Plot and counterplot lie at the heart of Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, and The Marriage of Figaro, the three brilliant libretti that Lorenzo Da Ponte prepared for Mozart. They were also central to Da Ponte's own extraordinary life. His Memoirs record a fantastic variety of romantic, political, and professional intrigues, and tell of meetings with a host of remarkable men. In a life that took him from the canals of Venice to the streets of New York, Da Ponte was at different times priest, professional gambler, proprietor of a bordello, political agitator, court poet, impresario, grocery store owner, and the first professor of Italian literature at Columbia University. His Memoirs, a minor classic of Italian literature, are the picaresque and engrossing story of a man of enormous talent and unsurpassed flair who was, above all, an indefatigable survivor. "I shall speak of things . . . so singular in their oddity as in some manner to instruct, or at least entertain, without wearying." —Lorenzo da Ponte

"A moving testament, his narrative provides an insider's look at the Castro regime's personality cult, its indoctrination of children and surveillance of ordinary Cubans. " - Publishers Weekly In December 1992 Orestes Lorenzo undertook the most daring journey of his life. More than a year earlier, while a major in the Cuban Air Force, he had escaped from Cuba by flying a MiG to the United States, and for twenty-one frantic months had been trying to get permission for his wife, Vicky, and their two sons to join him. When all his attempts to gain their freedom failed, Orestes decided to go back and rescue his family himself. Meanwhile, Vicky had been undergoing a terrifying ordeal back in Cuba, where the authorities were pressuring her to denounce her husband as a traitor. They informed her that she would never be allowed to leave, and that Raul Castro himself had declared: "If Lorenzo had the guts to leave with one of my MiGs, maybe he has the guts to come back and get his family." Desperate, Orestes Lorenzo did just that, flying an old twin-engine Cessna across the straits of Florida, avoiding Cuban radar, and landing on a busy highway in a breathtaking rescue. Wings of Morning is Lorenzo's account of this astonishing feat, but it is also the unforgettable odyssey of a young man growing up during the euphoria of the Cuban Revolution, marrying his sweetheart, and going off to train as a fighter pilot in the Soviet Union. Lorenzo movingly describes his growing disillusionment with communism, his religious awakening amidst the revelations of Perestroika, and the near-death of his beloved Vicky, as well as his increasing conviction that he must not let his children grow up in a country that denies any dignity or spiritual values in the individual, in the family, and to society.

The Muslim Brotherhood in the West remains a mysterious entity. In The Closed Circle, Lorenzo Vidino offers an unprecedented inside view into how one of the world’s most influential Islamist groups operates. He marshals unique interviews with prominent former members and associates from Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America, shedding light on why and how people join and leave Western outfits of the Muslim Brotherhood. Drawing on these striking personal accounts, Vidino weaves together the experiences of individuals who participated in and later renounced Brotherhood groups. Their perspectives provide a wealth of new information about the Brotherhood’s secretive inner workings and the networks that connecting the small yet highly organized cluster of Brotherhood-influenced groups. The Closed Circle examines the tactics the Brotherhood uses to recruit and retain participants as well as how and why individuals make the difficult decision to leave. Through the stories of diverse former members, Vidino paints a portrait of a highly structured, tight-knit movement. His unprecedented access and understanding of the group’s activities and motivations has significant policy implications concerning Western Brotherhood organizations and also illuminates the underlying mechanisms found in a range of extremist groups.

This study of the Venetian artist Lorenzo Lotto draws on the large body of work by the artist, as well as on the 16th-century documentation on the artist's life, including letters, an account book for the years 1538-56, and will.

"The boy's disappearance could not be explained. That was Prester's problem, or soon would be." Combine one troubled boy with his concerned prep school teacher. Stir in a pinch of quantum physics, add Italian Renaissance political intrigue, and serve piping hot with Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, the Medici’s, and a Borgia Pope on the side. That is the perfect recipe for a time travel adventure crackling with historical detail. Lorenzo’s Daggers is a delightfully entertaining story of time travel between modern-day New England and 15th century Italy. Author Ron McGaw keeps the pages turning quickly with endearing characters, taut prose, and a riveting storyline that stands alone for its novelty and intrigue. But Lorenzo’s Daggers is more than just good fiction. It is also a deft portrayal of Renaissance Florence—a city of prolific genius that produced some of the most creative minds of Western Civilization. Through the travels and travails of protagonist Prester John, readers can well imagine the life and times of the Renaissance giants of Western art, science, political theory, architecture, and philosophy. Lorenzo’s Daggers—a worthy read! Brigadier General Lance Betros (retired) Former Head - Department of History, West Point

In 1776, fifteen-year-old Lorenzo Bannister leaves Texas and his father's new grave to carry a letter to the Virginia grandfather he has never known, and becomes involved with the struggle of the American Continental Army and its Spanish supporters.

Cornelia Bilinsky, author of Patrick and the Fire, The Queen and the Cross, and The Saint who Fought the Dragon: The Story of St. George brings a new story to children ages four to seven: the story of Brother Lorenzo and how he happened upon a simple teaching tool in his monastery kitchen. This beautifully illustrated book will help pass on an important aspect of faith to children through an entertaining story that offers readers likeable and relatable characters.