Books » Women's Study Nonfiction

Audrey Hepburn is an icon like no other, yet the image many of us have of Audrey-dainty, immaculate-is anything but true to life. Here, for the first time, Sam Wasson presents the woman behind the little black dress that rocked the nation in 1961. The first complete account of the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. reveals little-known facts about the cinema classic: Truman Capote desperately wanted Marilyn Monroe for the leading role; director Blake Edwards filmed multiple endings; Hepburn herself felt very conflicted about balancing the roles of mother and movie star. With a colorful cast of characters including Truman Capote, Edith Head, Givenchy, "Moon River" composer Henry Mancini, and, of course, Hepburn herself, Wasson immerses us in the America of the late fifties before Woodstock and birth control, when a not-so-virginal girl by the name of Holly Golightly raised eyebrows across the country, changing fashion, film, and sex for good. Indeed, cultural touchstones like Sex and the City owe a debt of gratitude to Breakfast at Tiffany's.

In this meticulously researched gem of a book, Wasson delivers us from the penthouses of the Upper East Side to the pools of Beverly Hills, presenting Breakfast at Tiffany's as we have never seen it before-through the eyes of those who made it. Written with delicious prose and considerable wit, Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. shines new light on a beloved film and its incomparable star.

Hospitality can be a blessing to both the host and her guests, but for many women today, it simply doesn't happen. Feelings of inadequacy, unrealistic expectations, fear of failure, lack of time--all conspire to steal the joy that comes from opening one's home and sharing fellowship with others. In The Reluctant Entertainer, Sandy Coughlin relates to people in real ways about real meals that mortals cook, during which real conversations draw people together. Wouldbe hostesses will discover that true hospitality is not about being perfect, cooking a fancy meal, or spending a lot of money. Rather, it's about an open door and an open heart.

Satan is the master deceiver, and his lies are endless. Are you burned out, overwhelmed, angry, confused or fearful? According to Nancy Leigh DeMoss, these emotions are the result of Satan's lies. Nancy tackles many of the falsehoods that enslave Christian women with alarming frequency and severity. Though she does not promise their problems will go away, she confronts the lies with practical truths found in Scripture that will help women begin to "walk through the realities of life in freedom and true joy."

A profound and provocative book which proposes that alphabetic literally rewired the brain and changed culture, religion, and history--written by the acclaimed author of "Art and Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time, and Light" (soon to be a three-part MSNBC series). 35 illustrations.

A new cover and fresh updates enrich Elizabeth George's bestselling A Woman After God's Own Heart^® (over 735,000 copies sold). This very popular selection for personal and group study is filled with rich advice, spiritual wisdom, and practical applications.

With passion and personality, Elizabeth George shares how a woman can follow God and seek His heart in every area of her life-

• her husband
• her children
• her home
• her walk with the Lord
• her ministry

There is peace and purpose for the woman who prepares her heart and mind to embrace God's plan every day. This new look will complement the other bestselling Elizabeth George titles loved by millions of women.

"When was the last time you felt this comfortable in a relationship?"
-- An ad for sneakers

"You can love it without getting your heart broken."
-- An ad for a car

"Until I find a real man, I'll settle for a real smoke."
-- A woman in a cigarette ad

Many advertisements these days make us feel as if we have an intimate, even passionate relationship with a product. But as Jean Kilbourne points out in this fascinating and shocking exposé, the dreamlike promise of advertising always leaves us hungry for more. We can never be satisfied, because the products we love cannot love us back.

Drawing upon her knowledge of psychology, media, and women's issues, Kilbourne offers nothing less than a new understanding of a ubiquitous phenomenon in our culture. The average American is exposed to over 3,000 advertisements a day and watches three years' worth of television ads over the course of a lifetime. Kilbourne paints a gripping portrait of how this barrage of advertising drastically affects young people, especially girls, by offering false promises of rebellion, connection, and control. She also offers a surprising analysis of the way advertising creates and then feeds an addictive mentality that often continues throughout adulthood.

Lady. Let's face it: the word brings to mind a host of associations, many of which call to mind costume dramas or tea-sipping debutantes. That is, until The Art and Power of Being a Lady, the book that brushes the cobwebs off and makes "lady" relevant to every girl and woman -- whether her role model is Audrey Hepburn, Oprah Winfrey, Madeleine Albright, Lauryn Hill, or Mia Hamm. In an era when looking out for one another and taking the high road is too often lost in the shuffle, today's lady has not forgotten what's important. She is kind and considerate without being a doormat. She's assertive, but never a bully. She is sexy without being vulgar. She has great style but is never superficial. She gives back without asking for kudos. And from now on, the perfect word to describe her is "lady." "An homage to women who exude dignity, confidence, and social responsibility ... A little book with a big message." -- Fern Siegel, Avenue "... if the authors are coming from another time and place, so be it. You might want to visit there sometime." -- Houston Chronicle "It's OK to be smart, graceful, fearless, stylish, outspoken, compassionate.... Now that's etiquette for the twenty-first century." -- Donna Ladd, Gotham "Noelle Cleary and Dini von Mueffling's ... modern lady has grace, self-confidence, independence, ethics, style and humor ... [and is] ready to take on today's unique challenges with grace and strength." -- Kansas City Star

This best-selling anthology is a unique introduction to feminism and women's studies. It presents a multidisciplinary collection of academic essays and analyses, personal narratives, and fiction and poetry about women's lives. The selections illustrate the variety of women's experiences, primarily in the United States, considering both commonalities and differences among women and appreciating women's diverse approaches to living and fostering change.