Harriet Hyman Alonso Knihy

E. Y. Harburg, celebrated for his impactful lyrics, infused his work with strong social and political themes, addressing issues like racism and poverty. Through nearly fifty interviews and over forty lyrics, Harriet Hyman Alonso presents Harburg's journey from his Lower East Side childhood to his Broadway and Hollywood successes, including the challenges he faced during the McCarthy era. Harburg's unwavering commitment to human rights significantly influenced his artistic expression, making his contributions to music and culture deeply resonant. An appendix highlights his key works.

Focusing on the Garrison family's private life, the book explores the profound impact of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison's activism on his wife, Helen, and their seven children. Growing up amid significant social movements, the Garrison children embraced their parents' values, navigating the complexities of their beliefs during the Civil War. While yearning for the end of slavery, they grappled with the contradiction of military involvement. As adults, they became active participants in various causes, including racial justice and women's rights, reflecting their upbringing as committed political activists.

Robert E. Sherwood, a prominent figure in American theater and film, grappled with the tension between his pacifist beliefs and his commitment to justice. His career spanned significant cultural moments, earning him four Pulitzer Prizes and an Oscar while shaping popular narratives through works like "Waterloo Bridge" and "The Best Years of Our Lives." Harriet Hyman Alonso explores Sherwood's political journey, friendships with notable figures, and personal struggles using his letters and writings. This interdisciplinary biography connects his life to broader themes in U.S. history and foreign policy from 1896 to 1955.

Thirteen-year-old Martha and seven-year-old Jake must do what adults cannot to ensure their own and others’ freedom. Martha Bartlett has a secret. Her life has already been changed by the Underground Railroad. Now the safety of her younger brother Jake depends on her willingness to risk her own life to bring Jake home to their abolitionist community in Connecticut. It’s 1854 and though all people in the North are supposed to be free, seven-year-old Jake, the orphan of a fugitive slave, learns otherwise. Using aliases, disguises, and other subterfuges, his older sister Martha struggles to elude slave catchers while adhering to her parents’ admonition to always tell the truth. Being perceived sometimes as white, sometimes as black during a perilous journey also throws her sense of her own identity into turmoil. Alonso combines fiction and historical fact to weave a suspenseful story of courage, hope, and self-discovery in the aftermath of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, while illuminating the bravery of abolitionists who fought against slavery.