This intimate portrait of Lou Costello (1906-1959) offers a rare look at one of the most talented comedians of all time. Starting in the 1930s, Costello attained enormous fame touring the burlesque circuits with straight man Bud Abbott (1895-1974). Their live skits (including "Who's on First?"), radio programs, and films such as One Night in the Tropics, Buck Privates, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, and In the Navy made comic history. Behind the scenes, however, Costello faced numerous crises: a bout with rheumatic fever that left him bedridden for months, the drowning death of his young son, and constant haggles with Universal Studios over its reluctance to adequately finance productions of Abbott and Costello films. Lou's on First goes beyond Costello's clownish persona to explore his Pagliacci nature: the private demons behind the happy public face, the heartbreaking moments in an otherwise storybook marriage, the business ventures soured by unscrupulous managers, and the true nature of the breakup of his twenty-one-year partnership with Bud Abbott.

This first thoroughly researched appraisal of Hoover's tenure as first lady (1929-1933) argues that she was the first modern presidential wife because of her use of radio, adoption of social causes, and public activism outside White House traditions.

Biography of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, one of the greatest comedy teams of all time.

The Abbott & Costello Story is a fond tribute to the comedy team that made Who, What, and I Don't Know the most hilarious names of baseball players ever batted around on the silver screen.

Brooklyn cop Joe Rizzo---"the most authentic cop in contemporary crime fiction" (starred review Kirkus Reviews)---is ready to retire and spend the rest of his days with his wife, doting on their grown-up girls. But when his youngest daughter, Carol, decides to follow her dad onto the force, Joe decides to stay on until she's settled, calling in favors to get her assigned to the easiest house, the best training officer—anything to protect his baby girl. While there, of course, he's still working a few cases, though he never would've guessed that one of them would be the most sensational case of his career, the murder of mob boss Louie Quattropa. If mob wars were the worst of his problems, he could handle that, but with a daughter on patrol, Joe knows all too well what dangers await her and what little he can do about them. With an authentic voice and breathtakingly accurate portrayal of police work, Lou Manfredo's novels have won wide acclaim, and Rizzo's Daughter raises the bar to a whole new level.

Works of fiction the length of Facebook status updates: “Just because a story is short, even really, really short, doesn’t mean it can’t contain multitudes.” —The New York Times Book Review Alternately surreal, funny, ominous, and lyrical, Lou Beach’s 420 Characters offers an experience as dazzling as any in contemporary fiction. Revealing worlds of meaning in single paragraphs, these crystalline miniature stories that began as Facebook status updates mark a new turn in an acclaimed artist and illustrator’s career. This ebook edition has been enhanced with original collages by the author and with exclusive audio of fifteen stories brilliantly read by legendary rock musician Dave Alvin, Golden Globe–winning actor Ian McShane, and Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges. “A tiny book filled with tiny stories . . . Tragic, absurd, and sweet by turns, each snip of a story is a gem, able to hold its own against more standard-length fare.” —Flavorwire, A Must-Read Pick