Tag Archives: biography

February 5, 2018

In praise of suckers and P. T. Barnum

Posted by rkcunningham
in backlist classics, biography | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on In praise of suckers and P. T. Barnum

We are now three years and one day removed from this unforgettable event: Diaper-Wearing Service Kangaroo Kicked Out of Wisconsin McDonald’s You know who else liked kangaroos? P.T. Barnum. You know who publishes his every-word-guaranteed-to-be-true* autobiography? The University of Illinois … Continue reading →

October 24, 2016

Release Party: Slavery at Sea

Posted by rkcunningham
in African American Studies, american history, women's history, world history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Release Party: Slavery at Sea

The new UIP release Slavery at Sea examines the infamous Middle Passage in a new light. Sowande’ Mustakeem reveals for the first time how slavery took critical shape at sea. Expanding the gaze even more deeply, the book centers how the oceanic transport … Continue reading →

October 17, 2016

Release Party: Bill Clifton

Posted by rkcunningham
in biography, bluegrass, music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Release Party: Bill Clifton

The most atypical of bluegrass artists, Bill Clifton has enjoyed a long career as a recording artist, performer, and champion of old-time music. Bill C. Malone pens the story of Clifton’s eclectic life and influential career. Born into a prominent … Continue reading →

September 26, 2016

Marty Robbins, El Paso, and Mr. Teardrop

Posted by rkcunningham
in biography, music | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Marty Robbins, El Paso, and Mr. Teardrop

In three decades as a singer and songwriter Robbins placed a staggering 94 songs on Billboard’s country music charts. His musical style ranged from rockabilly rave-ups to pop standards and even Hawaiian songs. Fulfilling another dream, Robbins spent time on … Continue reading →

September 5, 2016

Release Party: Herndon’s Lincoln

Posted by rkcunningham
in biography, Illinois / regional, Lincoln | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Release Party: Herndon’s Lincoln

New in paperback, Herndon’s Lincoln offers today’s readers the most influential biography of the Railsplitter ever published. William H. Herndon aspired to write a faithful portrait of his friend and law partner, Abraham Lincoln, based on his own observations and on … Continue reading →

August 25, 2016

“Barnum of the Bigots”

Posted by rkcunningham
in american history, biography | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on “Barnum of the Bigots”

Not exactly the pride of Bloomington, Illinois, American Nazi leader George Lincoln Rockwell was born into—of all things—a family of vaudeville performers. A former associate shot him to death on August 25, 1967. Frederick Simonelli’s UIP biography of this powerful and … Continue reading →

July 8, 2016

You the Mancini

Posted by rkcunningham
in biography, music | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on You the Mancini

Successful beyond belief in his chosen trade of making soundtrack music, Henry Mancini also enjoyed good fortune (made one, too) with forays into the pop charts. When he hit, he hit big. His Theme from Peter Gunn not only sold … Continue reading →

September 21, 2015

The Man That Got Away

Posted by sfast
in biography, music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Man That Got Away

Harold Arlen wrote the soundtrack to long nighttime walks on wet streets, to the staring contests we hold with memory out of the windows of our lonely room, to the melancholy poets of heartache who compose their verse around impatient shouts … Continue reading →

September 26, 2014

For the love of wicked Feleena

Posted by rkcunningham
in biography, music | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on For the love of wicked Feleena

There is a possibly apocryphal story about Loretta Lynn’s classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Supposedly, Lynn’s original version of the song included ten (or eight or twelve) verses. Hearing it, her producer Owen Bradley said something along the order of, “Loretta, … Continue reading →

August 5, 2014

The Other Hawthorne’s Weird Tales

Posted by rkcunningham
in American literature, biography | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Other Hawthorne’s Weird Tales

Julian Hawthorne hustled. An independent contractor par excellence, the son of Nathaniel Hawthorne reported on foreign wars and domestic politics, published novels, penned short stories, dreamt up theosophist blarney, raked muck, churned out ad copy, and wrote whatever else was … Continue reading →