Books with author Michael A. Schuman

A dramatic, deeply informed account of one of the most consequential elections and periods in American history 1968—rife with riots, assassinations, anti–Vietnam War protests, and realpolitik—was one of the most tumultuous years in the twentieth century, culminating in one of the most consequential presidential elections in American history. The Contest tells the story of that contentious election and that remarkable year. Bringing a fresh perspective to events that still resonate half a century later, this book is especially timely, giving us the long view of a turning point in American culture and politics.Author Michael Schumacher sets the stage with a deep look at the people with important roles in the unfolding drama: Lyndon B. Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, George Wallace, Richard Nixon, and especially Hubert H. Humphrey, whose papers and journals afford surprising new insights. Following these politicians in the lead-up to the primaries, through the chaotic conventions, and down the home stretch to the general election, The Contest combines biographical and historical details to create a narrative as intimate in human detail as it is momentous in scope and significance.An election year when the competing forces of law and order and social justice were on the ballot, the Vietnam War divided the country, and the liberal regime begun with Franklin D. Roosevelt was on the defensive, 1968 marked a profound shift in the nation’s culture and sense of itself. Thorough in its research and spellbinding in the telling, Schumacher’s book brings sharp focus to that year and its lessons for our current critical moment in American politics.

From silly kid to Grammy-winning rapper, Will Smith has taken the fast track to superstardom. His popular rap music opened doors for Smith, who became a TV star on THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR. After years of balancing rap and television, Smith emerged as a serious actor in SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION and as a profitable, crowd drawing star in BAD BOYS. Readers get a rare peek behind the scenes of stardom at this tremendously popular actor, rapper and family man.

Cartoonist Charles Schulz died in 2000, but his work, most notably the Peanuts comics, is as alive as ever. His comic strip continues to run in newspapers around the world, the classic television specials are aired annually, and somewhere at this moment a high school drama club is performing the stage play You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. This entertaining biography tells the story of a shy, awkward teenager who went on to create some of the most beloved and iconic characters in modern history.

From silly kid to Grammy-winning rapper, Will Smith has taken the fast track to superstardom. His popular rap music opened doors for Smith, who became a TV star on THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR. After years of balancing rap and television, Smith emerged as a serious actor in SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION and as a profitable, crowd drawing star in BAD BOYS. Readers get a rare peek behind the scenes of stardom at this tremendously popular actor, rapper and family man.

The Oath is a story of a teenager growing up in an ordinary suburb in the Confederacy of the Sovereign States of Amerikka. While playing in a neighboring haunt, Petor has an awakening: he sees a recruitment poster for the black-shirted secret police and becomes entranced; he wants to become a spy. Petor turns in his friends, teachers—even his family to the government.From a desolate mountaintop orphanage to a band of ragtag guerrilla fighters—the story follows one boy from innocence to the journey’s end finding himself end where he started.The Oath is a story about childhood, corruption, home, and a return to its purity after a lifetime.

Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish immigrant whose interest in helping the hearing-impaired led him to become not only an influential and respected teacher of the deaf, but the inventor of the telephone. This title examines Bell's life from his roots in Scotland, through his immigration to America, to his teaching experiences and inventions, his success with the telephone, and his later work toward inventing a flying machine. It highlights Bell's personal life and dedication to helping people, showing how he used his talents to help such famous Americans as Helen Keller and President James A. Garfield, who had been shot by an assassin.

Adam Sandler is one of the biggest comedy film stars in the world today. He starred in many box-office smashes, from THE WATERBOY, to THE WEDDING SINGER, to FUNNY PEOPLE. What many do not know, however, is how much time and money Sandler has generously devoted to charitable causes, including charities that help fight autism, research treatments for spinal cord injuries, and give aid to those suffering in the war-torn region of Darfur in Africa.

Over the course of his 50-year career, musician Bob Dylan has won a Nobel Prize, has had an audience with the Pope, and has earned a multitude of accolades, from a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award to a coveted Kennedy Center honor. Not bad for a kid from a small city in northern Minnesota who just wanted to play rock and roll. His songs are legendary and his spiritual journeys have taken him all over the world. This biography explores the man, his music, and his distinctive life.

Perform the national anthem at President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony. Wow the crowd with a spectacular Super Bowl halftime show. Win a Grammy. When you are legendary singer and performer Beyoncé Knowles, this is just a regular month's work. Beyoncé went from a child singer in her hometown of Houston, Texas, to one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. She has sold millions of records, made hit movies, and runs a clothing line. This superstar does it all. Author Michael A. Schuman chronicles the life of the amazing Beyoncé.