Bruce Springsteen
In Focus 1980-2012
by Debra L. Rothenberg
SELECTED BY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE PHOTO BOOKS FOR FALL 2013. A unique photographic tribute to Bruce Springsteen, the book chronicles the intersection of a musical icon and a photographer's power to capture a man, a musician and an inspiration to millions at key moments in his career. Through iconic photos, testimonials from fans, and quotes from musicians, we follow Bruce's career from the small clubs at the Jersey Shore to stadiums around the world, and gain an understanding of what sets Bruce Springsteen apart from other superstars-his connection to his fans. From Debra Rothenberg's first photo of Bruce in 1980, taken as a college student, to stints as a staff photographer for a newspaper at the Jersey Shore and then as concert photographer for The New York Daily News, Debra chronicles her photographic journey through Bruce's music and tours -- a journey that shaped her own life and career in the process. Her images have been exhibited in galleries worldwide and published in top magazines, including Rolling Stone, People, Us Weekly, Q Magazine, Time and Newsweek. A wall of her photos resides at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where the launch party for this book was held on October 12, 2013. An award-winning photographer, she currently resides in New York City.
Stella Bain
by Anita Shreve
An epic story, set against the backdrop of World War I, from bestselling author Anita Shreve. When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in. A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield. In a narrative that takes us from London to America and back again, Shreve has created an engrossing and wrenching tale about love and the meaning of memory, set against the haunting backdrop of a war that destroyed an entire generation.
Tip and The Gipperby Chris Matthews
"TIP AND THE GIPPER" is a magnificent personal history of a time when two great political opponents served together for the benefit of the country. Chris Matthews was an eyewitness to this story as a top aide to Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, who waged a principled war of political ideals with President Reagan from 1980 to 1986. Together, the two men forged compromises that shaped America's future and became one of history's most celebrated political pairings--the epitome of how ideological opposites can get things done. When Ronald Reagan was elected to the presidency in a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter (for whom Matthews had worked as a speechwriter), Speaker O'Neill realized Americans had voted for a change. For the first time in his career, O'Neill also found himself thrust into the national spotlight as the highest-ranking leader of the Democratic Party--the most visible and respected challenger to President Reagan's agenda of shrinking the government and lowering taxes. At first, O'Neill doubted his ability to compete on the public stage with the charming Hollywood actor, whose polished speeches played well on TV, a medium O'Neill had never mastered. Over time, the burly Irishman learned how to fight the popular president on his key issues, relying on legislative craftiness, strong rhetoric, and even guerrilla theater. "An old dog can learn new tricks," Tip told his staff. Of O'Neill, one of his colleagues said, "If Martians came into the House chamber, they'd know instantly who the leader was." Meanwhile, President Reagan proved to be a much more effective and savvy leader than his rivals had ever expected, achieving major legislative victories on taxes and the federal budget. Reagan and his allies knew how to work the levers of power in Washington. After showing remarkable personal fortitude in the wake of the assassination attempt against him, Reagan never let his political differences with Democrats become personal. He was fond of the veteran Speaker's motto that political battles ended at 6 p.m. So when he would phone O'Neill, he would say, "Hello, Tip, is it after six o'clock?" Together, the two leaders fought over the major issues of the day--welfare, taxes, covert military operations, and Social Security--but found their way to agreements that reformed taxes, saved Social Security, and achieved their common cause of bringing peace to Northern Ireland. O'Neill's quiet behind-the-scenes support helped Reagan forge his historic Cold War-ending bond with Mikhail Gor-bachev. They each won some and lost some, and through it all they maintained respect for each other's positions and worked to advance the country rather than obstruct progress. As Matthews notes, "There is more than one sort of heroic behavior, and they don't all look the same." "Tip and the Gipper" is the story of the kind of heroism we need today.
The Luminaries
by Eleanor Catton