Central Skagit Library District

A riveting saga in the history of rock 'n' roll: the decades-long rivalry between the two men who innovated the electric guitar's amplified sound--Leo Fender and Les Paul--and their intense competition to convince rock stars like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton to play the instruments they built. "In the years after World War II, music was evolving from big-band jazz into the primordial elements of rock 'n' roll--and these louder styles...

"Disunion Among Ourselves tells the story of the deep political divisions that almost tore the Union apart in the 1770s and 1780s. So fractious were the founders' political fights that they feared the War of Independence might end in disunion and civil war. Instead of disbanding into separate regional confederacies, however, the founders united through self-sacrifice and compromise. They succeeded in holding the young nation together in part by transcending...

The Mongols are widely known for one thing: conquest. In the first comprehensive history of the Horde, the western portion of the Mongol empire that arose after the death of Chinggis Khan, Marie Favereau shows that the accomplishments of the Mongols extended far beyond war. For three hundred years, the Horde was no less a force in global development than Rome had been. It left behind a profound legacy in Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle...

"O'Reilly blends primary, never-before-released interview material with a history that recounts Trump's childhood and family and the factors from his life and career that forged the worldview that the president of the United States has taken to the White House. Not a partisan pro-Trump or anti-Trump book, this is an up-to-the-minute, intimate view of the man and his sphere of influence -- of "how Donald Trump's view of America was formed, and how...

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer, yet her cells--taken without her knowledge--became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first "immortal" human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer and viruses; helped lead to in vitro...

Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, Freeman shows that the Capitol was rife with conflict in the decades before the Civil War. Legislative sessions were often punctuated by mortal threats, canings, flipped desks, and all-out slugfests. When debate broke down, congressmen drew pistols and waved Bowie knives. One representative even killed another in a duel. Behind these fights is a larger story of how fisticuffs and journalism, and the powerful...

In her latest book, 'Botanical Style', stylist Selina Lake shows how to tap into the current trend for bringing nature, plants, and florals into the heart of the home. The first chapter, Botanical Inspirations, takes a look at the ingredients of the look--antique botanical prints and artworks, flower stalls, potting sheds, and houseplants--and draws upon these sources for fresh ideas to transform your home into a leafy haven. Moving on, Selina explores...

Journey from the Ice Age to the Digital Age with a surprising cast of characters on this worldwide tour of color in art. Discover the strange, intriguing, and humorous stories of your favorite colors, the science behind them, and how they forever changed the courses of art and history. Were it not for Cleopatra, for instance, purple might not have become the royal color of the Western world. Without Napoleon, the black graphite pencil might never...

"Donald Trump will be president again, whether he is on the ballot or not. That is because Trumpism is overtaking the Republican Party and will mount a vigorous comeback, potentially in the hands of a savvier successor--The Next Trump. This prophecy will come true, according to Miles Taylor, if we do not learn the lessons of the recent past. With the 2024 election approaching, the formerly 'Anonymous' official is back with bombshell revelations and...

"A ... tapestry of interconnected narratives that together tell a life story, Monica is the new graphic novel from one of the most iconic storytellers of all time. This eponymous protagonist is a rag-to-riches character who, after being abandoned by her freewheelin' parents in childhood, succeeds in clawing her way to the top--only to lose it all in a stroke of bad luck. She lives out the rest of her days in search of her parents, encountering a cast...