Charles J. Shields est un biographe accompli qui explore la vie et l'œuvre d'auteurs américains importants. Son écriture se caractérise par une exploration approfondie du processus créatif et des parcours personnels des écrivains qu'il présente. Shields vise à découvrir non seulement les faits, mais aussi les motivations et les influences sous-jacentes qui ont façonné leurs voix littéraires. Ses études biographiques sont saluées pour leurs recherches méticuleuses et leurs récits captivants.
This biography by the New York Times best-selling author of Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee traces the life of National Book Award-winning novelist John Williams, author of the cult classic novel Stoner.
This biography delves into the life and impact of Kurt Vonnegut Jr., a pivotal figure in American literature known for his distinctive style and thought-provoking themes. It explores his personal experiences, literary evolution, and the societal influences that shaped his work, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of his contributions to literature and culture. Through insightful analysis, the book reveals how Vonnegut's unique voice continues to resonate in contemporary discussions on humanity and morality.
To Kill a Mockingbird - the twentieth century's most widely read American novel - has sold thirty million copies and still sells a million yearly. But despite the book's popularity, its author Harper Lee has always been a mysterious figure. In this in-depth biography, first published in 2006, Charles J. Shields finally brings to life the woman who gave us two of American literature's most unforgettable characters, Atticus Finch and his daughter Scout. Years after its initial publication, with updates throughout the book and a new Afterword, Shields brings us up to date on all the major Harper Lee events since 2006. There's the scandal with allegations that Lee's agent has been trying to steal the copyright for To Kill a Mockingbird, the death of Lee's dear sister Alice, scandalous accusations of elder abuse, and - most vitally - the release of Lee's long buried first novel, never before published, and the ensuing public devouring of what has truly become the book of the year, if not the decade - Lee's Go Set a Watchman.
An authorized portrait of the influential twentieth-century American writer draws on first-person accounts and Vonnegut's private letters while offering insight into his youth, the inspirations for his work, and his enduring literary impact.
This biography by the New York Times best-selling author of Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee traces the life of National Book Award-winning novelist John Williams, author of the cult classic novel Stoner.
"Written when she was just twenty-eight, Lorraine Hansberry's landmark A Raisin in the Sun is listed by the National Theatre as one of the hundred most significant works of the twentieth century. Hansberry was the first Black woman to have a play performed on Broadway, and the first Black and youngest American playwright to win a New York Critics' Circle Award. Charles J. Shields's authoritative biography of one of the twentieth century's most admired playwrights examines the parts of Lorraine Hansberry's life that have escaped public knowledge: the influence of her upper-class background, her fight for peace and nuclear disarmament, the reason why she embraced Communism during the Cold War, and her dependence on her white husband-her best friend, critic, and promoter. Many of the identity issues about class, sexuality, and race that she struggled with are relevant and urgent today. This dramatic telling of a passionate life-a very American life through self-reinvention-uses previously unpublished interviews with close friends in politics and theater, privately held correspondence, and deep research to reconcile old mysteries and raise new questions about a life not fully described until now"-- Provided by publisher
Grade-specific exercises and practice tests to prepare students for various standardized tests including the California Achievement Tests, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, the Stanford Achievement Tests, the Metropolitan Achievement Tests, and the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills.
Discusses the land, the history, the economy, the people, and the festivals of Venezuela. When Spanish explorers arrived on the coast of South America, they found that natives had built their homes on stilts along the the swampy shore of Lake Maracaibo. Because this reminded the Europeans of the city of Venice, they named the region Venezuela (Little Venice). Today, Venezuela is one of the leading oil-producing nations in the world. It has a high rate of population growth, and most of its people live in urban areas. As the sixth largest country in Latin America, Venezuela has great influences on its neighbors economically, politically, and culturally
Presents the geography, history, economy, cities and communities, and people and culture of Argentina. Includes recipes, related projects, and a calendar of festivals