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Books about Legacy
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling
Final installment of the Harry Potter series, as Harry attempts to defeat the Dark Lord.
Throughout the six previous novels in the series , the main character Harry Potter has struggled with the difficulties of adolescence along with being famous as the only person ever to survive the ... (Wikipedia)
Tuesdays with Morrie
by Mitch Albom
An exploration of life through the lessons of a beloved professor facing terminal illness.
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way ... (Goodreads)
Absalom, Absalom!
by William Faulkner
A tangled web of family secrets, betrayal, and tragedy in the American South.
Absalom, Absalom! details the rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen , a white man born into poverty in West Virginia who moves to Mississippi with the complementary aims of gaining wealth and becoming a ... (Wikipedia)
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
by Erik Larson
Exploration of Lusitania's fateful voyage and its lasting impact on World War I.
#1 New York Times Bestseller,From the bestselling author and master of narrative nonfiction comes the enthralling story of the sinking of the, Lusitania, On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth ... (Barnes & Noble)
Steve Jobs
by Walter Isaacson
Biography of the legendary Apple co-founder, an innovator and visionary.
Walter Isaacson's "enthralling" (The New Yorker) worldwide bestselling biography of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs. Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years–as well as ... (Goodreads)
Everything Is Illuminated
by Jonathan Safran Foer
A young man's journey to trace his family's past, uncovering the secrets of the Holocaust.
Jonathan Safran Foer (the author), a young American Jew, who is vegetarian and an avid collector of his family's heritage, journeys to Ukraine in search of Augustine, the woman who saved his ... (Wikipedia)
Homegoing
by Yaa Gyasi
Spanning centuries, the intertwining stories of two African sisters, their descendants, and the legacy of slavery.
Effia is raised by her mother, Baaba, who is cruel to her. Nevertheless she works hard to please her mother. Known as a beauty, Effia is intended to be married to the future chief of her village, but ... (Wikipedia)
The Mummy
by Anne Rice
A young woman's quest to uncover the secrets of an ancient Egyptian tomb, risking her life to save her loved ones.
Henry murders his uncle Lawrence with a poison found in the mummy's tomb. When Henry tries to poison Julie in the same manner, Ramses comes to life and attempts to kill Henry, but succeeds only in ... (Wikipedia)
One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel García Márquez
Epic tale of seven generations of a family's tumultuous history, in the fictional Colombian town of Macondo.
One Hundred Years of Solitude is the story of seven generations of the Buendía Family in the town of Macondo . The founding patriarch of Macondo, José Arcadio Buendía, and Úrsula Iguarán, his wife ... (Wikipedia)
Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare
Tragedy of political power and ambition as Rome's leader is betrayed by those closest to him.
The Oxford School Shakespeare has become the preferred introduction to the literary legacy of the greatest playwright in the English language. This exclusive collection of the Bard's best works has ... (Goodreads)
The Life of Elizabeth I
by Alison Weir
Biography of the influential 16th-century English queen, detailing her rise to power and rule.
NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER Perhaps the most influential sovereign England has ever known, Queen Elizabeth I remained an extremely private person throughout her reign, keeping her own counsel and ... (Goodreads)
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
by Erik Larson
Story of the 1900 Galveston hurricane, and one man's desperate struggle to save his city.
September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange ... (Goodreads)
Outliers: The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell
Examining the keys to success, exploring the cultural, family, and psychological factors that drive achievement.
Learn what sets high achievers apart – from Bill Gates to the Beatles -- in this #1 bestseller from "a singular talent" (,New York Times Book Review,). In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes ... (Goodreads)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer
A journey through the aftermath of World War II in the company of a unique and inspiring cast of characters.
In January 1946, 32-year-old Juliet Ashton embarks on a cross-country tour across England to promote her latest book. Written under her pen-name Izzy Bickerstaff , the book is a compilation of ... (Wikipedia)
Beloved
by Toni Morrison
A haunting story of loss and resilience in the aftermath of slavery.
Beloved begins in 1873 in Cincinnati, Ohio , where the protagonist Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman, has been living with her eighteen-year-old daughter Denver at 124 Bluestone Road. The book ... (Wikipedia)
The Pearl Sister
by Lucinda Riley
A young woman's quest to uncover secrets of her past, leading her to a mysterious family history.
CeCe D’Aplièse has never felt she fitted in anywhere. Following the death of her father, the elusive billionaire Pa Salt – so-called by the six daughters he adopted from around the globe and named ... (Goodreads)
The Death of Ivan Ilych
by Leo Tolstoy
A man's journey of self-reflection in the face of death, confronting mortality and the meaning of life.
Ivan Ilyich lives a carefree life that is "most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible". Like everyone he knows, he spends his life climbing the social ladder. Enduring marriage to a ... (Wikipedia)
Immortality
by Milan Kundera
An exploration of the human desire for immortality and the implications of eternity.
Divided into seven parts, Immortality centers on Agnes, her husband Paul and her sister Laura. Part One: the Face establishes these characters. Part Two: Immortality depicts Goethe 's fraught ... (Wikipedia)
Commonwealth
by Ann Patchett
Intertwining story of two families across multiple generations, and how their lives become intertwined.
It started at Franny Keating’s christening party. Bert Cousins wasn’t even invited, but looking for an excuse to get out of the house, away from his three noisy children and pregnant wife for a few ... (Wikipedia)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
A riveting exploration of the power of medical science and its implications for medical ethics.
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her enslaved ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her ... (Goodreads)
I, Claudius
by Robert Graves
An epic tale of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, told through the eyes of a dynasty's forgotten leader.
Into the 'autobiography' of Clau-Clau-Claudius, the pitiful stammerer who was destined to become Emperor in spite of himself, Graves packs the everlasting intrigues, the depravity, the bloody purges ... (Goodreads)
Love You Forever
by Robert Munsch
A boy is comforted and loved by his mother throughout his life, reminding him that her love is unconditional.
An extraordinarily different story by Robert Munsch is a gentle affirmation of the love a parent feels for their child—forever. "A young woman holds her newborn son and looks at him lovingly. Softly ... (Goodreads)
The Aeneid
by Virgil
Epic tale of Aeneas and the founding of Rome, a fateful journey through the gods.
The Aeneid – thrilling, terrifying and poignant in equal measure – has inspired centuries of artists, writers and musicians. Virgil’s epic tale tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan hero, who flees his ... (Goodreads)
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
A remarkable story of courage, perseverance and hope in the face of oppression.
Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel ... (Goodreads)
The Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett
Epic tale of power, ambition, and survival set against the backdrop of 12th century England.
The sinking of the, White Ship, leaves King Henry I of England without a clear heir, and The Anarchy begins upon his death. Henry's nephew Stephen of Blois and Henry's daughter Maud fight for the ... (Wikipedia)
Miss Rumphius
by Barbara Cooney
A young girl's journey of self-discovery and fulfilling a lifelong dream to make the world a more beautiful place.
A beloved classic—written by a beloved Caldecott winner—is lovelier than ever! Barbara Cooney's story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something ... (Goodreads)
Before We Were Yours
by Lisa Wingate
Family torn apart is reunited across generations, revealing a powerful tale of resilience and hope.
Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the ... (Goodreads)
The Far Pavilions
by M.M. Kaye
Epic adventure story set in 19th century India, exploring the clash of East and West.
Ashton Pelham-Martyn (Ash) is the son of a British botanist travelling through India; he is born on the road shortly before the Sepoy uprising of 1857 . His mother dies from childbed fever shortly ... (Wikipedia)
His Excellency: George Washington
by Joseph J. Ellis
Biography of the first President of the United States and the key role he played in the founding of the nation.
To this landmark biography of our first president, Joseph J. Ellis brings the exacting scholarship, shrewd analysis, and lyric prose that have made him one of the premier historians of the ... (Goodreads)
Washington: A Life
by Ron Chernow
Intimate biography of George Washington, the nation's first president.
A gripping portrait of the first president of the United States from the author of, Alexander Hamilton, the New York Times bestselling biography that inspired the musical., Celebrated biographer Ron ... (Barnes & Noble)
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
by Barack Obama
An exploration of the Obama family history, tracing the threads of identity and race.
In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New ... (Goodreads)
Moonglow
by Michael Chabon
A multigenerational family saga reflecting on the past to unlock secrets of the present.
The novel is about the story of the author's (Chabon) grandfather. Throughout the book, the grandfather's name is not referred to. The story is sort of a memoir, jumping around in time. It starts ... (Wikipedia)
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
by Reza Aslan
An examination of Jesus' life, death and legacy within the context of 1st century Judea.
From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as ... (Goodreads)
The Sins of the Father
by Jeffrey Archer
A man struggles with his past and the consequences of his father's actions on his family and legacy.
Harry Clifton has joined the American Navy and has assumed the identity of Tom Bradshaw after his ship sinks in order to solve some of his problems, never knowing that he will end up in prison to ... (Wikipedia)
Nation
by Terry Pratchett
A story of courage and determination, as an island nation rebuilds its culture and identity after a devastating tsunami.
Alone on a desert island — everything and everyone he knows and loves has been washed away in a storm — Mau is the last surviving member of his nation. He’s completely alone — or so he thinks until ... (Goodreads)
Go Set a Watchman
by Harper Lee
Confronting the past and present, a woman struggles to reconcile her beliefs with those of her hometown.
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, a single 26-year-old, returns from New York to her hometown, Maycomb, Alabama, for her annual fortnight-long visit to her father Atticus, a lawyer and former state ... (Wikipedia)
Echo
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
A magical story of courage, hope and friendship, connecting three different generations.
The framing story is set in Germany circa 1889; , while playing hide-and-seek with his friends, Otto becomes absorbed in a book he had purchased from a Gypsy entitled The Thirteenth Harmonica of Otto ... (Wikipedia)
No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Examines the lives of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during WWII and their impact on the nation.
Winner of the Pulitzer for History, No Ordinary Time is a chronicle of one of the most vibrant & revolutionary periods in US history. With an extraordinary collection of details, Goodwin weaves ... (Goodreads)
Angle of Repose
by Wallace Stegner
A man's search for his ancestors and their stories, leading to a journey of self-discovery.
Lyman Ward narrates a century after the fact. Lyman interprets the story at times and leaves gaps that he points out at other times. Some of the disappointments of his life, including his divorce, ... (Wikipedia)
Fall on Your Knees
by Ann-Marie MacDonald
A multi-generational saga of secrets, tragedy, and resilience in a family of sisters.
At the start of the 20th century, James Piper sets fire to his dead mother’s piano and heads out across Cape Breton Island to find a new place to live. Working as a piano tuner, he meets and ... (Wikipedia)
The House at Riverton
by Kate Morton
A family saga spanning generations, uncovering secrets and lies of a mysterious house.
Ninety-eight-year-old Grace Bradley, a maid at Riverton Manor in the 1920s, has long hidden a terrible secret. A film is being made about a famous incident at Riverton when well-known poet Robbie ... (Wikipedia)
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History
by S.C. Gwynne
Epic tale of the Comanche tribe's rise and fall in North America.
In the tradition of, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,, a stunningly vivid historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West, ... (Goodreads)
The Last Anniversary
by Liane Moriarty
A young woman's pursuit of the truth behind a mysterious family secret.
From Liane Moriarty, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers , comes an unforgettable novel defined by her signature sharp wit, page-turning storyline, ... (Barnes & Noble)
When Breath Becomes Air
by Paul Kalanithi
A doctor's poignant memoir about life, mortality and purpose in the face of terminal illness.
For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer ... (Goodreads)
Locke & Key, Vol. 5: Clockworks
by Joe Hill
A supernatural thriller of dark secrets and twisted keys, unlocking the power of time.
Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them.... and home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will ... (Goodreads)
Gilead
by Marilynne Robinson
A reverend's reflections on life in the Midwest, and the lessons of faith and family.
The book is an account of the memories and legacy of John Ames as he remembers his experiences of his father and grandfather to share with his son. All three men share a vocational lifestyle and ... (Wikipedia)
Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier
by Stephen E. Ambrose
Epic tale of exploration and adventure as Lewis and Clark traverse the American wilderness.
'This was much more than a bunch of guys out on an exploring and collecting expedition. This was a military expedition into hostile territory'. In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his ... (Goodreads)
Those Who Save Us
by Jenna Blum
A woman's journey of self-discovery, uncovering the secrets of her mother's past.
For fifty years, Anna Schlemmer has refused to talk about her life in Germany during World War II. Her daughter, Trudy, was only three when she and her mother were liberated by an American soldier ... (Barnes & Noble)
They Both Die at the End
by Adam Silvera
Two strangers, united by fate, explore life and death while forming a unique bond.
Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable ... (Goodreads)
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
by Alice Schroeder
An in-depth biography of Warren Buffett, exploring his career, investments, and life.
Here is THE book recounting the life and times of one of the most respected men in the world, Warren Buffett. The legendary Omaha investor has never written a memoir, but now he has allowed one ... (Goodreads)
How Will You Measure Your Life?
by Clayton M. Christensen
Exploring the purpose of life through personal stories and business insights.
In 2010 world-renowned innovation expert Clayton M. Christensen gave a powerful speech to the Harvard Business School's graduating class. Drawing upon his business research, he offered a series of ... (Goodreads)
Jade City
by Fonda Lee
Epic fantasy tale of generations of a powerful crime family in a city of magical jade.
Bero, a minor thief, attempts to steal jade from a No Peak Fist while he is dining in a clan-affiliated restaurant, but Bero and his Abukei accomplice Sampa are quickly caught and brought to Hilo for ... (Wikipedia)
The House of the Spirits
by Isabel Allende
Epic family saga spanning generations, exploring the power of love and the impact of politics.
The story starts with the del Valle family, focusing upon the youngest and the oldest daughters of the family, Clara and Rosa. The youngest daughter, Clara del Valle, has paranormal powers and keeps ... (Wikipedia)
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
by Frank Miller
An aging Batman returns to Gotham City to combat a new breed of criminal.
The Dark Knight Returns is set in a dystopian version of Gotham City in 1986. Bruce Wayne, aged 55, has given up the mantle of Batman after the death of Jason Todd 10 years prior, and now lives as a ... (Wikipedia)
The Labyrinth of the Spirits
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
A thrilling mystery set in the dark depths of Franco's Spain, weaving together a story of love, revenge, and the supernatural.
Daniel Sempere and Fermín Romero de Torres again appear in the novel set in the Barcelona of the 1950s. Daniel, overwhelmed by rage and need to avenge the death of his mother, Isabella, will discover ... (Wikipedia)
The Island
by Victoria Hislop
A family's secrets unfold as they grapple with the consequences of the Greek Civil War.
On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before ... (Goodreads)
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
by Irin Carmon
Celebrating the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
New York Times Bestseller Featured in the critically acclaimed documentary, RBG, "It was beyond my wildest imagination that I would one day become the 'Notorious RBG." — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 2019 She ... (Barnes & Noble)
Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes
by Rick Riordan
An exciting journey to meet the Greek heroes of old, learning the stories of their mighty acts.
Who cut off Medusa's head? Who was raised by a she-bear? Who tamed Pegasus? It takes a demigod to know, and Percy Jackson can fill you in on the all the daring deeds of Perseus, Atalanta, ... (Goodreads)
Shadow Spell
by Nora Roberts
An Irishwoman discovers secrets of her past while uncovering a powerful, magical legacy.
With the legends and lore of Ireland running through his blood, falconer Connor O’Dwyer is proud to call County Mayo home. It’s where his sister, Branna, lives and works, where his cousin, Iona, has ... (Goodreads)
The Witness
by Nora Roberts
A woman's quest to uncover the truth about her family's past, uncovering a sinister conspiracy.
Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The ... (Goodreads)
The Known World
by Edward P. Jones
A story of a former slave turned landowner navigating the complex social dynamics of Antebellum America.
One of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, The Known World is a daring and ambitious work by Pulitzer Prize winner Edward P. Jones. The Known World tells the story of Henry Townsend, a black ... (Goodreads)
Cane River
by Lalita Tademy
An epic tale tracing the history of four generations of African-American women in Louisiana.
A, New York Times, bestseller and Oprah's Book Club Pick-the unique and deeply moving saga of four generations of African-American women whose journey from slavery to freedom begins on a Creole ... (Goodreads)
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
by Alex Haley
A multigenerational saga tracing the journey of an African American family in the U.S.
Roots tells the story of Kunta Kinte —a young man taken from the Gambia when he was seventeen and sold as a slave—and seven generations of his descendants in the United States. Kunta, a Mandinka ... (Wikipedia)
Ender's Shadow
by Orson Scott Card
A boy competes in a battle school to save humanity from a deadly alien race.
Welcome to Battleschool. Growing up is never easy. But try living on the mean streets as a child begging for food and fighting like a dog with ruthless gangs of starving kids who wouldn't hesitate to ... (Goodreads)
A God in Ruins
by Kate Atkinson
An exploration of the life of a World War II pilot and the effects of trauma on his family.
The novel is about the life of Teddy Todd (younger brother of Ursula Todd, the protagonist of the companion work,, Life After Life, ). Events in his life are not revealed in chronological order. The ... (Wikipedia)
The Lake House
by Kate Morton
A woman's search for answers to the mystery of her mother's disappearance, uncovering secrets of a long-lost family.
An abandoned house... June 1933, and sixteen-year-old Alice Edevane is preparing for her family's Midsummer Eve party at their country home, Loeanneth. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks ... (Goodreads)
The Exiled Queen
by Cinda Williams Chima
A young girl's epic quest to reclaim her throne, aided by magical powers and loyal companions.
Haunted by the loss of his mother and sister, Han Alister journeys south to begin his schooling at Mystwerk House in Oden’s Ford. But leaving the Fells doesn’t mean that danger isn't far behind. Han ... (Goodreads)
Labyrinth
by Kate Mosse
A woman searches for the secrets of her past that are hidden in a mysterious ancient labyrinth.
When Dr Alice Tanner, who works as a volunteer at the archaeological site of Pic de Soularac, in France, discovers two skeletons in a long-hidden cave in the hillside, she unearths a link with an ... (Wikipedia)
Chapterhouse: Dune
by Frank Herbert
A family's quest to restore balance to a chaotic universe, while uncovering secrets of the past.
The Bene Gesserit find themselves the target of the Honored Matres, whose conquest of the Old Empire is almost complete. The Matres are seeking to assimilate the technology and superhuman skills of ... (Wikipedia)
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever
by Bill O'Reilly
A detailed account of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and its impact on the nation.
A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly, The anchor of, ... (Goodreads)
Not My Father's Son
by Alan Cumming
A memoir of a man's journey to uncover his family's troubled past and reclaim his identity.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Equal parts memoir, whodunnit, and manual for living . . . a beautifully written, honest look at the forces of blood and bone that make us who we are, and how we make ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Perfume Collector
by Kathleen Tessaro
A woman discovers secrets of her past, uncovers forgotten memories.
A remarkable novel about secrets, desire, memory, passion, and possibility. Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite, least of all her own. When ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Shell Seekers
by Rosamunde Pilcher
A family explores their past, present, and future while examining the importance of treasured objects.
Shifting in time, the novel tells the story of Penelope Keeling, the daughter of unconventional parents (an artist father and his much-younger French wife), examining her past and her relationships ... (Wikipedia)
Calico Joe
by John Grisham
A former professional baseball player confronts his past while his son faces a career-ending injury.
Author Grisham once dreamed of a career as a professional baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals . , This, his first baseball novel, is about a beanball that ends the career of a promising ... (Wikipedia)
The Distant Hours
by Kate Morton
A woman unravels the secrets of a distant castle, uncovering a family mystery.
A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was ... (Goodreads)
Bloodfever
by Karen Marie Moning
A thrilling paranormal adventure, as a woman attempts to unlock secrets of her mysterious past.
I used to think my sister and I were just two nice southern girls who’d get married in a few years and settle down to a quiet life. Then I discovered that Alina and I descend, not from good wholesome ... (Goodreads)
The Witching Hour
by Anne Rice
A dark and mysterious tale of secret families and supernatural forces.
From the author of the extraordinary Vampire Chronicles comes a huge, hypnotic novel of witchcraft and the occult through four centuries. Demonstrating, once again, her gift for spellbinding ... (Goodreads)
Dragonflight
by Anne McCaffrey
A young dragonrider embarks on a mission to save her kingdom from a mysterious threat.
Dragonflight is the story of Lessa , the sole survivor of the noble ruling family of Ruatha Hold on the northern continent of Pern. When the rest of her family is killed by a cruel usurper, Fax , she ... (Wikipedia)
The Last Lecture
by Randy Pausch
Reflection on life and lessons learned, approaching death with courage and optimism.
A lot of professors give talks titled 'The Last Lecture'. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we ... (Goodreads)
The House Girl
by Tara Conklin
A story of two women, a present-day lawyer and a 19th Century slave, and the search for justice in a complex world.
A stunning debut novel of love, family, and justice that intertwines the stories of an escaped house slave in 1852 Virginia and ambitious young lawyer in contemporary New York Virginia, 1852. ... (Goodreads)
A Thousand Acres
by Jane Smiley
A family's story of death and inheritance, exposing secrets of their past.
Larry Cook is an aging farmer who decides to incorporate his farm, handing complete and joint ownership to his three daughters, Ginny, Rose, and Caroline. When the youngest daughter objects, she is ... (Wikipedia)
Shakespeare: The World as Stage
by Bill Bryson
An exploration of Shakespeare's life, works, and enduring cultural impact.
At first glance, Bill Bryson seems an odd choice to write this addition to the Eminent Lives series. The author of 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid' isn't, after all, a Shakespeare scholar, ... (Goodreads)
The Hundred Secret Senses
by Amy Tan
A woman discovers her Chinese-American heritage with the help of her sister's spirit.
The story focuses on the relationship between Chinese-born Kwan and her younger, Chinese-American sister Olivia, who serves as the book's primary narrator. Olivia and Kwan's relationship begins when ... (Wikipedia)
The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England
by Dan Jones
A sweeping account of the tumultuous reigns of England's Plantagenet kings and queens.
The first Plantagenet king inherited a blood-soaked kingdom from the Normans and transformed it into an empire stretched at its peak from Scotland to Jerusalem. In this epic history, Dan Jones ... (Goodreads)
A Piece of the World
by Christina Baker Kline
A woman's journey of self-discovery as she comes to terms with a painting that made her famous.
A New York Times bestseller. "Exquisite. A must-read.” —Kristin Hannah From the #1, New York Times, bestselling author of the smash bestseller, Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of ... (Barnes & Noble)
Kings Rising
by C.S. Pacat
A riveting finale to a captivating fantasy trilogy, where loyalty and ambition clash in a thrilling game of power.
Damianos of Akielos has returned. His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill. On the brink of a momentous battle, ... (Goodreads)
The Constant Princess
by Philippa Gregory
A tale of ambition, romance, and betrayal, chronicling the life of Catherine of Aragon.
Catalina of Aragon 's arranged marriage to the English crown prince Arthur secretly develops into a loving relationship where they share plans to rule England side-by-side. However, Arthur succumbs ... (Wikipedia)
300
by Frank Miller
Epic battle between 300 Spartan warriors against an invading Persian army.
The armies of Persia—a vast horde greater than any the world has ever known—are poised to crush Greece, an island of reason and freedom in a sea of madness and tyranny. Standing between Greece and ... (Barnes & Noble)
No One Here Gets Out Alive
by Danny Sugerman
Biography of Jim Morrison, exploring the life and legacy of the legendary singer-songwriter.
Here is Jim Morrison in all his complexity - singer, philosopher, poet, delinquent-the brilliant, charismatic, and obsessed seeker who rejected authority in any form, the explorer who probed "the ... (Goodreads)
The Seven Sisters
by Lucinda Riley
An epic family saga spanning generations, exploring secrets and mysteries of the past.
Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, ... (Goodreads)
Cycles
by Brian K. Vaughan
A young man's escapist journey to a magical island, discovering himself and his family's secrets.
On July 17, 2002, all living mammals with a Y chromosome —including embryos and sperm —simultaneously die, with the exception of a young amateur escape artist named Yorick Brown and his Capuchin ... (Wikipedia)
My Life
by Bill Clinton
Memoir of a former President of the United States, chronicling his life and career.
An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's My Life is a refreshingly candid look at the former president as a son, brother, teacher, father, husband, and public figure. Clinton ... (Goodreads)
The Burning Land
by Bernard Cornwell
A Saxon warrior's struggle to reclaim his homeland from Viking invaders.
892 – 893: Uhtred of Bebbanburg is now the preeminent warlord of Wessex, Alfred the Great 's kingdom. Always in poor health, Alfred urges him to swear an oath to Alfred's son and presumptive heir, ... (Wikipedia)
Genghis: Birth of an Empire
by Conn Iggulden
Epic tale of a determined man's rise to power, uniting many nomadic tribes into a powerful Mongol nation.
He was born Temujin, the son of a khan, raised in a clan of hunters migrating across the rugged steppe. Temujin's young life was shaped by a series of brutal acts: the betrayal of his father by a ... (Goodreads)
Cleopatra: A Life
by Stacy Schiff
Biography of Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but ... (Barnes & Noble)
Savvy
by Ingrid Law
A family discovers the power of their special inherited magical gifts.
For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy" -a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her ... (Goodreads)
Teacher Man
by Frank McCourt
A memoir of the author's 30-year career as an English teacher in New York City.
McCourt's long-awaited book about how his thirty-year teaching career shaped his second act as a writer. Nearly a decade ago Frank McCourt became an unlikely star when, at the age of sixty-six, he ... (Goodreads)
One Dark Throne
by Kendare Blake
Three sisters fight for the throne, facing dark secrets and dangerous enemies.
The sequel to the New York Times bestselling YA fantasy novel Three Dark Crown The battle for the crown has begun, and the unforgettable events of the Quickening have left a mark on each of the three ... (Barnes & Noble)
Stars of Fortune
by Nora Roberts
Three people join forces to search for ancient scrolls that could unlock the secrets of immortality.
Sasha Riggs is a reclusive artist, haunted by vivid dreams and nightmares that she turns into extraordinary paintings. Desperate to understand her visions, she finds herself drawn to the Greek island ... (Goodreads)
The Storm Sister
by Lucinda Riley
A woman's search for her true identity, which takes her on a journey across the world.
Ally D'Aplièse is about to compete in one of the world's most perilous yacht races, when she hears the news of her adoptive father's sudden, mysterious death. Rushing back to meet her five sisters at ... (Goodreads)
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