A Moving Memoir

In most autobiographies, the writer understandably positions himself as the star of his own life story. Not Roger Ebert. In Life Itself: A Memoir, he is content to be the chronicler, the one who simply bears witness as events unfold. Whether he is waxing nostalgic for Steak 'n Shake, telling of an afternoon with John Wayne, or sharing his battle with alcoholism, Ebert invites us to experience the milestones along with him. From his days in the newsroom with Mike Royko and Studs Terkel to his poignant friendship with Gene Siskel, he showcases the gifts of others. Though cancer has since robbed Ebert of the ability to speak, narrator Edward Herrmann lends him a powerful yet sensitive voice in one of the best recordings of 2011.

Sunburns, Broken Arches, and Insanity on the Mother Road

C.C. Pyle called himself a promoter. Others called him a con man. In 1928, when endurance tests – like flagpole sitting and all-day dances – were the rage, C.C. Pyle held a cross country race. One hundred ninety-nine people paid Pyle an entry fee to run from Los Angeles to New York City for the chance to win $25,000. It was a 3,423 mile race. Contestants ran 30 – 50 miles a day in an era before supportive or flexible shoes. They suffered from malnutrition, sunburns, nervous breakdowns, hit and runs, fallen arches, ripped muscles, and even a blizzard in Amarillo. C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race, by Geoff Williams, chronicles the drastically underfinanced race and Pyle’s attempts to stay a step ahead of his debt collectors.

LIST-O-RAMA: True Animal Stories

“Happiness is a warm puppy,” said Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts comic strip. But some of us might think happiness is a warm cat. Or owl, chimp, horse, elephant, etc.

Click here for true animal stories that will warm your heart.

A War Correspondent Finds Peace

Anthony Shadid was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent. His coverage of three Middle Eastern wars (wherein he was shot and held as a prisoner of war) ruined his marriage. He felt broken by his personal life and jaded by the hostile politics surrounding his ancestral homeland, Lebanon. Then Shadid learned that a rocket had crashed into his great-grandfather’s home. House of Stone chronicles how rebuilding his great-grandfather’s home restored Shadid himself. Equal parts memoir and Lebanese primer, House of Stone is a moving family history that will appeal to anyone who enjoyed Three Cups of Tea or The Bookseller of Kabul.

LIST-O-RAMA: Comedic Female Memoirs

“If my life wasn’t funny it would just be true, and that is unacceptable,” said Carrie Fisher. You can find out what she meant in her memoir, Wishful Drinking.

If you want to read more sordid, hilarious, and sometimes sad memoirs by famous, funny women, click here.

Paris in Love

Donna C. of Fiction/AV/Teen Services recommends Paris in Love by Eloisa James:

Have you ever longed to spend an afternoon window-shopping along Parisian boulevards, or sipping coffee outdoors while indulging in decadent pastries, or gazing out latticed windows at the rainy, cobbled streets of Paris? If so, you’ll enjoy Eloisa James’ memoir, Paris in Love. For many of us, the decision to move abroad will forever be a daydream. But for James, a best-selling romance writer and professor, her dream was realized. Chronicling her adventure, James embellished Facebook posts and Twitter tweets from that year, resulting in a patchwork of observations of an American’s interaction with a culture both familiar and distinct. If you’re looking for a chance to savor a rich slice of life, Parisian-style, this is a book for you.

Predictions from the Past

Jetpacks, hoverboards, x-ray specs, teleportation – the future was supposed to be full of this cool stuff. Through the first half of the 20th Century, an optimistic futurism swept the U.S. and was popularized by TV and magazines like Star Trek and Popular Mechanics. We live in a fantastic age – the Internet alone has revolutionized modern life, but…where are the robot servants, flying cars, and cities on the moon? If you’re interested in what previous generations thought the future would be, check out Gregory Benford’s retro-art-tastic The Wonderful Future That Never Was and Daniel H. Wilson’s humorous commentary in Where’s My Jetpack?

When Customer Service Is an Oxymoron

Jon Yates is a superhero for the little guy. As the Problem Solver, he writes a regular column for the Chicago Tribune in which he goes to bat for consumers who have been overcharged, taken advantage of, and left in the cold. His job is to pressure businesses and services into doing what they should have done in the first place, and now he wants to teach the tricks of his trade to you. His new book What’s Your Problem? celebrates success stories, tells which resources are available when you are dissatisfied, and gives tips on how to use the media to your advantage. What are you waiting for? Cut through the red tape, challenge the system, and get your money back!

LIST-O-RAMA: A Whole Lotta Elvis!

If a burning love has you all shook up and shuttered deep in a heartbreak hotel, the only thing that can help you and your blue suede shoes is the king himself, Elvis. Whether you’re a new fan or old, the Library has plenty of Elvis books, movies, and music to sate you.

To surrender to the best Elvis fiction, nonfiction, movies, and music, click here.

Behind the Closed Doors of Car Companies

Remember the glory days when gasoline was under a buck a gallon? Heck, when it was under three bucks a gallon? The golden age of cheap gasoline seems to be over in America. To combat the continual rise of crude oil, more and more companies are exploring the option of…electric cars. Revenge of the Electric Car is Chris Paine’s hope-filled follow-up to his 2006 documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car? Revenge of the Electric Car mainly follows Chevrolet, Nissan and Tesla Motors as they all try to capture the public’s hearts (and wallets) without the assistance of gasoline.