Portfolio 2 Columns

Modern Prometheus in 1818, which is considered an early example of science fiction. She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet, and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother the philosopher and feminist activist Mary Wollstonecraft. Shelley’s mother died less than a month after giving birth to her. She was raised by her father, who provided her with a rich if informal education, encouraging her to adhere to his own anarchist political theories. When she was four, her father married a neighbor, Mary Jane Clairmont, with whom Shelley came to have a troubled relationship. In 1814, Shelley began a romance with one of her father’s political followers, Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was already married. Together with her stepsister, Claire Clairmont, she and Percy left for France and traveled through Europe. Upon their return to England, Shelley was pregnant with Percy’s child. Over the next two years, she and Percy faced ostracism, constant debt, and the death of their prematurely born daughter. They married in late 1816, after the suicide of Percy Shelley’s first wife, Harriet. In 1816, the couple and her stepsister famously spent a summer with Lord Byron and John William Polidori near Geneva, Switzerland, where Shelley conceived the idea for her novel Frankenstein. The Shelleys left Britain in 1818 for Italy, where their second and third children died before Shelley gave birth to her last and only surviving child, Percy Florence Shelley. In 1822, her husband drowned when his sailing boat sank during a storm near Viareggio. A year later, Shelley returned to England and from then on devoted herself to the upbringing of her son and a career as a professional author.

As the original American culture pop hero, Frank Sinatra remains an important and singular artist. He took the art of balladry and made it his own, carving out deep meaning in the soulful, mellow lyrics of many of the 20th century’s greatest composers. Here Frank candidly discusses his meager youth in New Jersey and his early uneven stabs at stardom. Not only a great singer, but also a wildly entertaining and amusing man, Sinatra hits you with both barrels in this intimate, all-star tribute to the voice of our time. Narrated by the author.

Continuing the almost fairytale saga of the unlikely life of Frank Sinatra, in part two, Frank discusses his alleged ties with the mafia, his wild, international concert tours, and his private time at home with his wife Barbara, children, and grandchildren. It is an intimate look at the man behind the legend such as you will not find. Featuring rare interviews and commentary. Recommended for all library collections. Narrated by the author.

Well-known author, actor, and activist Geoffrey Giuliano’s first real job was playing the marvelous, magical burger king in a vaudeville-type traveling magic show in 1977. Culminating in an all-star show in support of the Special Olympics at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, Giuliano became friends with the family and continues work on behalf of the charity. Working closely with Eunice and Sargent Schriver over the years, the talented Giuliano is also an advocate for animal rights who founded two longstanding charities with his late wife Vrnda Devi. Dasa Food for All was a successful food pantry run in association with the Food Bank of Western New York and also the Spirit of Saint Francis sanctuary, which rescued cows and other at-risk animals from slaughterhouses, giving them a pastoral, peaceful home for life. After leaving Burger King in 1979, Geoffrey went on to portray the murderous meat clown Ronald McDonald, performing live and appearing in the infamous television commercials so many remember. Along the way, however, he had a change of heart and saw the suffering, cruelty, and violence against these innocent animals – and to the children who were encouraged by sophisticated promotional campaigns to eat the unhealthy food. After leaving McDonald’s after two years (and successfully suing the firm in Toronto) Giuliano participated in the infamous McLibel campaign (which also became a major motion picture in which he costarred). Now, some 30 years later, at 65, Geoffrey Giuliano is still traveling extensively preaching, teaching, and talking about the needless violence perpetuated in the name of fast food to millions of factory farm animals, who are not only contributing to the destruction of the delicate ecosystem, but also putting kids at risk for conditions like diabetes, heart attack, and even stroke from what is the worst kind of salt and sugar-laden junk food.

11-year-old actor Eden Giuliano presents a brand new line of exciting children’s stories from Icon! A collection of some of Hans Christian Andersen’s works. He is a Danish author and poet most famous for his wonderful, inspirational fairy tales.

Here, from the extensive private archives of the world’s foremost Beatles’ historian and author Geoffrey Giuliano comes perhaps the rarest, virtually unheard interviews with the founder and spiritual heart of the Beatles, circa 1969. In these incredible, over fifty year old tapes, you will come to know the real John Lennon in his own stirring words and private thoughts. Here is the chance to understand the man behind the music and understand, even more deeply, the incredible music behind the man. Perfect for all hard-core Beatles collectors, John Lennon fans, pop historians, curious commuters, Interested musicians, and all library and school collections. A once-in-a-lifetime audio experience.

“Because the Bhagavad Gita (‘The Song Of God’) is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Bhagavan Sri Krishna, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad Gita.” A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA “Those who have entered into a transcendental relationship with Krishna relish at every step the descriptions of the pastimes of the Lord.” Bhagavad Gita 10.18 The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the Gita, is a 700-verse 5000 year old Vedic scripture in Sanskrit which is part of the epic Mahabharata. The Gita is set within a narrative framework of a dialogue between Pandava prince Arjuna and his spiritual guide and charioteer, Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Here is the profound inspirational spiritual audiobook of the year. A must have for all sincere devotees of Krishna, devotional yoga practitioners, students of eastern philosophy, dedicated Hindus and even curious commuters. Here too is a great classical work perfect for all school and university systems. 

The word yoga means union in Sanskrit. Many of the yoga traditions believe that the practices of yoga lead to union of a person with his or her true nature, or with God or the universe (however one wishes to conceptualize it). How this is interpreted and the means employed to get there differ in the various yoga traditions.