"Eine Frau vor ihrer Zeit - die berührende Suche nach dem Leben der eigenen Urgroßmutter
Tief im Sauerland, 1887. Eine junge Frau kommt den Weg hinauf ins Dorf Cobbenrode. Dort soll Anna Kalthoff die neue Lehrerin werden. Doch sie wird es nicht bleiben. Denn Anna widersetzt sich bald den Erwartungen des Ortes und den Regeln ihrer Zeit. Sie entscheidet selbst, was sie zu tun und zu lassen hat, wie sie leben und wen sie lieben will. Und es wird ihr nicht schaden.
Zwei Jahrhunderte später ist diese inspirierende Frau schon fast gänzlich in der Vergangenheit versunken. Einige Fotos, Poesiealben, Postkarten, ein Kaffeeservice, ein Verlobungsring: Viel mehr stand Henning Sußebach nicht zur Verfügung, als er sich auf die Spuren seiner Urgroßmutter Anna begab. Nach einem Jahr der Suche verfestigte sich das Bild: Da hat eine scheinbar gewöhnliche Frau ein außergewöhnliches Leben geführt, gegen allerlei Widerstände. Anna nahm sich, was sie vom Leben wollte. Männer, Arbeit, Freiheit! Diesem Willen hat der Autor seine Existenz zu verdanken.
Sein Maßstäbe setzendes Hörbuch ist der Versuch, eine schon fast gänzlich verblasste Erinnerung zu retten. Es ist eine zauberhafte Annäherung an die Vorfahren, ohne deren Entscheidungen und Mut es uns nicht gäbe. Und es ermuntert, nach den Annas zu suchen, die es in jeder Familiengeschichte gibt."
"Staring at the 450 pieces of clothing littering her bedroom, Erin Flynn couldn’t help but wonder, “How did I end up here?”
In her debut memoir The Road Less Worn, Flynn sorts through snapshots of her life—from her roots as an athlete in a small Midwest town to her career as an entrepreneur and author—discovering that much of what she held onto, both in her wardrobe and life, was never truly her own.
As the founder of Cladwell, the leading daily outfit and smart closet app, Flynn knows wardrobes mirror how culture quietly shapes us. But when she created her own capsule wardrobe, she didn’t just declutter her closet—she began decluttering the stories she carried about success, identity, and who she was supposed to be.
The Road Less Worn invites readers to do the same, letting go of what no longer fits to uncover what is truly theirs."
"Trina Mansoor wurde 1989 in Kabul, Afghanistan, geboren. Schon als Kind waren es die Bücher, die ihr Halt gaben. In Wüstenrose therapiert die junge Autorin sich selbst und erzählt ihre Geschichte von Flucht, Überleben und der Hoffnung, ihr Lächeln wiederzufinden, welches sie auf der Reise in die Gegenwart verloren hat. Ihre Mutter setzte sich in Afghanistan unermüdlich für die Rechte der Frauen ein. Bereits unter der Besatzung der Sowjetunion versuchte sie durch ihre Arbeit als Lehrerin den örtlichen Frauen zumindest die Hoffnung auf eine berufliche Zukunft zu bieten. Sie förderte durch Bildung das Selbstvertrauen der Frauen. Mit der Machtübernahme der Taliban musste sie dieses Engagement im Geheimen fortführen, da den Frauen zu dieser Zeit jegliche Bildung untersagt worden war und ein Verstoß gegen dieses Verbot mit strengen Strafen bis hin zum Tode geahndet wurde. 1996 verloren ihre Eltern den Kampf der Freiheit für immer."
"The 1993 Bow Bazaar bomb blast in Calcutta brought an end to the kothas in the busy commercial district. Over the next few years, as dance bars and disco music replaced the old-world charm of mujras, kathak and thumri, the tawaifs began to abandon the profession. Rekhabai, a courtesan, found herself at a crossroads, facing an uncertain future. Where should she go? What should she do next?
Originally from the Kanjarbhat tribe, Rekhabai was sold and trained as a tawaif while she was still a child. In the 1980s, when kothas were no longer recognized as centres for aesthetics, and society disapproved of the tawaif's art, as they felt it was sex work in the guise of adakari (performance), Rekhabai made a name for herself in Calcutta and Bombay as a singing-dancing star. It was an era when she had to dodge guns, goons and Ghalib's ghazals to carve out her own destiny, provide for her large family and raise her son in an English-medium boarding school.
In this poignant memoir, she narrates the unbelievable story of her survival to her son with candour, grace and humour, never missing a beat and always full of heart."
"»Lilianas unvergänglicher Sommer« ist das intime und zugleich vielschichtige Porträt einer Schwester. Es ist die aufwühlende Suche nach den Spuren einer jungen Frau. Es ist der unbedingte Wunsch, nach dem und über das Grauen zu schreiben und die eigene Trauer zuzulassen. Es ist ein funkelndes literarisches Werk von weltweiter Strahlkraft.
Liliana kann besser schwimmen als ihre ältere Schwester, ist größer und aufgeschlossener. Sie hat einen festen Freund, sie studiert, schlägt sich die Nächte mit ihren Freundinnen um die Ohren. Sie trennt sich von ihrem Freund, lernt, geht ins Kino. Und dann: wird Liliana Rivera Garza ermordet. Der Täter ist ihr Ex-Partner, seither nicht verurteilt. 29 Jahre später kehrt die preisgekrönte Autorin Cristina Rivera Garza aus den USA nach Mexiko zurück, um sich dem Andenken an ihre Schwester Liliana zu widmen. Doch der Erinnerung an Liliana, an die Unbeschwertheit ihrer Jugend, an ihr Leben und ihr Sterben steht die Bürokratie der Justiz entgegen – und die Sprache. Die Sprache, um die Cristina Rivera Garza ringt, ist eine, die es nicht gibt, die es nicht geben kann, die es geben muss. Es ist eine Sprache, in der ein zu früh verlorenes Leben verstanden werden kann. Und die den Lebensfunken einer jungen, ausgelöschten Frau neu entfacht."
"Sara Christie narrates her remarkable journey from a vibrant childhood in Hyderabad to overcoming a 49-year abusive marriage. Raised in a large family with limited means, Sara’s early life was rich with love, religious teachings, and a groundbreaking pursuit of education, encouraged by her father. The memoir shifts to Sara’s adult life, marred by an arranged marriage to Dr M Hasan Jamali MD. What began with hope quickly turned into a relentless struggle as her husband's neglect and intrusive in-laws subjected her to profound emotional and physical pain. Despite the torment, Sara persevered with her medical education and career in pediatrics. Central to her transformation is Jaz, a mentor who reveals a perspective on Islam that upholds mutual respect and dignity. Jaz’s support becomes a lifeline, helping Sara to reclaim her self-worth and confront her abusive reality. Through tales of isolation, persistent neglect, and her role as a mother and professional, Sara’s story is a testament to her strength and resilience. 'Silent No More' is a powerful account of her quest for redemption and freedom after decades of suffering."
"Sombras en la hierba prolonga y completa los recuerdos que Isak Dinesen recogió de su increíble vida en Kenia, cuya parte principal quedó plasmada en uno de los libros de memorias más bellos jamás escritos: Memorias de África.
Son muchos los personajes y muchas las anécdotas que recorren como corrientes subterráneas Sombras en la hierba: el comercio en Nairobi, la caza de leones homicidas, el mundo de los sueños, las danzas rituales en la granja y una multitud de pequeños acontecimientos extraordinarios vividos entre gentes más extraordinarias aún.
Pero, a pesar de todo, no se puede hablar de autobiografía: de una u otra forma, la autora permanece al margen de la narración y cede el papel protagonista a quien nunca ha dejado de tenerlo: la vida, siempre persa, indomable, cruel y tierna."
"An inspirational story for anyone who’s grieving, Through the Darkness explores the unbreakable bonds between loved ones, even after death.
On April 18, 2017, Charlie unexpectedly loses her only child, sixteen-year-old Isaac. Devastated, she throws herself into investigating the circumstances of his death, which she suspects was related to medical negligence. As Charlie falls into darkness, she begins to sense that Isaac is communicating with her from the other side, a spiritual realm where he returns after crossing over. There, Isaac calls upon four generations of his ancestors to help him save his mother’s life.
Not long after, Charlie learns that her husband, Chris, has terminal cancer. Pushed to the brink, Charlie embarks on a quest for answers and consults with world-renowned psychic medium Allison DuBois. Based on actual events, Through the Darkness is filled with thought-provoking discussions and acts as a road map for navigating through grief to a place of renewed hope and purpose in life."
"From world traveler, entrepreneur, and content creator @DearAlyne, a vulnerable and hilarious memoir of how she escaped the restrictive expectations of her family and faith and found herself in the process.
Alyne Tamir was raised to live her life for others: for her husband, her family, and the Mormon church. For twenty-five years, she put them ahead of herself, repressing things that didn’t fit the neat, traditional story that had been written for her. On the surface, her life seemed picture-perfect. But in reality, Alyne was miserable, struggling to reconcile her flawless image with the pain and humiliation of abuse, an eating disorder, infidelity, and depression.
Until Alyne reached a breaking point: the day her husband asked for a divorce—over email. Thank God! Or, not God. Finally free from the expectations of her family and faith, Alyne had to start a new life, which meant rediscovering herself and what she secretly wanted all along: the liberating life of a digital nomad.
In a singular voice brimming with honesty and humor, Alyne invites us on a journey of strength and self-discovery—with a little bit of irreverence along the way. Dear Alyne is a one-of-a-kind, coming-of-age story and a testament to the limitless possibilities that await those brave enough to defy convention."
"Read by the author, Molly Jong-Fast.
An honest, heartbreaking and brutally funny memoir about losing a mother you never really had - and a comfort to anyone who loves someone who drives them crazy.
'I was just bowled over by this book' - Nigella Lawson
'A gripping memoir about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, loss and healing . . . exquisitely relatable' - Lori Gottlieb, author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
'Conveys the mess, terror, loneliness and glory of familial love, in all its riveting complexity' - Claire Messud, author of This Strange Eventful History
Molly Jong-Fast is the daughter of acclaimed writer Erica Jong. How to Lose Your Mother is Molly's delicious and despairing memoir about that intense mother-daughter relationship, a sometimes chaotic upbringing with a fame-hungry parent, and how that can really mess you up. But with her mother's heartbreaking descent into dementia, and Molly's realization that she is going to lose this remarkable woman, it is also a story of love, loss, confusion and deep grief.
Honest, moving and brutally funny, How to Lose Your Mother takes us behind the scenes of a fascinating and sometimes tumultuous family dynamic, revels in the gossipy details of Erica's famous friends and enemies, and leaves us with a better understanding of our own most precious relationships."
"NPR SPRING PICK
An insightful exploration that unveils the lesser-known dimensions of this legendary writer and her legacy, revealing the cultural icon’s profound impact as a visionary editor who helped define an important period in American publishing and literature.
A multifaceted genius, Toni Morrison transcended her role as an author, helping to shape an important period in American publishing and literature as an editor at one of the nation’s most prestigious publishing houses. While Toni Morrison's literary achievements are widely celebrated, her editorial work is little known. Drawing on extensive research and firsthand accounts, this comprehensive study discusses Morrison's remarkable journey from her early days at Random House to her emergence as one of its most important editors. During her tenure in editorial, Morrison refashioned the literary landscape, working with important authors, including Toni Cade Bambara, Leon Forrest, and Lucille Clifton, and empowering cultural icons such as Angela Davis and Muhammad Ali to tell their stories on their own terms.
Toni Morrison herself had great enthusiasm about Dana Williams's work on this story, generously sharing memories and thoughts with the author over the years, even giving her the book's title. From the manuscripts she molded, the authors she nurtured, and the readers she inspired, Toni at Random demonstrates how Toni Morrison has influenced American culture beyond the individual titles or authors she published. Morrison’s contribution as an editor transformed the broader literary landscape and deepened the cultural conversation. With unparalleled insight and sensitivity, Toni at Random charts this editorial odyssey.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook."
"In this wondrously unusual memoir, a woman retreats into her shell in the aftermath of her divorce, and must choose between the pleasures and the perils of a closed-up life-a transformation fable from an acclaimed 5 Under 35 National Book Foundation honoree.
"A marvel and a delight . . . This is a book that will stay with me forever."-Leslie Jamison, author of Splinters
We've all heard the story about waking up as a cockroach-but what if a crisis turned you into a clam? After the dissolution of her marriage, a writer is transformed into a "clam" via typo after her mother keeps texting her to "clam down." The funny if unhelpful command forces her to ask what it means to "clam down"-to retreat, hide, close up, and stay silent. Idiomatically, we are said to "clam up" when we can't speak, and to "come out of our shell" when we reemerge, transformed.
In order to understand her path, the clam digs into examples of others who have embraced lives of reclusiveness and extremity. Finally, she confronts her own "clam genealogy" to interview her dad, who disappeared for a decade to write a mysterious accounting software called Shell Computing. By excavating his past to better understand his decisions, she learns not only how to forgive him but also how to move on from her own wounds of abandonment and insecurity.
Using a genre-defying structure and written in novelistic prose that draws from art, literature, and natural history, Anelise Chen unfolds a complex story of interspecies connectedness, in which humans learn lessons of adaptation and survival from their mollusk kin. While it makes sense in certain situations to retreat behind fortified walls, the choice to do so also exacts a price. What is the price of building up walls? How can one take them back down when they are no longer necessary?"
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