Tilar J. Mazzeo

In 1942, one young social worker, Irena Sendler, was granted access to the Warsaw ghetto as a public health specialist. While there, she reached out to the trapped Jewish families, going from door to door and asking the parents to trust her with their young children. She started smuggling them out of the walled district, convincing her friends and neighbors to hide them. Driven to extreme measures and with the help of a network of local tradesmen, ghetto residents, and her star-crossed lover in the Jewish resistance, Irena ultimately smuggled thousands of children past the Nazis. She made dangerous trips through the city's sewers, hid children in coffins, snuck them under overcoats at checkpoints, and slipped them through secret passages in abandoned buildings. But Irena did something even more astonishing at immense personal risk: she kept secret lists buried in bottles under an old apple tree in a friend's back garden. On them were the names and true identities of those Jewish children, recorded with the hope that their relatives could find them after the war. She could not have known that more than ninety percent of their families would perish.

The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto

Irena's Children

Established in 1898 in the heart of Paris on the Place Vendôme, the Hôtel Ritz instantly became an icon of the city frequented by film stars and celebrity writers, American heiresses and risqué flappers, politicians, playboys, and princes. By the 1920s the bar became a favorite watering hole for F. Scott Fitzgerald and other writers of the Lost Generation, including Ernest Hemingway. In June 1940, when France fell to the Germans, Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of the Third Reich, famously declared that the nation's capital would remain a high-spirited place—or else. Orders from Berlin specified that the Hôtel Ritz would be the only luxury hotel of its kind in occupied Paris. Tilar J. Mazzeo traces the history of this cultural landmark from its opening in fin de siècle Paris to the modern era. At its center, The Hotel on Place Vendôme chronicles life at the Ritz during wartime, when the hotel simultaneously served as headquarters to the highest-ranking German officers, such as Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, and home to wealthy patrons (and to the spies among them) who stayed on in Paris. At Coco Chanel's table in the dining room on any given evening, one might find the playwright and screenwriter Sacha Guitry, the lithe Russian ballet star Serge Lifar, or Jean Cocteau and his handsome boyfriend. Mazzeo takes us into the grand palace's suites, bars, dining rooms, and wine cellars, revealing a hotbed of illicit affairs and deadly intrigue, as well as stunning acts of defiance and treachery, in which refugees were hidden in secret rooms, a Jewish bartender passed coded messages for the German resistance, and Wehrmacht officers plotted to assassinate the Führer. By the spring of 1944, as the tides of the war shifted, these stories were all coming to their dramatic and sometimes heartbreaking conclusions. There were celebrations as well: when Ernest Hemingway returned in the last hours of the occupation with his rogue band of "irregular" troops to liberate the Hôtel Ritz, they also liberated many bottles of vintage wine from its cellars. The result is the story of The Hotel on Place Vendôme—a singular season at the world-class hotel, an intimate and riveting portrait of the last days of the Second World War.

Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris

The Hotel on Place Vendome

From the New York Times bestselling author of Irena’s Children comes a comprehensive and riveting biography of the extraordinary life and times of Eliza Hamilton, the wife of founding father Alexander Hamilton, and a powerful, unsung hero in America’s early days. Fans fell in love with Eliza Hamilton—Alexander Hamilton’s devoted wife—in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s phenomenal musical Hamilton. But they don’t know her full story. A strong pioneer woman, a loving sister, a caring mother, and in her later years, a generous philanthropist, Eliza had many sides—and this fascinating biography brings her multi-faceted personality to vivid life. Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of The Wife of Alexander Hamilton follows Eliza through her early years in New York, into the ups and downs of her married life with Alexander, beyond the aftermath of his tragic murder, and finally to her involvement in many projects that cemented her legacy as one of the unsung heroes of our nation’s early days. Featuring Mazzeo’s “impeccable research and crafting” (Library Journal), and perfect for fans of the richly detailed historical books by Ron Chernow and Erik Larson, Eliza Hamilton is the captivating account of the woman behind the famous man.

The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton

Eliza Hamilton

Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamour, style, and luxury. But who was this young widow--the Veuve Clicquot--whose champagne sparkled at the courts of France, Britain, and Russia, and how did she rise to celebrity and fortune? Cultural historian Mazz

The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It

The Widow Clicquot

The unauthorized biography of the world's most famous, seductive, and successful perfume With its rich golden hue, art deco–inspired bottle, and timeless, musky scent, Chanel No. 5 is the world's bestselling perfume. Reverently known among industry insiders as le monstre—the monster—it is arguably the most coveted consumer luxury product of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Yet how did this pioneering celebrity fragrance, introduced in the early 1920s, eventually take on a life of its own, becoming a cultural monument celebrated by millions of devoted consumers? The Secret of Chanel No. 5 is Tilar J. Mazzeo's far-ranging and fascinating search beyond the stuff of legend to uncover the full story of No. 5's creation, iconic status, and extraordinary success. Mazzeo goes back through time and deep into the life of Coco Chanel, the brilliant, controversial, and steel-willed businesswoman at the heart of the fragrance. She takes readers to the rose plantations and celebrated jasmine fields where the perfume begins and then to the laboratories and boardrooms where scent and sex are forever intertwined. And she travels to the heart of the Chanel empire: 31 Rue Cambon, Coco Chanel's flagship boutique, where six decades ago American GIs stormed the counters to possess the magical elixir that captured the luxury and romance of Paris for their girls back home. A blend of evocative history and thoughtful research, here is a glittering account of where art and sensuality mingle with dazzling entrepreneurship and desire: Chanel No. 5.

The Intimate History of the World's Most Famous Perfume

The Secret of Chanel No. 5

the history of a champagne empire and the woman who ruled it

The widow Clicquot

Mary Cronk Farrell

Presents the story of a Holocaust rescuer to reveal the formidable risks she took to her own safety to save some 2,500 children from death and deportation in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II.

Young Readers Edition; A True Story of Courage

Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamour, style, and luxury. In The Widow Clicquot, Tilar J. Mazzeo brings to life—for the first time—the fascinating woman behind the iconic yellow label: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, who, after her husband's death, defied convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured together. Steering the company through dizzying political and financial reversals, she became one of the world's first great businesswomen and one of the richest women of her time. As much a fascinating journey through the process of making this temperamental wine as a biography of a uniquely tempered woman, The Widow Clicquot is the captivating true story of a legend and a visionary.

La ragazza dei fiori di vetro

How a German Spy, a Banker's Wife, and Mussolini's Daughter Outwitted the Nazis

Sisters in Resistance

Los niños de Irena

Irena Sendler, «el ángel del gueto de Varsovia», fue una enfermera y trabajadora social polaca que, en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, salvó a más de dos mil quinientos niños judíos condenados a ser víctimas del Holocausto. Llegó a ser candidata al Premio Nobel de la Paz, fue reconocida como Justa entre las naciones y se le otorgó la más alta distinción civil de Polonia: la Orden del Águila Blanca. Esta novela cuenta cómo llegó a convertirse en esa heroína, la historia de la joven y hermosa mujer que tuvo que hacer frente a grandes riesgos, a pesar de los cuales no dudó en poner en peligro su vida para ayudar a salvar las vidas de miles de pequeños. Muchos de aquellos niños están vivos y cuentan su parte de la historia en primera persona. El relato de Irena es una historia de valentía, pero también de un amor imposible y, por supuesto, de una época histórica tan terrible como real: la Segunda Guerra Mundial. (Fuente: www.lacasadellibro.com).

Los niños de Irena : la extraordinaria historia del ángel del gueto de Varsovia

skutočný pribeh o žene, ktorá zachránila viac ako 2500 deti z varšavského geta

Irenine deti

Marguerite H. Helmers

The collected essays that comprise The Traveling and Writing Self examine the critical relationship between the journey, the author of the travel narrative, and published and private texts. Contributors draw attention to the performed nature of the travel writerâ (TM)s self, emphasizing that the carefully crafted persona of the traveler-protagonist is a fiction. The travelerâ (TM)s identity is frequently in flux, negotiating between social convention, literary convention, personal motivations, and nationalist agendas. The Traveling and Writing Self is a notable addition to studies of travel writing because the contributors explore several genres in addition to the traditional accounts of the journey; these genres include histories of exploration, diaries, memoir, poetry, film, and short story. Not limited to a specific historical era or geographical location, individual chapters explore the work of Rebecca Solnit, Isak Dinesen, Melinda Atwood, William Byrd, E. J. Pratt, Beatrice Grimshaw, and Louisa May Alcott. From each, we learn that perhaps the most interesting subject of any travel account is the author.

The Traveling and Writing Self

* A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK One woman. One ship. One astonishing true story. 'Hear the wind whistle through the ropes, taste the salt spray and feel the roll of the ship.... A true-life epic.' Peter Fretwell, author of Antarctic Atlas ___ Summer 1856. Nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Patten and her husband, Joshua, are young and ambitious. Both from New England seafaring families, they have already completed their first global voyage with Joshua as captain. Their dream of building a home and a family is almost within reach, but the price of that freedom is one last dangerous transit - a high-stakes race to deliver supplies to the other side of the country. And there is no alternative but to sail all the way around. Yet as their ship leaves New York, navigating towards the jagged coastline of South America, Joshua falls sick, confined to his bunk and delirious. The treacherous first mate is imprisoned in the brig for insubordination. With no obvious option for a new captain, Mary Ann steps up to take the helm. Within days, she has put down a mutiny. Now she must attempt to steer this 216-foot ship, laden with the modern equivalent of $11 million of cargo, through Drake's Passage and around Cape Horn - the most treacherous waters in the world. To the Edge of the World is the true story of one woman who, when faced with impossible odds, would do all that was necessary to survive. ___ 'In all non-fiction maritime literature, this is a story without parallel.' Mensun Bound, author of The Ship Beneath the Ice 'What a breathtaking journey! A spellbinding triumph of storytelling.' Marie Benedict, author of The Queens of Crime 'An epic tale of courage, fortitude, and grit.' Siddharth Kara, author of The Zorg

A Mutinous Crew, a Perilous Storm and the Woman Who Defied Them All

To the Edge of the World

One woman. One ship. One astonishing true story.Summer 1856. Nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Patten and her husband, Joshua, are young and ambitious. Both from New England seafaring families, they have already completed their first voyage around the world with Joshua as captain. Their dream of building a home and a family is almost within reach, but the price is one last dangerous transit a race to deliver supplies to the other side of the country. And there is no alternative but to sail all the way around.Yet as their ship leaves New York, navigating towards the jagged coastline of South America, Joshua falls ill, confined to his bunk and delirious. The treacherous first mate is imprisoned in the brig for insubordination, and with no obvious option for a new captain, Mary Ann steps into the breach. Within days she has put down a mutiny and must now attempt to steer this 216' clipper ship laden with the modern equivalent of $11 million of cargo through Drake's Passage and around Cape Horn the most treacherous waters in the world.To the Edge of the Worldis the true story of one woman who, when faced with impossible odds, would do all that was necessary to survive.'What a breathtaking journey! The perilous ship race, the treacherous weather, a mutinous uprising, the life-threatening illness of the captain, and most of all, the heroic efforts of his wife, Mary Ann Patten... A spellbinding triumph' Marie Benedict, author of Queens of Crime'An epic tale of courage, fortitude, and grit'Siddharth Kara, author of Cobalt Redand The Zorg.

To the Edge of the World: A Perilous Storm, A Mutinous Crew and the Woman Who Defied Them All

With its rich golden hue, art deco–inspired bottle, and timeless, musky scent, Chanel No. 5 is the world’s bestselling perfume and arguably the most coveted luxury product of the twentieth century. In The Secret of Chanel No. 5, Tilar J. Mazzeo offers a fascinating account of No. 5’s creation, its rise to iconic status, and the legacy of its extraordinary success. Mazzeo delves deeply into the life of Coco Chanel, the brilliant, controversial, and steel-willed businesswoman at the heart of the fragrance. She walks the rose plantations and jasmine fields where the perfume’s life begins, and travels to 31 Rue Cambon, the center of the Chanel empire. A blend of evocative history and thoughtful research, here is a glittering account of where art and sensuality mingle with dazzling entrepreneurship and desire: Chanel No. 5.

The extraordinary true story of how three women — a fascist’s daughter, a German spy, and an American socialite — raced against Hitler’s SS to get key evidence into the hands of the Allies. In 1943, Edda Mussolini, daughter of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, gave her father and Hitler an extraordinary ultimatum: release her husband, Italy’s former foreign minister, Galeazzo Ciano, from prison, or risk her leaking her husband’s diaries to the press. Knowing the diaries would expose Nazi lies and create a foundation for war crimes prosecutions, Hitler and Mussolini vowed to do everything in their power to see the diaries destroyed — even if it meant killing Mussolini’s daughter. To do this, they ordered Hilde Beetz, a German spy, to seduce Ciano in prison in order to learn the diaries’ location. However, the seducer became the seduced, joining forces with Edda to try to save Ciano from execution. When this failed, Edda fled, with Hilde’s daring assistance, to keep Ciano’s final wish: to see the diaries published for use by the Allies. Upon learning of Edda’s escape, the head of United States intelligence, Alan Dulles, sent in socialite Frances de Chollet, assigned by chance to a mission that would change her life. Her task was to find Edda, gain her trust, and, crucially, hand the diaries over to the Americans. Against all expectations, what developed was a rich and humanising friendship between the two women. Staying one step ahead of the Gestapo agents who were hunting Edda, together they succeeded in preserving one of the most important historic documents of World War II. Containing all the detailed twists and turns of a spy thriller, this is the story of three women, each faced with unbearable pressures and weighty moral questions, whose lives were drawn together in one of the most unlikely rescues of World War II.

how a German spy, a banker’s wife, and Mussolini’s daughter outwitted the Nazis

For desperate families trapped inside the Warsaw ghetto in 1942 with small children, one name was whispered urgently. It was the name of a young social worker in her thirties with the courage to take staggering risks and to save over 2,000 of those children from death and deportation. Granted access to the ghetto as a public health specialist, Irena Sendler began by smuggling orphaned children out of the walled district and convincing her friends and neighbours to hide them. Soon, she began the perilous work of going from door to door and asking Jewish families to trust her with their young children. Driven to extreme measures and with the help of local Warsaw tradesman, Jewish residents, a network of mothers and her star-crossed lover in the Polish resistance, Irena Sendler ultimately smuggled thousands of children past the Nazis, making dangerous trips through city's sewers, hiding them in coffins and under overcoats at check points, and slipping through secret passages in abandoned buildings. At immense personal risk, Irena Sendler did something even more astonishing: she kept a secret list buried in a jar under an old apple tree in her garden. On it were the names and true identities of these Jewish children, recorded so that after the war their families could find them. Celebrated for her courage, Sendler was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, the year before her death at the age of 98. The story of Irena Sendler - and of the children she saved - has until now never been told in a compelling narrative account.

The extraordinary woman who saved thousands of children from the Warsaw Ghetto

Guidebook features wineries, restaurants and picnic provisions for each geographic region and gives advice for successful wine tourism.

Tilar J. Mazzeo

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