In 1981, the Commonwealth of Virginia, which had been dominated for decades by “the Organization,” a political machine led by former Governor and U.S. Senator Harry Byrd Sr., took its first baby steps to becoming the vibrant state it is today. That year, Charles Robb rejected the machine and began a new Democratic Party in his campaign for governor. Instead of running against African Americans, Robb reached out to Douglas Wilder, the state’s only African American State Senator and other leaders in the African American Community to rally voters of color to support the Democratic ticket. With the help of a heavy African American turnout, Robb won and the Byrd machine was crushed. In 1985, just four years later, Doug Wilder won the party’s nomination for Lieutenant Governor against the cries of “Virginia isn’t ready” and, later that year, defied the naysayers by being elected to that office. Within five years, he would be sworn in as the first elected African American governor in American history. SON OF VIRGINIA by L. Douglas Wilder details the events of the author’s life to paint a portrait of the changing face of America. It will be a story of constant struggle and conflict, not only Wilder’s struggle, but also that of courageous people who stood up to decades of discrimination, corruption and greed. The book will stand as a road map for continued American progress in our elections and laws and a stark warning of what may happen if we relax our commitment to this program.

In Virginia's Native Son, the election of L. Douglas Wilder in Virginia represents the first time an African-American was elected Governor in the history of the United States. The book hits on five main points of his election and administration, including an analysis of the campaign victory, the media's response to the campaign, the racism involved with the election and administration, the administration itself, and the legacy of the administration.

Written by Virginia Grohl, the mother of Dave Grohl—former Nirvana drummer and current frontman for the Foo Fighters—From Cradle to Stage shares stories and exclusive photos featuring mothers of rock icons, the icons themselves, and their Behind the Music-style relationships While the Grohl family had always been musical-the family sang together on long car trips, harmonizing to Motown and David Bowie-Virginia never expected her son to become a musician, let alone a rock star. But when she saw him perform in front of thousands of screaming fans for the first time, she knew that rock stardom was meant to be for her son. And as Virginia watched her son's star rise, she often wondered about the other mothers who raised sons and daughters who became rock stars. Were they as surprised as she was about their children's fame? Did they worry about their children's livelihood and wellbeing in an industry fraught with drugs and other dangers? Did they encourage their children's passions despite the odds against success, or attempt to dissuade them from their grandiose dreams? Do they remind their kids to pack a warm coat when they go on tour? Virginia decided to seek out other rock star mothers to ask these questions, and so began a two-year odyssey in which she interviewed such women as Verna Griffin, Dr. Dre's mother; Marianne Stipe, Michael Stipe of REM's mother; Janis Winehouse, Amy Winehouse's mother; Patsy Noah, Adam Levine's mother; Donna Haim, mother of the Haim sisters; Hester Diamond, Mike D of The Beastie Boys' mother. With exclusive family photographs and a foreword by Dave Grohl, From Cradle to Stage will appeal to mothers and rock fans everywhere.

An in-depth biography of the iconic American revolutionary that “helps us understand the significance of Henry’s enduring image” (The New York Times Book Review). Patrick Henry was a charismatic orator whose devotion to the pursuit of liberty fueled the fire of the American Revolution and laid the groundwork for the United States. As a lawyer and a member of the Virginia House of Burgess, Henry championed the inalienable rights with which all men are born. His philosophy inspired the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and, most significantly, the Bill of Rights. Famous for the line “Give me liberty or give me death!” Patrick Henry was a man who stirred souls and whose dedication to individual liberty became the voice for thousands. In A Son of Thunder, Henry Mayer offers “a biography as [Patrick] Henry himself would have wanted it written—a readable style, informal, engaging, and entertaining” (Southern Historian). “This is history and biography at its best.” —Charleston Evening Post “A fine job of placing Henry’s idea of republican rectitude in context without ignoring the many ironies of his life as a mediator between the yeomanry and the elite.” —The New York Times Book Review “A narrative that eases the reader with seemingly effortless grace into the rough-and-tumble world of eighteenth-century Virginia. Patrick Henry, patriot, emerges . . . a lion of a man, proud, earnest, melancholy, eloquent. The biographer has done his job; one sets this book down having heard the lion’s roar and having felt the sorrow that he is no more.” —San Francisco Examiner

After a childhood divided between America and Europe, Henry James settled with his family in New England, first in what he regarded as an outpost of Europe, Newport, and later in Cambridge. The family letters (the initial inspiration for this autobiographical enterprise), many of which recount the early career of William James at Harvard and in Germany, also reveal Henry James Sr.’s views on the intellectual, philosophical, and social issues of the time. Henry Jr., aspiring to be "just literary," acknowledges his indebtedness to the widely cultured artist John La Farge, whose friendship he enjoyed during adolescence. The Civil War is recorded through the letters of his younger brother, Wilky, while Henry recalls a Whitmanesque longing for the Union soldiers he met and talked to. The death of a beloved cousin, Mary Temple, who would become the inspiration for some of his greatest fictional heroines, is documented through the passionate, questioning letters she wrote in her final year of life. In The Middle Years James, newly resident in London, gives his impressions of some of the literary "lions" of the time, most notably George Eliot and Tennyson. This first fully annotated critical edition of Notes of a Son and Brother and The Middle Years both offers the reader extensive support in appreciating the demands of James’s late prose and illuminates the context in which one of literature’s most influential figures developed a characteristic voice.

"Holton's election as the first Republican governor in over one hundred years was the culmination of his efforts to create a two-party democracy in Virginia. His tenure led to the reformation of the structure of Virginia's government and balanced the needs of environmental conservation with the need for the development of key areas such as Hampton Roads. But his greatest political legacy is his commitment to civil rights, most notably through championing school integration and busing. When Richard Nixon's "Southern Strategy" - aimed at wooing white voters away from the Democratic Party - was in full swing, Holton devised and implemented an alternative southern strategy, one that acknowledged and addressed racial injustice and violence rather than glossing it over or turning a blind eye to it."

This is a wonderful gift to parents, children, and estate planning practitioners. It offers a helpful reference on many items they need to consider when selecting a guardian for minor children and provides a souvenir to cherish forever. Lorraine del Prado, Vice President, Principal Gifts & Philanthropic Initiatives at Seattle Children’s In this remarkable book, Virginia, a deeply caring and professionally accomplished person, brings what she shares with family, friends, and clients in her everyday life: compassion, wisdom, expertise, and a profound commitment to making our world a better place through the wellbeing of children and families. Al Boren, CEO of the Shasta Family YMCA I highly endorse this book! It as a valuable tool for parents . . . and the best legacy we can leave our children. Brenda Baltrusch, Career Trust Officer at Large National Bank Every parent faces the often gut-wrenching question: “Who will raise my child in the event of a disaster?” As difficult as it is to focus on dire possibilities, selecting a guardian for one’s minor child is an essential part of every parent’s will. Parents who fail to act leave their child’s guardian unprepared and may leave their child’s future, routines, and traditions up to strangers to decide. If you could spend a few moments now that would make it possible to dramatically help your child navigate a profoundly difficult time later, would you? Letters to My Child’s Guardian offers: • Many parent-attorney insights about child guardianship decisions • Identifies critical legal issues and practical choices to consider in wills and trusts • Demystifies this process for each family and provides great insight Letters creates a unique “catastrophe” resource, jumpstarts vital discussions, and guides parents to share an enduring family legacy that will captivate future generations. Through Letters parents can supplement their estate plans in a non-legally binding fashion and reveal and preserve profoundly meaningful advice. Families can use this inspirational resource to create powerful letters of encouragement, advice, and wisdom for their children. For over thirty years attorney Virginia Antipolo-Utt has provided sophisticated and compassionate estate planning counsel to her clients about wills, trusts, and guardianships. Virginia graduated from Duke University Law School, enjoys writing and cooking, and since elementary school has enjoyed serving in many diverse volunteer capacities. Virginia lives with her husband, daughter, and fur-faced friends near Seattle, Washington.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. “Red Rising ascends above a crowded dys­topian field.”—USA Today ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness “I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.” “I live for you,” I say sadly. Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.” Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so. Praise for Red Rising “[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown’s dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender’s Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric.”—Entertainment Weekly “Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow.”—Scott Sigler “Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch Don’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga: RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER