Beatrice Gormley – författare

If I''d never hoped to live in a world of goodness and truth—if the priestess of Diana, then Leander, and Joanna, hadn''t shown me glimpses of it—maybe I wouldn''t have minded being shut out of it. Maybe the preacher''s death wouldn''t have trapped me in a dungeon, the dungeon of my own self.Her name is Salome. You may think you know her story—how her seductive Dance of the Seven Veils led to the beheading of John the Baptist. But you don''t know it from her side. You don''t know how a web of betrayal, and greed, and desire was spun around an innocent teenage girl. How she came to doubt her own mother. How she searched for a friend in an unfamiliar land. And how she walked into a trap that changed the course of history.This is Salome''s story, in her own words. Listen, and learn of strength, of power, of loyalty—and of death.From the Hardcover edition.

This story begins with Mariamne, a vulnerable girl who knows little of the ways of the world. Much as she wants to be in control of her own destiny, she soon learns she has no such power. She must do as her father and brother see fit, and when tragedy strikes, Mari must marry a man she does not love and enter a household where she is not welcome, for the good of her family.But she finds a small way to comfort herself when she meets an Egyptian wisewoman who instructs her in the ways of the occult arts. In the spirit world, Mari finds she has power. Here, she really is in control of her fate. But is she? Or is the magic controlling her?This gripping portrait of one of the most misunderstood and controversial Biblical figures is the story of a young girl’s path through manipulation and possession, madness and healing, to a man who will change the world forever.From the Hardcover edition.

Julius Caesar was born in Rome in the year 100 b.c. to a well-known family that supposedly traced its ancestry to the Greek goddess Venus. Although Caesar grew up to be one of the world's most famous military and political leaders, he was raised in the Subura, a lower-class neighborhood of Rome. As a young man, Caesar was known for both his bravery in battle and his ability to speak at the Roman Forum. When Caesar left Rome to join the military service in Asia, he was awarded the corona civica -- an oak crown -- the highest honor given to a noncommander. At the Forum, Caesar's oratory skills and his enthusiasm for prosecuting corrupt generals furthered his reputation. Read about the boy from Rome who transformed the Roman republic into a Mediterranean empire.

Marie Curie was a world-renowned scientist who made many important discoveries, as well as a great teacher and a mother, but her accomplishments didn't come easily. Born Maria Sklodovska in 1867, Marie grew up in Russia-occupied Poland where schools were not allowed to teach Polish history or language, and lab experiments were forbidden in science classes. When Marie was young, her mother and eldest sister both passed away. Marie was determined not to let hardships get in the way of her dreams. She went on to win two Nobel Prizes, one each in physics and chemistry, making her the first woman to win the award and first person ever honored with two of them. Read all about the clever young girl whose hard work lead to brilliant contributions in the field of science.

Using simple language that beginning readers can understand, this lively, inspiring, and believable biography looks at the childhood of Amelia Earhart. Illustrated throughout.

Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it takes to change the world in this comprehensive biography that tells the complete life story of internationally renowned peacemaker Nelson Mandela.Civil rights activist. World leader. Philanthropist. Writer. Throughout his life, Nelson Mandela took on many roles, all in the pursuit of peace. Born in 1918 in South Africa, he grew up in a culture of government-enforced racism and became involved in the anti-apartheid movement at a young age. Deeply committed to nonviolent activism, Mandela directed a peaceful campaign against the racist policies of his South African government, and spent twenty-seven years in prison as a result. In the years following his emergence as a free man, he continued his efforts to dismantle the country’s apartheid system and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside South African President F.W. de Klerk. In 1994 he was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president and served until his retirement from active politics in 1999 at the age of eighty-one. He continued to promote global peace until his death in 2013, and his legacy lives on. From Nelson Mandela’s childhood to his monumental impact on race relations and nonviolent activism, this comprehensive biography shares the truth about the man behind the iconic smile: his struggles, his triumphs, and the sacrifices he made along the way.

Learn about the life of the 43rd President of the United States in this updated biography of George W. Bush, specially written for a younger audience.President George W. Bush once said, “I never dreamed about becoming president. When I was growing up, I wanted to be Willie Mays.” George W. was born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. He grew up in Texas but returned to Connecticut to attend Yale University. As a young man he trained as a fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard before beginning a career in business. He entered Texas politics and served as the state’s governor from 1994 to 2000. In 2001 George W. Bush won one of the closest, and most disputed, presidential elections in United States history. During his first term Bush launched a war against terrorism after the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001. In 2004 he won his second term against John Kerry. Originally published as President George W. Bush in 2005, this revised biography of the 43rd President of the United States includes eight pages of photos as well as a timeline and index.

Learn all about the life of the 44th President of the United States in this updated biography of Barack Obama, specially written for a younger audience.University Professor. Nobel Peace Prize Winner. First African American President of the United States. President Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. With relatives in Kenya, Ireland, Indonesia, and Kansas, President Obama has referred to his family as “a mini–United Nations.” He attended college on both coasts, first at Occidental in California, then at Columbia in New York City. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he practiced and taught law in Chicago. In 2005 Barack started his political career when he became the senator for Illinois. President Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. His many efforts in the first 100 days of his presidency earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and, in 2012, he was reelected for a second term. Originally published in 2012, this revised biography of the 44th President of the United States includes eight pages of photos as well as a timeline and index.

Bea Gormley tells the story of Pope Francis, known as the People’s Pope, who has humbly said, “My people are poor and I am one of them.”Ordained as Pope on March 13, 2013, Pope Francis became the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Known worldwide for his great humility and approachability, he is the first citizen from the Americas, the first non-European, and first Jesuit priest to be named Pope. Gormley explores the pontif’s early years, growing up as the eldest of five children of Italian immigrants in Argentina, working as a chemical technician before venturing in the priesthood as a Jesuit novice. He went from Bishop to Archbishop to Cardinal—and gained a reputation for personal humility, doctrinal conservatism, and a commitment to social justice, which stands to this day. Named Person of the Year by Time magazine in December 2013, Pope Francis remains outspoken in support of the world’s poor and marginalized people, and he has been involved actively in areas of political diplomacy and environmental advocacy.

Learn all about the life of Senator John McCain in this enlightening biography specially written for a younger audience. Five-term Arizona senator John S. McCain’s indelible mark on America was perhaps his destiny, as his grandfather proclaimed when he was just an infant, “This boy has the stamp of nobility on his brow.” Following both his four-star US Navy father and grandfather into military service, McCain’s naval career imprinted the code of honor he has maintained to this day. Throughout the myriad life and death perils he faced—most notably being held captive as a Vietnam War prisoner of war for five and one half years in the Hoa Lo Prison or ‘Hanoi Hilton’—his courage, bravery, and tenacity has served him time and time again: as Navy liaison to the US Senate, as a member (and then chairman) on the Armed Services Committee, Commerce Committee, and Indian Affairs Committee, playing a key role in restoring diplomatic relations with Vietnam, championing finance reform by sponsoring the McCain-Feingold Act, and as the Republican nominee for president in 2008. Beatrice Gormley’s enriching biography tells the riveting story of one of America’s last, great, enduring heroes.