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Describes the role played by the chimpanzee, Ham, in developing manned space flight in the U.S.

A look at the deaths of several famous people throughout history and the circumstances surrounding those deaths.

Growing up in Warner Robins, Georgia, with her parents--and their loving but rocky relationship--isn't always easy for Lauretta. It doesn't help that the rest of her family is a who's who list of misfits and petty criminals. Learning from them and their experiences, Lauretta develops a keen wit and an observant eye, talents she then takes on the road to Savannah and even to Europe. There she encounters even more oddballs and colorful characters--many of whom are profiled here.

Caldwell was born in Texas in 1951; in a land of plains so vast they frightened her. Caldwell's mother was a clandestine lover of books; her father was a master sergeant in World War II. These personalities shaped Caldwell; during the passionate rebellions of the 1960s, she was one of the "children who once made life hell for 'the Greatest Generation' and in the process turned out pretty great themselves" (Russell Baker, author). Turning to books for each poignant change in her life, Caldwell eventually became what her mother could not: a writer.

Kelton reveals the origins and development of his unique storytelling talent and Texas treasure.

Birkenhead wields his cuts-to-the-bone prose in a memoir focusing largely on a father who is at once a magnetic personality and a violent, cruel force.

Son of Vietnam vet and black awareness advocate Paul Coates--a poor man who set out to publish lost classics of black history--Ta- Nehisi drifts toward salvation at Howard University, while his ominous brother Big Bill finds his own rhythm hustling.

When Tony Dungy led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI--and made history as the first African American coach to win the big game--millions of people, amazed by the success of his quiet, authoritative leadership style, wondered: how does he get it done? Dungy reveals the secrets to his success--principles, practices, and priorities that have kept him on track despite overwhelming personal and professional obstacles, including firings, stereotypes, and the tragic loss of a child.

The author traces the inspirational story of the late celebrity couple's early marriage, describing their passionate shared years prior to Christopher's paralyzing accident as based on interviews with people who knew them best.

Chilton explores the life of legendary jazz performer and civil rights activist Hazel Scott. From her birthplace in Trinidad to the lively streets of Harlem and beyond in the 1940s and '50s, Scott created a legacy of achievement that resounds to this day.