):
Roadside Americana travel postcards - amusement parks, motels, restaurants, and more! Pictured here: Children's Fairyland (a story book land in Oakland, California) and the Imperial Motel (Daytona Beach, Florida).
I hope you enjoyed this peek into my shop. I'll be back next week with more -- Halloween cards coming soon!
A Master Passion: The Story of Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton: Book One: Love and Liberty
by Juliet Waldron
Publication Date: March 25, 2015 Books We Love
eBook & Print; 428 Pages Genre: Historical Fiction THE MASTER PASSION is the story of the marriage of our brilliant first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and his courageous wife, Elizabeth Schuyler. It begins with a whirlwind Revolutionary War courtship at Washington’s headquarters. Conflict, however, is built into this marriage.
Betsy's passion is Alexander. While Hamilton adores his wife and children, there are times when he loves America more.
“...And hence one Master Passion in the breast
Like Aaron's serpent, swallows up all the rest..." ~~Alexander Pope
Juliet Waldron has lived in many US states, in the UK and the West Indies. She earned a B. A. in English, but has worked at jobs ranging from artist’s model to brokerage. Thirty years ago, after her sons left home, she dropped out of 9-5 and began to write, hoping to create a genuine time travel experience for her readers. Juliet’s a grandmother, a cat person, and fascinated by reading history and archeology. Juliet spends a lot of time visiting other centuries, but she’s also certain she doesn’t want to live there.
Juliet gardens, bicycles and is involved in local advocacy groups. She and her husband of fifty years enjoy the winding backroads of PA aboard their Hayabusa superbike.
For more information visit Juliet Waldron's website. Juliet also blogs at Possum Tracks and Crone Henge, and you can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
To enter to win a paperback copy of A Master Passion & $5 Amazon Gift Card, please enter via the GLEAM form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 2nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. A Master Passion
