Biographies
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December, 2018
Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life by Laura Thompson
DB 90997
Read by Kristin Allison. Reading time: 21 hours, 22 minutes.
Explores the life and work of prolific English novelist and playwright Agatha Christie (1890-1976). Her first detective story--published in 1920--featured Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, who became a popular series protagonist. Examines the eleven days in 1926 when Christie went missing after learning her first husband had been unfaithful. 2018.
Ali: A Life by Johathan Eig
DB 89738
Read by Kevin R. Free. Reading time: 22 hours, 54 minutes.
Based upon hundreds of interviews with Ali and those who knew him best, and supported by access to FBI and government files, this biography of the famous boxer (1942-2016) covers not only his life and career, but also his political views, including his opposition to the Vietnam War. Some strong language and some violence. 2017.
An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice by Khizr Khan
DB 89945
Read by Khizr Khan. Reading time: 11 hours, 20 minutes.
A memoir tracing the author's journey from humble beginnings on a Pakistani poultry farm to attending Harvard Law School and raising his family in America. Also discusses the author's son's military service and death in Iraq. 2017.
The Authorized Roy Orbison by Wesley Orbison
DB 89667
Read by Alex Orbison. Reading time: 6 hours, 15 minutes.
Written by the musician's sons with music journalist Jeff Slate, this biography of the rock legend explores his life and career. Orbison was one of the pioneers of rock and roll in the 1950s, and had a string of hits in the 1960s. Unrated. 2017.
Being Elvis: A Lonely Life by Ray Connolly
DB 89957
Read by Jonathan Yen. Reading time: 14 hours, 22 minutes.
Veteran rock journalist looks at the life of the iconic singer (1935-1977). Covers his youth in Mississippi, his overnight fame, and his musical legacy. While praising his musicianship, this biography also examines his personal failings and professional missteps. First published in Great Britain in 2016. Unrated. 2016.
Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit by Christopher Matthews
DB 90311
Read by Ray Foushee. Reading time: 10 hours, 29 minutes.
LP 33135; 601 pages.
Journalist and political commentator provides a celebration of the life and work of Robert Francis Kennedy. Discusses his time in the Navy, his role as attorney general in his brother's administration, his 1968 presidential campaign, and more. 2017.
Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly
DB 91770
Read by Johathan Todd Ross. Reading time 19 hours, 8 minutes.
Biography of famed martial artist and actor who died in 1973, at the age of thirty-two. Using interviews from Lee's family and friends, explores his years as a child star in Hong Kong, his start as a martial arts teacher, and his struggles as an Asian American actor in Hollywood. Unrated. 2018.
David Bowie: A Life by Dylan Jones
DB 86982
Read by Peter Holdway. Reading time: 19 hours, 48 minutes.
The editor of British GQ conducted close to two hundred interviews to compile this oral biography of the musician (1947-2016), who had many identities over his long career. Includes input from family, friends, and musical collaborators, as well as Bowie himself. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2017.
Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
DB 89525
Read by Scott Kelly. Reading time: 13 hours, 9 minutes.
LP 33111; 603 pages.
Astronaut and American record-holder for most consecutive days in space examines his life and career. Discusses growing up with identical twin brother--and fellow astronaut--Mark, challenges he faced to become an astronaut, and the physical and emotional impacts of long-term spaceflight. Some strong language. 2017.
Ernest Hemingway: A Biography by Mary V. Dearborn
DB 89859
Read by Tanya Eby. Reading time: 29 hours, 43 minutes.
The author of Mailer (DB 51100) discusses the life and work of Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize-winning American novelist Ernest Hemingway. Unrated. 2017.
Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks by Christina Delaine
DB 91098
Read by Christina Delaine. Reading time: 14 hours, 9 minutes.
LP 33182; 550 pages.
Biography of singer famous for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and solo hits. Draws on interviews with Nicks, her friends, family, and musical associates to recount her life, career, struggles with addiction, and her romantic relationships, including Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Don Henley, and others. Unrated. 2017.
Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman
DB 86966
Read by David Colacci. Reading time: 12 hours, 53 minutes.
LP 33148; 611 pages.
Author of numerous works about Hollywood delivers a dual biography focusing on the friendship between two of the biggest stars in film. James Stewart and Henry Fonda were roommates when they were getting started on the New York stage, and they remained friends their entire lives. 2017.
In Search of Mary Shelley by Fiona Sampson
DB 91512
Read by Peter Holdway. Reading time: 11 hours, 3 minutes.
Biography of the author (1797-1851) who wrote the novel Frankenstein (DB 25835) at the age of nineteen. Discusses her childhood as the daughter of radical philosophers Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin, her troubled marriage to Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the creation and legacy of her famous novel. 2018.
J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture by David Delbert Kruger
DB 91605
Read by Carol Dines. Reading time: 13 hours, 15 minutes.
Biography James Cash Penney (1875-1971), founder of the JCPenney chain of department stores. Chronicles his early years in Missouri, opening his first department store in Wyoming, the growth of the J. C. Penney brand throughout America, and his agricultural initiatives. 2017.
Jackie’s Girl: My Life with the Kennedy Family by Kathy McKeon
DB 89056
Read by Kerry Dukin. Reading time: 8 hours, 17 minutes.
A coming-of-age memoir from the woman who spent over a decade as Jackie Kennedy's personal assistant and occasional nanny, first hired in 1964. Discusses her close relationships with the former first lady and the Kennedy children, and provides a look at the private life of a prominent family. 2017.
Jefferson’s Daughters: Three Sisters, White and Black, In a Young America by Catherine Kerrison
DB 90243
Read by Tavia Gilbert. Reading time:17 hours, 6 minutes.
LP 33170; 759 pages.
An account of the varied trajectories of the lives of Thomas Jefferson's three daughters--Martha and Maria by his wife and Harriet by black slave Sally Hemings. Discusses the different limits all three faced, Harriet's escape from slavery, and more. 2018.
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
DB 90101
Read by Kay Kerimian. Reading time: 6 hours, 37 minutes.
Comedian and actress tells her story of growing up in South Central Los Angeles. After her mother suffered a brain injury caused by her stepfather, the author lived in foster care and relied on her humor to survive. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2017.
The Last Republicans: Inside the Extraordinary Relationship Between George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush by Mark K. Updegrove
DB 90161
Read by Barry Bernson. Reading time: 13 hours, 14 minutes.
Presidential historian examines and compares the lives and careers of both Bush presidents, from their formative years through their post-presidential activity. Discusses the ways they have influenced each other, their views on topics such as family and public service, and their perspectives on the transformation of the Republican Party. 2017.
Lou Reed: A Life by Anthony DeCurtis
DB 89973
Read by Peter Coleman. Reading time: 16 hours, 53 minutes.
Biography of the singer and songwriter (1942-2013) best known as leader of the Velvet Underground. Through interviews with Reed before his death and access to his friends, family, and musical collaborators, paints a portrait of a musician who reinvented himself over and over. Some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2017.
The Mother of Black Hollywood: A Memoir by Jenifer Lewis
DB 90374
Read by Julie-Ann Elliott. Reading time: 9 hours, 17 minutes.
Actress from TV series Black-ish traces her journey from an impoverished youth in Missouri to her years in show business. Though successful on stage, film, and TV, Lewis shares how she struggled with bipolar disorder and sex addiction. Strong language and descriptions of sex. 2017.
Never Look at the Empty Seats: A Memoir by Charlie Daniels
DB 89931
Read by Jack Fox. Reading time: 8 hours, 29 minutes.
Country music legend Charlie Daniels, who was born in North Carolina in 1936, discusses his life and career. Famed for his song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," Daniels shares stories of his music, the musicians with whom he collaborated, and the role of faith in his life. 2017.
Paul Simon: The Life by Robert Hilburn
DB 91769
Read by Dennis Boutsikaris. Reading time 12 hours, 22 minutes.
A biography created with participation from Simon, as well as his friends and family. Details his early years in Queens, his successful but contentious relationship with Art Garfunkel, the years performing solo, romantic relationships, and his approach to songwriting. Unrated. Bestseller. 2018.
Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser
Read by Christina Moore. Reading time: 21 hours, 29 minutes.
LP033355; 909 pages.
Biography of the author of Little House in the Big Woods (DB 50921) and Little House on the Prairie (DB 50922), among others. Draws on unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and more to detail the life of the Ingalls family and contextualize it with concurrent historical events. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017. Read by Christina Moore. Reading time: 21 hours, 29 minutes.
The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations by John McCain
DB 91768
Read by Beau Bridges. Reading time: 14 hours, 18 minutes.
LP 33262; 637 pages.
BR 22304; 6 volumes of braille.
Arizona senator and Vietnam POW reflects on his political life and the prospects facing him as he battles brain cancer. Includes reminiscences of working with and against liberal senator Ted Kennedy, his work for peace in the Middle East, and his run for president against Barack Obama in 2008. Bestseller. 2018.
Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama by David J. Garrow
DB 89169
Read by Mark Ashby. Reading time: 58 hours, 44 minutes.
A biography covering the earlier years of Barack Obama's life and the trajectory that eventually led to his role as president of the United States. Discusses Obama's tumultuous upbringing, his college years, his early career, and his entry into the political field. Also chronicles his years in the Senate. 2017.
Robin by Dave Itzkoff
DB 91088
Read by Dave Itzkoff. Reading time: 16 hours, 18 minutes.
LP 33285; 909 pages.
A New York Times reporter delivers an account of the life and career of comedian and actor Robin Williams, known for his rapid-fire delivery and talent for improvisation. In addition to his successes, discusses the battles with addiction, depression, and illness that led to his suicide in 2014. Unrated. 2018.
Runnin’ with the Devil: A Backstage Pass to the Wild Times, Loud Rock, and the Down and Dirty Truth behind the Making of Van Halen by Noel E. Monk
DB 89690
Read by Steven Carpenter. Reading time: 10 hours, 50 minutes.
The former manager of the rock band Van Halen shares stories of their rise to fame. He joined the band in 1978 as they were just getting signed to a record contract and toured with them until singer David Lee Roth's departure in 1985. Strong language. 2017.
So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley by Roger Steffens
DB 89344
Read by Roger Steffens. Reading time: 13 hours, 14 minutes.
A reggae archivist draws on forty years of interviews to tell the story of Jamaica-born music legend Marley (1945-1981). The author traveled with the Wailers and shares the words of those who knew Marley best, including bandmates, friends, family, and lovers. Strong language. 2017.
Unforeseen: The First Blind Rhodes Scholar: A Memoir by James J. Barnes
DB 90729
Read by Bill Burton. Reading time: 10 hours, 35 minutes.
A historian's memoir of becoming the first blind Rhodes Scholar in the mid-1950s. Describes the deterioration of the author's eyesight during his first year at Oxford and his determination to press on. Relates his subsequent personal and educational achievements, including a PhD from Harvard and a distinguished forty-four-year teaching career. 2017.
Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times by Joel Richard Paul
DB 91052
Read by Fred Sanders. Reading time: 17 hours, 14 minutes.
Biography of the fourth chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. Discusses his life as the eldest of fifteen children born to an impoverished Virginia farmer, his service as a foot soldier in the Revolutionary War, his rise through political appointments, and finally his career as a jurist. Unrated. 2018.