National Network for Equitable Library Service

Industry, honesty, and an eye for the ladies are ever apparent in this candid self-portrait, from his humble birth in 1706 to the beginnings of his greatness in 1757.

Presents the autobiography of Douglass, an American slave, and his journey out of mental and physical bondage.

Adams was a brilliant observer of the world and its politics. Here he tells not just his own story, but also the story of an America divided by civil war and grappling with the rapid growth of industry and technology.

Biographer Lauren Kessler recounts her time at a West Coast Alzheimer's facility. Working as an unskilled resident assistant, Kessler learns important lessons about humanity while conducting interviews with patients in various stages of the disease.

Karnazes reveals the mind-boggling adventures of his nonstop treks through the hell of Death Valley, the incomprehensible frigidity of the South Pole, and the breathtaking beauty of the mountains and canyons of the Sierra Nevada.

James Frey pens the candid memoir of his recovery from drug and alcohol addictions with My Friend Leonard. After a stint in jail, James is rocked by further tragedy. Teetering on the brink of breakdown, he turns to a friend from rehab, Leonard. A larger-than-life mobster, Leonard becomes James' loyal and generous adoptive father, teaching him to "live boldly."

From the unhappy family relationships of prominent Americans to the feuds, smear campaigns, duels, and infamous sex scandals that have punctuated our history, we see our founding fathers and other American heroes in the course of their all-too-human events. Ineffectual presidents, lazy generals, traitors; treacherous fathers, nagging mothers, ungrateful children, embarrassing siblings; and stories about insanity, death, and disturbing postmortems are all here, as are disagreeable marriages, vile habits, and, of course, sex: good sex, bad sex, and good-bad sex too.

Still teaching fifth graders in a small, leaky classroom in downtown Los Angeles, Esquith fosters a wholesome climate where character, humility, and diligence matter and support is unconditional. For his mostly poor and Hispanic students, Esquith models two maxims: "Be nice and work hard," and "There are no shortcuts." And his students thrive!

Bryan Burrough reveals how four Texas oil tycoons transformed America. Rising from humble beginnings through hard work and shrewd dealings, they shifted the balance of power in American politics. While hobnobbing with movie stars and presidents, the Big Rich also created the legend of the swaggering Texas oilman with island hideaways and sprawling ranches.

This engaging follow-up explores Fuller's parents' childhoods and charts the trajectories of their lives through all the British couple's experiences in war-torn Africa. With the same sharply etched narrative that has earned the author such immense praise, Fuller expands on and offers new insights into her family's remarkable trials and successes.