Best Crime & Criminal Biographies
Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. MICHAEL FINKEL is the author of True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa , which was adapted into a 2015 major motion picture.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not only is this story of Chris Knight one of the most compelling that I have read in some time, but the lengths that you went to, to research his venture into the woods of Maine, to understand him, to get to know him, clearly better than anyone else has, and to represent him with such dignity, astounds me. While some, especially those whose homes were burgled, might still never understand what would cause a person to want to live in such extreme conditions let alone in solitude, far removed from the ‘regular’ world, after reading the book, while I will never spend a night, let alone an hour in the woods, what drew Knight makes sense to me now. It’s not to say that after reading THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS that every reader will feel compelled to pick up and leave their jobs, families, and the comfort of modern society behind, but it sure does offer food for thought."
"I wanted to read this book as the Maine woods have been a part of my life and I was unfamiliar with this story until I saw this book. I realized from the start that at the core of this story was an important topic I already have been worrying about that I feel American society either is unaware of or is purposefully ignoring: the neuro-atypical person and the challenge of how they will live (not thriving but suffering) in modern America. Knight was content and found peace in living that life until he was caught with the help of sophisticated surveillance equipment while robbing food from a nonprofit camp for disabled children (including kids on the Autism Spectrum). The heartbreaking part of this story is that the suffering that Knight endured was due to square pegs not fitting in the round holes of modern American society, his relief and contendedness was found living in isolation in nature, but this is not really allowed in America, and when possible it's only available to those who are able to financially support themselves due to an inheritance or some income stream that they are lucky to find that meshes with their talents and abilities. But this book provides more food for thought, for me at least, than just Knight's hermit years story. I hope this book is a catalyst for Americans to think about this issue, with the rising rates of Autism and mental illness, we have more people this decade than ever before who are not fitting in with the mandatory American public school system and who are not fitting in to work jobs as adults enough to support themselves independently let alone the issue of if a person is happy or content."
"Many of us dream of secluding from the busyness of modern living—the fast-paced, noisy, cyclical nature in which life has become; yet many of us do not have the courage or tenacity to pursue such a dream, much less achieve this dream for the amount of time that Knight did. On a practical level, Michael Finkel has written this biographical account excellently."
"My heart goes out to Mr. Knight."
Note: The chapters in the book are not in order and it is intentional. 1.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I want to tell future readers of this book in this way. I read it first when I was 14 or 15."
"These truths in ancient warfare still hold true today."
"Ancient and still relevant."
"A great short read, the laws can be applied to not only warfare, but everyday life and any problems that may arise."
"The basic Art of War without commentary... which is actually a good thing... although some of the commentary does help..."
"Great book; will read it again; also applies to day to day such as business transactions, dealings with associates, etc."
"Great read and commentary on the classic war strategy book that offers advice applicable to any facet of life."
"I received and read this book all in one day."
The unbelievable true story of the man who built a billion-dollar online drug empire from his bedroom—and almost got away with it In 2011, a twenty-six-year-old libertarian programmer named Ross Ulbricht launched the ultimate free market: the Silk Road, a clandestine Web site hosted on the Dark Web where anyone could trade anything—drugs, hacking software, forged passports, counterfeit cash, poisons—free of the government’s watchful eye. Drawing on exclusive access to key players and two billion digital words and images Ross left behind, Vanity Fair correspondent and New York Times bestselling author Nick Bilton offers a tale filled with twists and turns, lucky breaks and unbelievable close calls. I can’t recommend it highly enough.”. —DAN LYONS, author of Disrupted. “In American Kingpin, Nick Bilton again proves why he’s one of tech’s best storytellers with a stunningly researched and very scary portrait of the creator of a marketplace gone mad, and the oddly uncoordinated officers who took him down.”. —STEVEN LEVY, author of Hackers and In the Plex. “You’ll never forget Bilton’s portrait of the brilliant and brazen Ross Ulbricht, even after you sacrifice sleep in a sprint to the final pages and to see justice served.”. —BRAD STONE, author of The Everything Store and The Upstarts. “A rollicking, deftly reported tale of the Dark Web. It puts your favorite thriller novels to shame.”. —STEVEN PRESSFIELD, author of Gates of Fire. “Nick Bilton is the only writer who could tell this suspenseful story. American Kingpin is engrossing at every turn, right up to its pulse-racing ending.”. —ADAM LASHINSKY, author of Wild Ride. “American Kingpin is both a staggering feat of investigative journalism and a triumph of edge-of-your-seat storytelling.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Yes, there were people who died from bad drugs obtained through the site, but if these people had been killed by handguns, I am doubtful that the store owner would be held responsible."
"I had always been curios about The Silk Road and this book answered most of these questions."
"By far the most amazing story of collaboration, criminality and the pursuit of a young man, smart and with a vision...."
"Nick Bilton does it again, great book about Silk Road, a must read!"
"Very interesting read and pretty tragic on many levels."
"i could not put it down!"
"What a great story."
"Page turner based on the story....very mediocre writing."
Best Lexington Kentucky Travel Books
She wasn’t quite sure moving to Montana and marrying a cowboy was a better option—but, head over heels in love, she did it anyway. Knadler articulates her journey in a manner so self-deprecating and hilarious that it doesn't take long to realize she isn't ridiculing rural Virginia, she’s analyzing her own place in it...She is braver than most writers would be about exposing the vulnerable underbelly of her new marriage, and about how close she came to throwing in the clogs. "Jessie Knadler's story about leaving the glossy office buildings and late nights of Manhattan to take a chance on love and create a new life in rural Lexington, Virginia, sounds like something out of a movie. “Jessie Knadler’s memoir, Rurally Screwed …is more than a fast-paced ride through the rodeo scene of relationships from Manhattan to Montana, but an examination of American life, the things we take for granted and the things we ought to cherish. “At once brutally honest and over-the-top hilarious, Rurally Screwed is the most engaging and relatable book about marriage I've ever read. Jessie, as a character in the book and in real life, is a strong, witty, courageous and hilarious woman.”— Breathe. Rurally Screwed entertains by continuing well past the ‘I do’ and, best of all, this is a real-life romance, a memoir with a hilarious narrator… Rurally Screwed is also a hero's journey as Jessie navigates her relationship with various identities—a child from Montana, a woman from New York, a wife in rural Virginia. Her searing wit and unflinching honesty is a pleasure to read…Fans of Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman will love Rurally Screwed, as will anyone who has fallen madly in love with his or her opposite.”— Book Club Classics.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After 12 years climbing the ladder to her dream profession as a fashionista magazine editor she and starts a freelance job interviewing cowboys in - you guessed it - Montana. So she leaves her aging friends and her pedophile New York architect boyfriend (I can't make this sort of stuff up) to appear at the rodeo in her sparkly sequined sneakers where she woos and wins the cowboy of her dreams. This book does have solid writing which moves the story along; although it isn't a page turner it keeps the reader interested."
"To tell the truth I only ordered the book because I heard about it from this email group that saves Anatolian Shepherd dogs or GSD- giant shepherd dogs that can be a mixture of Anatolians/Akbash/Great Peranese;anyway all kinds of big shepherd dogs. Of course, I haven't done that, I already have a purebred Anatolian Shepherd, Solomon, that I bought off a goat ranch in Arkansas, he is my first dog ever that I have lived with that was not adopted from a shelter. This book spoke to me in many ways. I was raised on a little place growing up and sometimes Dad would kill a chicken or two and it was tough business - I was appalled and impressed by the way you explained the process - hey I eat meat and love good fresh chicken. Thanks for listening, I think Rurally Screwed is fine book and will tell my friends and circulate the book through our group."
"(I didn't like Eat, Pray, Love for the same reasons I'm not crazy about this book.)."
"I wanted to love this,,smart writer falls in love with an adorable cowboy, moves to country but I just couldn't find ONE likable quality in Jessie other than her good taste in men."
Best Gay & Lesbian Biographies
A Goodreads Choice Awards nominee. David Sedaris tells all in a book that is, literally, a lifetime in the making For forty years, David Sedaris has kept a diary in which he records everything that captures his attention-overheard comments, salacious gossip, soap opera plot twists, secrets confided by total strangers. These are the three stages that all artists - with some variation - go through in their careers...So it's encouraging to read 25 years of David Sedaris's diaries, and not just because he manages to defeat Bloat. But through all 25 years of "Theft by Finding" - of soap opera addictions and spider feeding, family kookiness (Sedaris notes the day Charles Addams dies; it feels like the passing of a baton) and language lessons - Sedaris's developing voice is the lifeline that pulls him through the murk." Yet David Sedaris has somehow pulled it off...with eviscerating wit and radiant humanity...Fans will no doubt delight in the entries that will turn into Sedaris's most beloved essays." "Sedaris fans will thrill to this opportunity to poke around in the writer's personal diaries, which he has faithfully kept for four decades and used as raw material for his hilarious nonfiction as well as his performances." "Sedaris' diaries are the wellspring for his cuttingly funny autobiographical essays, and he now presents a mesmerizing volume of deftly edited passages...Sedaris is caustically witty about his bad habits and artistic floundering...A candid, socially incisive, and sharply amusing chronicle of the evolution of an arresting comedic artist." "A David Sedaris book is always a welcome addition to any personal library - his hilarity, his self-deprecation, his compassion for (and amusement with) the human condition, and his clear joy at making his readers laugh out loud are all what make a David Sedaris book great.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"David has become the PG Woodhouse of his era."
"Love David and his writing, and this book doesn’t disappoint."
"Loved this look into David Sedaris' early years, before he was "famous"!"
"Not his best, but good enough if you are a fan."
"All the wit and charm and wry wonder you expect from David Sedaris is here."
"Didn't expect this to be as entertaining as it was."
"Bought for my husband who loves David sedaris and he didn’t like it."
Best Women's Biographies
Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. In these pages, she describes what it was like to run against Donald Trump, the mistakes she made, how she has coped with a shocking and devastating loss, and how she found the strength to pick herself back up afterward. It is a candid and blackly funny account of her mood in the direct aftermath of losing to Donald J. Trump. Ultimately, the book might be a historical artifact most of all — the chronicling of what, exactly, it was like to run for president as the first woman major-party candidate (and, yes, a Clinton as well). Plenty may disagree with Clinton’s opinions on what went wrong for her, but her story will still be an important part of that history when America looks back on the melee that was the 2016 election.” —. NPR. While What Happened records the perspective of a pioneer who beat an unprecedented path that stopped just shy of the White House, it also covers territory that many women will recognize.... She demonstrates that she can mine her situation for humor.” — People.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She was less convincing on this front as virtually nothing Sanders said against HRC during the primary battle was new; his criticisms of HRC were general talking points before Sanders ever entered the contest. The book whitewashes the DNC's actions against Sanders during the primary, actions that turned a good number of Sanders supporters (HRC continues use of the odious "Bernie Bros." epithet) against her. HRC praises the hard work of Donna Brazile but fails to mention how Brazile was caught stealing debate questions (for the debate with Sanders) from CNN and then leaking those questions to HRC and not to Sanders. What is telling in HRC's memoir and analysis are her own blind spots, her weakness as a campaigner who fails to inspire, her over-reliance on her status as "first female Presidential nominee from a major party" (53% of white women voted for Trump, but HRC doesn't examine why), and her refusal to acknowledge how the DNC, during the primary, alienated the progressive voters she would later need to win the general election. (Even here, though, we have figures now indicating that 12% of Sanders supporters went over to Trump, whereas in 2008, after HRC lost the primary to Obama, 24% of her supporters went over to McCain. In other words, Sanders supporters were still more supportive of HRC than HRC's supporters were of Obama by 2-to-1.)."
"I wrote a verified purchase review and it has been deleted 3 times."
"I'm a non-partisan who has actually read this book and have to agree with many of the negative reviews here."
"what happened to the negative reviews?"
"In my previous review I referenced her book Hard Choices...."Believe it or not I actually liked this book.""
"I voted for Bill Clinton in both Presidential elections and voted for Hillary Clinton against Trump last year. I think that there are some good things to be said about Hillary Clinton. But still, this book seems to crystallize for me a lot of the problems that I have with Hillary Clinton at this moment in time, and the problems that I have with the Democratic party, and in general why I think that they are currently doing so badly. Although Clinton does attempt in the book to explain why she lost the election, in the end, she really seems to have no idea. If instead the book had been called "What Campaigning in the 2016 Election Was Like for Me," likely I would feel comfortable giving the book another star. So if the goal of the reader is to learn more about Hillary Clinton, as a person, then perhaps this book is worth reading. What the book does not do is to provide any reasoned or persuasive discussion on what I see as the key questions that political leaders need to be discussing with regard to the 2016 election and the current state of affairs. In my opinion, the biggest question that Clinton does not discuss at all in this book is how much the Democratic party has turned all of its focus toward the goal of making rich people (like Jeff Bezos, no?). Not once in the book does she consider the possibility that perhaps the reason that Sanders was popular was because the Democratic party (as well as the Republican party) had focused too much of its attention on the 1% (or, more specifically, the 0.0001%) and had left the rest of the population out in the cold. In general, the impression that I get from this book about Clinton in general - in terms of her political life and her personal life - is that she believes she is right about everything, that she is very very defensive about the idea that she is right about everything, and that she is very slow to change in the face of new information. All of those are the LAST things that I would use if I got sick, and the idea of Hillary Clinton forcing them on me anyway makes me wonder what other kinds of outmoded, counterproductive things she would have tried to force on the American public had she become President."
"I voted for her."
Best Special Needs Biographies
Defying every prognosis. , with grit and grace, Katherine and Jay, side by side, struggled to regain a life for Katherine as she re-learned to talk and eat and walk. In the midst of continuing hardships and struggles, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find...hope, hope that heals the most broken place, our souls. Now, eight years later, Katherine and Jay are stewarding their story of suffering, restoration, and Christ-centered hope in this broken world through their ministry Hope Heals. Jay and Katherine are a raw yet refreshing testimony to the unshakable trustworthiness of God amidst the unimaginable trials of life. ( David Platt, author of the New York Times bestseller Radical and president of the International Mission Board ). Hope Heals is a beautiful, true story that illustrates the love and protection God has for us even in the darkest times of our lives. This book isn’t just a moving story; it’s a song sung by two humble people and what they’ve learned about love when the cadence of their lives unexpectedly changed. I know Jay and Katherine, and I welcome this book, not just as a stirring account of facing tragedy but as a beautiful story of a couple’s relentless love---for God and for each other.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What a powerful story of hope over despair."
"I stumbled upon Jay and Katherine's story about three years ago and was immediately moved by their resilience fueled by the hope of their faith."
"Reading their story helped me to experience it with them in a totally different way - even as we walked with them from the outside and prayed into them during this journey."
"This is a truly inspirational book about a woman in her 20's who has a stroke which almost killed her, then rebuilds her life afterward."
"I generally enjoy books born from blogs, though they're little more than a regurgitation of their blog content and not very well written."
"This is the most beautiful and inspirational book ever."
"Given each spiritual journey is unique in its struggles and triumphs, I can see sharing their incredible walk with God through such immense difficulties in this book is strong encouragement to a fellow sojourner like myself, and others."
"Throughout the book, frequent thanks are also given to God, although like most devout people they don't try to blame God for causing the tragedy on such a young, devoted mother and wife."