nonfiction - Macmillan Library

Spiders and Pigs: The Life of E.B. White

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Ali Fisher

In THE STORY OF CHARLOTTE'S WEB, Michael Sims tells the charming story of E.B. White, the man who created Wilbur, Charlotte, Fern, and, of course, everyone's favorite self-proclaimed glutton Templeton.

Library Journal says, "Sims successfully argues that CHARLOTTE'S WEB unintentionally became a 'summary of what it felt like to be E.B. White.' [...] Scholars of children’s literature as well as fans—child and grown-up alike—of either White generally or Charlotte’s Web in particular will enjoy this biblio-biography."

And Kirkus Reviews says it's, "Packed with the same kind of sensory detail its subject reveled in, this account is an honorable addition to the literature of letters."

This is the type of biography that is so rich with detail and driven with purpose it reads like a novel.*

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The Boy in the Moon: Learning from Disabilities

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Ali Fisher

THE BOY IN THE MOON is an extraordinary true story that we felt we needed to bring to your attention.

Author Ian Brown’s son Walker is one of only about 300 people worldwide diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome—an extremely rare genetic mutation that results in unusual facial appearance, the inability to speak, and a compulsion to hit himself constantly. At age thirteen, he is mentally and developmentally between one and three years old and will need constant care for the rest of his life.

Brown travels the globe, meeting with genetic scientists and neurologists as well as parents, to solve the questions Walker’s doctors can’t answer. In his journey, he offers an insightful critique of society’s assumptions about the disabled, and he discovers a connected community of families living with this illness. As Brown gradually lets go of his self-blame and hope for a cure, he learns to accept the Walker he loves, just as he is.

Kirkus Reviews calls it, "A father’s candid, heart-wrenching account of raising, loving and trying to connect with and gain insight into his severely disabled son. [...] Much more than a moving journal of life with a disabled child; it is about Brown’s quest to understand his son and his son’s condition."

The New York Times Book Review did a wonderful piece about Brown, Walker, and their book; we recommend you take a look at it. Read "What Disabled Children Teach Us" here.

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Library Journal’s List: 9/11 Ten Years Later

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Earlier this month Library Journal printed a list of notable books on the topic of September 11th. In their article, Changed Forever—9/11 Ten Years Later, Library Journal highlighted a few of our books that we think are worth repeating.

102 MINUTES: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE FLIGHT TO SURVIVE INSIDE THE TWIN TOWERS
Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn
marked as a "core title"

At 8:46 am on September 11, 2001, 14,000 people were inside the twin towers. Over the next 102 minutes, each would become part of a drama for the ages.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews with rescuers and survivors, thousands of pages of oral histories, and countless phone, e-mail, and emergency radio transcripts, New York Times reporters Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn tell the story of September 11 from the inside looking out.

A HISTORY OF THE WORLD SINCE 9/11: DISASTER, DECEPTION, AND DESTRUCTION IN THE WAR ON TERROR
Dominic Streatfeild

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Nonfiction Naked with Rob Kirkpatrick #3

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Nonfiction Naked is brought to you by Rob Kirkpatrick, a senior editor with Thomas Dunne Books at St. Martin's Press!

See all of Rob's Nonfiction Naked articles here.

Hi everyone, I’m back to tell you about two great titles for 2011…

Jackie as Editor: The Literary Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Greg Lawrence

In case you missed it earlier this year, you should check out JACKIE AS EDITOR: THE LITERARY LIFE OF JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS by Greg Lawrence. History remembers Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as the consummate first lady, the quintessential embodiment of elegance. But many people forget that after JFK and after Aristotle, Jackie enjoyed a long career as a book editor for almost two decades and worked on more than 100 books at Viking and Doubleday during the industry’s Golden Age. Lawrence, one of the authors whom Jackie edited, draws from interviews with more than 125 of her former collaborators and acquaintances in the publishing world.

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Eaarth: A ‘Books for a Better Life’ Award Winner

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Ali Fisher

In his recent release, EAARTH, Bill McKibben argues that we've created, in very short order, a new planet, still recognizable but fundamentally different, and it's now time to scale back and create a sustainable society that can weather futher change.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has selected this book as the winner of their Books for a Better Life Award in the Green category! If you would like a copy, I have a few available! Shoot me an email (subject: Eaarth) to: library at macmillanusa dot com.

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Naked Nonfiction with Rob Kirkpatrick: #2

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Ben Rubinstein

Nonfiction Naked comes from the mouth of Rob Kirkpatrick, a senior editor with Thomas Dunne Books at St. Martin's Press!

Hi again! As my
friend Talia has reminded me now and then, it’s been a while since my last
post, so I’m pleased to be writing to you again—and hope to do so with more
frequency from now on!

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Nonfiction Naked with guest Rob Kirkpatrick.

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Ben Rubinstein

Hi there. I’m Rob Kirkpatrick, Senior Editor with the Thomas Dunne Books imprint at St. Martin’s Press. I came to the Macmillan family with a wide variety of publishing experience, including four years at Greenwood Publishing, when I had the chance to meet a number of public and academic librarians and talk with them about the needs and interests of their patrons.
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