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For the Thrill of It: Leopold, Loeb, and the Murder That Shocked Chicago
It was a crime that shocked the nation, a brutal murder in Chicago in 1924 of a child, by two wealthy college students who killed solely for the thrill of the experience Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb had first met several years earlier, and their friendship had blossomed into a love affair. Both were intellectuals—too smart, they believed, for the police to catch them. However, the police had recovered an important clue at the scene of the crime—a pair of eyeglasses—and soon both Leopold and Loeb were in the custody of Cook County. They confessed, and Robert Crowe, the state's attorney, announced to newspaper reporters that he had a hanging case. No defense, he believed, would save the two ruthless killers from the gallows. Set against the backdrop of the 1920s, a time of prosperity, self-indulgence, and hedonistic excess, For the Thrill of It draws the reader into a lost world, a world of speakeasies and flappers, of gangsters and gin parties, that existed when Chicago was a lawless city on the brink of anarchy. The rejection of morality, the worship of youth, and the obsession with sex had seemingly found their expression in this callous murder. But the murder is only half the story. After Leopold and Loeb were arrested, their families hired Clarence Darrow to defend their sons. Darrow, the most famous lawyer in America, aimed to save Leopold and Loeb from the death penalty by showing that the crime was the inevitable consequence of sexual and psychological abuse that each defendant had suffered during childhood at the hands of adults. Both boys, Darrow claimed, had experienced a compulsion to kill, and therefore, he appealed to the judge, they should be spared capital punishment. However, Darrow faced a worthy adversary in his prosecuting attorney: Robert Crowe was clever, cunning, and charismatic, with ambitions of becoming Chicago's next mayor—and he was determined to send Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb to their deaths. A masterful storyteller, Simon Baatz has written a gripping account of the infamous Leopold and Loeb case. Using court records and recently discovered transcripts, Baatz shows how the pathological relationship between Leopold and Loeb inexorably led to their crime. This thrilling narrative of murder and mystery in the Jazz Age will keep the reader in a continual state of suspense as the story twists and turns its way to an unexpected conclusion. .
Price: $18.45
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The Soiling of Old Glory: The Story of a Photograph That Shocked America
Sometimes a moment can change history This one took 1/250th of a second. The photograph strikes us with visceral force, even years after the instant it captured A white man, rage written on his face, lunges to spear a black man who is being held by another white. The assailant’s weapon is the American flag. Boston, April 5, 1976: As the city simmered with racial tension over forced school busing, newsman Stanley Forman hurried to City Hall to photograph that day’s protest, arriving just in time to snap the image that his editor would title “The Soiling of Old Glory.” The photo made headlines across the U.S. and won Forman his second Pulitzer Prize. It shocked Boston, and America: Racial strife had not only not ended with the 1960s, it was alive and well in the cradle of liberty. Louis P. Masur’s evocative “biography of a photograph” unpacks this arresting image in a tour de force of historical writing. He examines the power of photography and the meaning of the flag, asking why this one picture had so much impact. Most poignantly, Masur recreates the moment and its aftermath, drawing on extensive interviews with Forman and the figures in the photo to reveal not just how the incident happened, but how it changed the lives of the men in it. The Soiling of Old Glory, like the photograph it is named for, offers a dramatic window onto the turbulence of the 1970s and race relations in America. .
Price: $9.00
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DK Readers: Titanic: The Disaster That Shocked the World! (Level 3: Reading Alone)
The disaster that shocked the world! Courage and tragedy .. this is the story of the "safest" ship ever built. The 48-page Level 3 books, designed for children who can read on their own, contain more complex sentence structure and more detail. Young readers will devour these kid-friendly titles, which cover high-interest topics such as sharks, and the Bermuda Triangle, as well as classics like Aladdin. Information boxes highlight historical references, trivia, pronunciation, and other facts about words and names mentioned. Averaging 2,400 to 2,800 words, these books offer a 50/50 picture-to-text ratio. The Dorling Kindersley Readers combine an enticing visual layout with high-interest, easy-to-read stories to captivate and delight young bookworms who are just getting started. Written by leading children's authors and compiled in consultation with literacy experts, these engaging books build reader confidence along with a lifelong appreciation for nonfiction, classic stories, and biographies. There is a DK Reader to interest every child at every level, from preschool to grade 4..
Price: $1.05
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Shocked, Appalled, and Dismayed! How to Write Letters of Complaint That Get Results
Rarely does a day go by when most of us do not have to deal with surly salespeople, cheaply made products, or vast and indifferent bureaucracies. Most of us endure this with a stoicism worthy of Seneca himself After all, what's the use of complaining? It all seems to fall on deaf ears, anyway. But the world needn't be like this, according to Ellen Phillips, consumer consultant and founder of Ellen's Poison Pen, Inc. Since 1988, Phillips has been helping frustrated consumers to get refunds and apologies from everyone from the corner druggist to massive insurance agencies. In her book, Shocked, Appalled, and Dismayed!, Phillips shares the secrets of writing letters of complaint that get results. The first few chapters cover the general dos and don'ts of writing effective letters of complaint (remain calm, use polite language), along with useful advice from legal experts (don't embellish, stick to the facts). The chapters that follow target specific problems we all face at some time in our lives, ranging from getting bumped from a flight to the secrets of successfully dealing with your HMO. Each chapter contains bullet points, illustrative anecdotes, and a number of example letters, most of which were based on actual letters sent on behalf of Phillips's clients. On top of all this, Phillips also provides an appendix listing the names and addresses of over 600 major companies, government agencies, and consumer organizations. Phillips believes that we should get what we pay for, and after reading her book, you'll be able to stand up for your rights with confidence..
Price: $3.00
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God in the Flesh: What Speechless Lawyers, Kneeling Soldiers And Shocked Crowds Teach Us About Jesus
Winner of a 2006 Logos Book Award!A Likewise book."They were amazed at his teaching ""They fell down before him.""He touched her hand.""They left their nets."Often when we read the New Testament accounts of Jesus' life, we focus on his teachings and stories But Don Everts draws our attention to the seemingly insignificant "stage directions" of the Gospels that describe the activity surrounding him. Everts writes, "It's significant that in the Gospels we don't just have a bullet list of quotes from Jesus." We also have observations of what he did and how people responded to him. By examining these simple phrases and casual comments, Everts assembles a startlingly fresh portrait of who Jesus was and is. While no one has seen the invisible God, when we look at the life of Jesus, we discover what his early followers discovered--that Jesus is the very flesh of God..
Price: $3.62
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Ripley's Believe It Or Not: Prepare to Be Shocked (Ripley's Believe It Or Not)
The electrifying holographic cover of Ripley's Believe It or Not! Prepare to be Shocked gives a tantalizing taste of the bizarre and amazing facts and pictures to be found throughout the latest book in Ripley's multi-million-selling series. Among the crazy stories featured is the Electric Man who can power light bulbs and fry fish in his bare hands, a jet-powered bar stool, a man with bright blue skin, and cats that glow in the dark! Seventeen chapters--ranging from Epic Endeavors and Fun Festivals to Fantastic Food and Startling Art--cover an ever-widening group of subjects and stories around which the book is based. Intriguing interviews with astounding individuals spotlight their achievements and reveal more about what makes them tick. Informative `Ripley's Research' boxes give the scientific explanation behind some of the most incredible tales in the book, such as why cats are sometimes born with wings, how someone can swallow live snakes, and how snow donuts are actually formed. In addition, miscellaneous lists and other text features are scattered throughout, including a list of competitive eating achievements and a recipe for deep-fried scorpions. And double-page features, entitled `Enter the Vault,' showcase the best of the Ripley archive of black and white photographs of unbelievable people, places, and creatures of the past. Every page will make you gasp with astonishment at the truly unbelievable tales that make up the wonderful world of Ripley's Believe It or Not!.
Price: $19.11
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Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told
Shocked by the Bible sets the record straight with well-researched, controversial, myth-breaking assertions about what the Bible really does-and doesn't-say. Myths and misconceptions about the Bible's content abound, and churchgoing Christians are often as confused as everyone else. Fed up with this lack of public knowledge, author Joe Kovacs has compiled some of the most crucial information for correcting people's faulty education on what the Bible really says. If readers have ever wondered about God, the Bible, or the meaning of life, and are just not satisfied with the answers they've received-or if they want to learn what the Bible really says on troubling questions-Shocked by the Bible is an essential resource for helping both Christians and non-Christians alike. Kovacs says, "If people actually knew what is in their Bible-the nonstop sex and violence, the hilarious comedy, and the astounding facts their pastors never told them-they'd rush to crack it open and get the surprise of their lives." Among the little-known facts Kovacs explores are: - Jesus said NO ONE has gone to heaven except Himself
- The Bible never says Jesus died on a Friday or rose from the grave Sunday morning
- "Christmas" is not mentioned in the Bible
- "Easter" has vanished from the Bible
- God wanted to kill Moses
- "God the Father" is never mentioned in the Old Testament
- There weren't just two of every kind of animal aboard Noah's Ark
- The worst case of hemorrhoids in history is recorded in the Bible
- Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were not Jews
- Jesus made personal appearances on Earth in the Old Testament
- The Bible tells you not to eat your dog or cat for dinner
- God ordered many of His own people to get divorced
- Elijah did not cheat death by riding a chariot to heaven
- And many more
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Price: $15.63
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Turn Away Thy Son: Little Rock, the Crisis That Shocked the Nation
In September 1957 nine black children tried to integrate Arkansas's Little Rock Central High School in accordance with the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Claiming he was acting to keep the peace, Gov. Orval Faubus used the Arkansas National Guard to keep them out of the school. After a lengthy standoff, President Eisenhower called in the 101st Airborne and reluctantly, slowly, but forcibly began to integrate the school. The standoff became a rallying cry for Southern segregationists and a marker of the country's shame. The accounts that have been so mythologized over the years leave people embarrassed and angry, yet the myth is a cardboard cutout of the full story. Turn Away Thy Son, told from the point of view of sixteen key participants, brings the nine students, their tormentors, the school administration, the governor, and the press to vivid life. It shows the truth about Little Rock, beyond the caricatures to the fundamental driving forces that made school desegregation the hottest of hot-button issues in the Jim Crow South..
Price: $6.73
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The Queen's Necklace: Marie Antoinette and the Scandal that Shocked and Mystified France (Phoenix Press)
Written in 1961 and now back in print, this classic and fascinating true crime story stars none other than Marie Antoinette. Four years before the French Revolution, some priceless diamonds were purchased in elaborate secrecy from a court jeweler. The jewels, not yet paid for, were delivered into the hands of the first Prelate of the Church of France. He, in turn, gave it to a countess who claimed to be acting for Marie Antoinette. Although essentially an innocent bystander, the Queen became embroiled in a scandal that fatally weakened the monarchy.
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Price: $4.90
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