Mary Fisher took America by storm the evening of August 19, 1992, when she addressed the Republican National Convention and gave the world a new face of American AIDS: a winsome mother of two pre-schoolers who had contracted the virus within her marriage. She had been a television producer and had been named the first woman White House Advanceman by President Gerald R. Ford, but privilege had not shielded her from the virus. While she became “a pilgrim on the road to AIDS,” devoted to advocacy and to her children, she prepared to die. With the development of antiretroviral (ARV) therapies that could prolong the lives of persons with AIDS, Fisher’s life changed dramatically once again. For fifteen years, she joined the ranks of Americans living on ARVs. Having arranged for the care of her children after her death, she now faced an uncertain future. How long would “the cocktail” work to keep her alive? Had any women been tested during drug research? How does one live wisely when death is no longer eminent and life itself is uncertain? In this moving memoir, Fisher focuses her life story through the promise she made in that 1992 speech: “I want my children to know that their mother was not a victim. She was a messenger.” In a lively voice devoid of self pity and filled with surprising humor, Fisher tells her story as a woman of emerging strength and hope. Along the way she remembers moments of hilarity ?from the condom company that wanted her endorsement to the elderly nurse who warns Republicans against having sex with mosquitoes. “In a gay, male epidemic,” writes Fisher, “I was a novelty: a dying Republican mother.” Messenger proves that a “novelty” can grow into a woman of strength and wisdom; that a dying young mother can emerge from illness and depression with a convincing sense of humor and healing.
The AIDS virus is not a political creature. It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican. It does not ask whether you are Black or White, male or female, gay or straight, young or old. Tonight I represent an AIDS community whose members have been reluctantly drafted from every segment of American society." So said Mary Fisher in her historic speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention. My Name Is Mary chronicles the emotional events leading up to and following this momentous evening. In a memoir that exhibits the same grace and unflinching honesty that moved the nation, Mary Fisher shares the story of her life. Raised in a socially prominent, affluent Michigan family, Mary Fisher seemed to have it all. She socialized with important and often famous friends and eventually married a handsome artist with whom she had two sons. Although the marriage ended in divorce, Mary continued to thrive in her roles as mother and artist. However, in 1991 Mary's world was turned upside down by the news from her ex-husband that he had AIDS. An HIV test revealed that Mary, too, was infected. Terrified, struggling against fear, depression, and anger, Mary ultimately found a new life mission in her positive status—she began to educate others about the need for compassion and activism in the face of this epidemic. Her unspoken motto is powerful—one person can, indeed, make a difference. Whether describing her difficult childhood, reflecting on raising her two sons, discussing her evolution as an artist, or explaining her coping mechanisms for survival, My Name Is Mary is warm, caring, and inspirational—like Mary Fisher herself.
The all-in-one reference to designing stunning and functional kitchens and baths Designing for today's kitchens and baths requires technical savvy, a keen eye for aesthetics, and perhaps most important of all, the ability to coordinate efforts across many disciplines. Kitchen and Bath Design simplifies these complex decision-making processes with a comprehensive strategy for achieving kitchen and bath designs that successfully integrate beauty and practicality—while meeting client expectations. Fundamental design basics are covered, along with a host of important issues that designers must consider when conceptualizing these specialized rooms, such as ergonomics, codes and safety requirements, proper lighting and ventilation, flooring, cabinetry, countertops, wall surfaces, and more. Some of the topics that appear in this book include: A detailed introduction to construction, plumbing, and electrical basics A systematic approach to incorporating "green," energy-conscious design An overview of crucial design elements, including pattern, texture, line, form or mass, color, space and light, and sound The latest building codes and manufacturers' guidelines Written by a leading expert in interior design, Kitchen and Bath Design uses three-dimensional drawings and corresponding photographs to deliver valuable information that is critical when it comes to planning, designing, specifying, estimating, building, pricing, or evaluating a kitchen or bathroom. Whether they're working on a new or existing space, professional designers can apply the lessons learned from this current andaccessible resource to masterfully take on all kitchen or bathroom projects—from the simplest to the most highly challenging.
The noted artist and AIDS activist shares the story of her life in this memoir that exhibits the grace and honesty that stunned the nation at the 1992 Republican convention. Since her disclosure that she is HIV-positive, Mary has been an inspiration to audiences across the country--whether reflecting on raising her sons, or describing how she converted her terror, grief and anger into a new life mission.
This text is a collection of letters that were sent over a period of seven years, between a mother and daughter who lived in South Carolina and Philadelphia respectively. The correspondence offers a sweeping view of antebellum Charleston, Philadelphia and Newport, Rhode Island.
Ever since American soldiers returned home after World War II with a passion for pÛtä and escargots instead of pork and beans, our preferences have moved from cooked to raw, from canned to fresh, from bland to savory, from water to wine. And guiding us through our culinary revolution have been four of the world's finest food experts: Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, James Beard, and M. F. K. Fisher. ø In Masters of American Cookery, Betty Fussell demonstrates vividly how each of these chefs has made a unique and invaluable contribution to the American way of cooking and eating. In more than two hundred recipes?in chapters on appetizers, soups, salads, sauces, meats, poultry, fish, breads, cheeses and wines, and desserts?Fussell shares the artistry of these culinary masters. She also traces the evolution of each dish and provides insightful, often witty asides about the origins of the recipes. ø In the tradition of Waverley Root and M. F. K. Fisher herself, Fussell has combined elements of history, memoir, and the cookbook to create a food lover?s delight. As entertaining as it is instructive, Masters of American Cookery belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who cares about good food. Fussell provides a preface for this Bison Books edition.
I think, every once in a while, about the life I should be living, the one I fully expected to be enjoying right about now. In the life I was supposed to have, my husband and I would be admiring the view from our waterfront home in the town where we were both born and raised. Good friends and neighbors would be next door, up the street, and all over the neighborhood. Our parents would live only blocks away, in our childhood homes. We'd be taking our grandchildren to the beach club on weekends, enjoying the fruits of our labors and looking forward to a peaceful retirement. That was the plan, anyway . . . but the whole world knows how that turned out." Mary Jo Buttafuoco's anonymous life as a suburban wife and mother in sleepy Massapequa, New York, on Long Island, ended in May 1992, when she was shot in the head on her own front porch by her husband's sixteen-year-old mistress. The 'Long Island Lolita' saga sparked a media frenzy that continues to this day. As the years passed and Mary Jo steadfastly stood by her man, Joey Buttafuoco, while he and Amy Fisher continued to make headlines, one question lingered in the minds of people everywhere: Why did she stay for so long? In Getting It Through My Thick Skull, Mary Jo finally answers that question fully and convincingly. The answer is simple, yet it took almost three decades of turmoil to discover for herself—she was married to a sociopath. Using her tragic and triumphant life lessons and never-before-told accounts of life with Joey, Mary Joe helps readers undrestand sociaopathic behavior and the emotional traps it springs on willing partners, and offers hope and help for the millions of people caught in the cycle of toxic relationships. In addition, readers will meet a new-and-improved Mary Jo, confident and at peace with her new life, and will be inspired by her comback. Through private details of the resiliency and rebuilding she has forged over the past seventeen years, Mary Jo shares for the first time: Her addiction to painkillers and her recovery through the Betty Ford Center Her overdue decision to leave Joey and start over again in California—3,000 miles from her support system Taking control of her physical, spiritual, and emotional health and learned to feel attractive and in control again Her highly controversial forgiveness of Amy Fisher The letters she recieved from both Amy and Joy, and her reactions to both How she found the courage to trust, believe, and find hope in a committed relationship once again The details of the new love in her life and the joys and challenges of raising a Brady Bunch—style family Includes a 16-page color insert from the Buttafuoco family album.
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