EPL Picks - Best of 2011- Non-Fiction: The Year That Was
Annotation:While called the "Arab Spring," the wave of revolutions and uprising that swept through Northern Africa and the Middle East actually began in the final days of 2010. As a result of the protests, 2011 saw the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in February and the overthrowing of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in August. In December, Time Magazine's Person of the Year was "The Protester." In A Thousand Farewells, these events are reported by Gemini-Canadian reporter Nahlah Ayed.
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Annotation:Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head during an assassination attempt in Tuscon on January 8, 2011. She and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, released this memoir in November.
Annotation:On March 11, a massive earthquake devastated north-east Japan. Three nuclear reactors went into meltdown; it was the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl in 1986. This DVD combines eyewitness accounts, news reports, and the science behind natural disasters.
Annotation:The King's Speech won best picture at the Academy Awards in February and leading man Colin Firth won best actor for his role as King George VI. If the movie left you hungry for more information, this is the book for you. (And listening to an audiobook seems fitting!)
Annotation:Millions of people around the world tuned in to watch Prince William marry Kate Middleton on April 29; the newlyweds later toured Canada in June and July. Didn't catch a glimpse of them? Not to worry - there are pictures in here!
Annotation:Osama Bin Laden was killed in early May by a United States special forces unit. His death came nearly ten years after the attacks of 9/11. While we wait for the books to get up-to-date with the end of his life, check out this documentary on the attack that killed him.
Annotation:In August, Kim Kardashian married Kris Humprhies in a $10 million ceremony. 72 days later, she filed for divorce. Kris Jenner, Kim's mom, released a memoir in November. If you're looking for Kardashian/Humphries dirt, you won't find it in here, but you will find lots of details about Kardashian family friend O.J. Simpson.
Annotation:NDP leader Jack Layton passed away in August, just months after an election where his party won more seats than ever before. Thousands of Canadians paid tribute to him at public memorials. Layton's words live on in his books, including 2004's Speaking Out.
Annotation:Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011. Twitter reached near-record levels of traffic as people all around the world expressed their grief online. Find out all of the details of Jobs' life in this bestselling biography.
Annotation:Just as he was promoting the release of his new Christmas CD, Justin Bieber faced allegations that he had fathered a fan's baby. He denied the rumours and provided a DNA sample, but the paternity suit was later dropped. Are you a little shaky on your Justin Bieber facts? EPL has several biographies of the Canadian singer!
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Looking back at 2011, the headlines were dominated by political unrest, natural disasters, and high-profile weddings. Strictly speaking, these might not be the "best" of 2011 (and two weren't even published last year), but here's a look at some of the biggest stories of the last twelve months. CL/MNA
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