The Best Rich & Famous Biographies & Memoirs 2024

1. George V: Never a Dull Moment (Hardcover)

From one of the most beloved and distinguished historians of the British monarchy, here is a lively, intimately detailed biography of a long-overlooked king who reimagined the Crown in the aftermath of World War I and whose marriage to the regal Queen Mary was an epic partnership The grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, King George V reigned over the British Empire from 1910 to 1936, a period of unprecedented international turbulence. Yet no one could deny that as a young man, George seemed uninspired. As his biographer Harold Nicolson famously put it, "he did nothing at all but kill animals and stick in stamps." The contrast between him and his flamboyant, hedonistic, playboy father Edward VII could hardly have been greater. However, though it lasted only a quarter-century, George's reign was immensely consequential. He faced a constitutional crisis, the First World War, the fall of thirteen European monarchies and the rise of Bolshevism. The suffragette Emily Davison threw herself under his horse at the Derby, he refused asylum to his cousin the Tsar Nicholas II during the Russian Revolution, and he facilitated the first Labour government. And, as Jane Ridley shows, the modern British monarchy would not exist without George; he reinvented the institution, allowing it to survive and thrive when its very existence seemed doomed. The status of the British monarchy today, she argues, is due in large part to him. How this supposedly limited man managed to steer the crown through so many perils and adapt an essentially Victorian institution to the twentieth century is a great story in itself. But this book is also a riveting portrait of a royal marriage and family life. Queen Mary played a pivotal role in the reign as well as being an important figure in her own right. Under the couple's stewardship, the crown emerged stronger than ever. George V founded the modern monarchy, and yet his disastrous quarrel with his eldest son, the Duke of Windsor, culminated in the existential crisis of the Abdication only months after his death. Jane Ridley has had unprecedented access to the archives, and for the first time is able to reassess in full the many myths associated with this crucial and dramatic time. She brings us a royal family and world not long vanished, and not so far from our own.

George V: Never a Dull Moment (Hardcover)

2. Pre-Owned Cooking for Madam : Recipes and Reminiscences from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 9780684850054

When Marta Sgubin joined Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's household in 1969, she thought her job as companion to John Jr. and Caroline Kennedy temporary. Twenty-five years later, she was still with the family, as cook, household manager, and friend to "Madam," who urged Sgubin to compile her repertoire of simple but elegant dishes. Sgubin's Cooking for Madam: Recipes and Reminiscences from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis presents nearly 100 of the family's favorite recipes plus dozens of never-published snapshots, most in color, of Mrs. Onassis, her family, and friends. Readers interested in an intimate glimpse of the Kennedy-Onassis household, as well as those seeking delicious, reliable dishes for everyday meals and for entertaining, will welcome Sgubin's book. The recipes, arranged by seasonal menus and preceded by Sgubin's recollections, run the gamut from Oeufs Toupinal, a simple egg, ham, and potato dish that was served to Hillary Rodham Clinton on a tray, to the dressier Veal Stuffed with Morel Mousse, a dish Mrs. Onassis preferred without the sweetbreads it originally called for. Included also are a hearty shepherd's pie, a favorite of Diana Vreeland; Caroline's much-loved Chocolate Roll; and Floating Island, a John Jr. pick. The company dishes are outweighed by the informal fare, and most cooks will have no trouble preparing either. Sgubin's book succeeds as both cookbook and insider's tribute, showing us a remarkable personality through the food she enjoyed and the people she loved. --Arthur Boehm

Title: Cooking for Madam: Recipes and Reminiscences from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis ISBN10: 0684850052 EAN: 9780684850054 Author: Sgubin, Marta CONDITION - GOOD - Pre-Owned - Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include 'From the library of' labels or previous owner inscriptions. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included.

3. Pre-Owned Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster Paperback

The New York Times bestseller--a harrowing and hysterical memoir by the two-time Emmy Award-winning actress from the hit television show 3rd Rock from the Sun. "It felt like I was speeding on the Autobahn toward hell, trapped inside a DeLorean with no brakes. And even if I could somehow stop, I'd still be screwed, because there's no way I'd ever be able to figure out how to open those insane, cocaine-designed doors." Actress Kristen Johnston has written her first book, a surprisingly raw and triumphant memoir that is outrageous, moving, sweet, tragic, and heartbreakingly honest. Guts is a true achievement--a memoir that manages to be as frank and revealing as Augusten Burroughs, yet as hilarious and witty as David Sedaris. Johnston takes us on a journey so truthful and relatable, so remarkably fresh, it promises to stay with you for a long, long time.

Title: Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster Book Format: Paperback ISBN10: 1451635060 EAN: 9781451635065 Genre: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs Author: Johnston, Kristen CONDITION - GOOD - Pre-Owned - Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include 'From the library of' labels or previous owner inscriptions. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included.

4. Blackberries in the Summer

"Blackberries in the Summer" portrays the life of Eulalie Salley with special emphasis on her drive for women's rights and her remarkable role in the development of Aiken's Winter Colony. Her career in real estate placed her in contact with the rich and famous people who came to Aiken to build winter cottages and participate in the community's equestrian lifestyle in the first half of the twentieth century.

Blackberries in the Summer (Paperback)

5. Pre-Owned The Rock: Through the Lens: His Life, His Movies, His World (Hardcover) 1250220424 9781250220424

Warm, funny, surprising, and energetic photos of the world's most popular action star--The Rock--featuring twenty years' worth of candids, family photos, and snapshots from movie sets. Hiram Garcia is a childhood friend, former brother-in-law, and producing partner of Dwayne Johnson, "The Rock." He's also a talented amateur photographer, who has shot images on many of the Seven Bucks Productions' movies, including Jumanji 2, Jungle Cruise (based on the Disney ride) and more. He knows Dwayne Johnson inside and out and that intimacy informs his photography. Whether it's an on-set photo or a charming shot of Johnson with his daughters, Garcia focuses his lens on the qualities he admires in his friend: his extraordinary work ethic, his infectious smile, his warmth and sense of humor, and the joy and determination he brings to everything he does. Many of the more than 200 photos in the book are enhanced by deep captions that tell the story behind the accompanying image. These are rich and complete quick stories only a real insider could share

Title: The Rock: Through the Lens: His Life, His Movies, His World Book Format: Hardcover ISBN10: 1250220424 EAN: 9781250220424 Genre: PHOTOGRAPHY / Subjects & Themes / Celebrity Author: Garcia, Hiram CONDITION - GOOD - Pre-Owned - Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include 'From the library of' labels or previous owner inscriptions. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included.