Lee Siegel

"A young boy's awakening to the conflict between innate gifts and social class is at the center of this searing memoir about the unforgiving sovereignty of money. Hoping to make a killing in New Jersey real estate, the author's father, Monroe Siegel, takes a draw from his employer against unearned commission. When the recession hits in the 1970s, Monroe finds himself owing a small fortune to his firm. He sinks toward divorce and bankruptcy, while...

Born Julius Marx in 1890, the brilliant comic actor who would later be known as Groucho was the most verbal of the famed comedy team, the Marx Brothers, his broad slapstick portrayals elevated by ingenious wordplay and double entendre. In his spirited biography of this beloved American iconoclast, Lee Siegel views the life of Groucho through the lens of his work on stage, screen, and television. The author uncovers the roots of the performer's outrageous...

"This survey of historical and modern portraiture presents a fundamentally new and exciting exploration of how people view themselves, their personal relationships, and their tribes. Portraits--single, double, and group--are the focus of this fascinating volume. Encompassing work from the 18th century to the present, this selection examines how portraits shape our notion of self in the context of individuality, partnerships, and relationships. Three...