Seventy-five years after he came to life, Superman remains one of America’s most adored and enduring heroes. Now Larry Tye, the prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of Satchel, has written the first full-fledged history not just of the Man of Steel but of the creators, designers, owners, and performers who made him the icon he is today. Legions of fans from Boston to Buenos Aires can recite the story of the child born Kal-El, scion of the doomed planet Krypton, who was rocketed to Earth as an infant, raised by humble Kansas farmers, and rechristened Clark Kent. Known to law-abiders and evildoers alike as Superman, he was destined to become the invincible champion of all that is good and just—and a star in every medium from comic books and comic strips to radio, TV, and film. But behind the high-flying legend lies a true-to-life saga every bit as compelling, one that begins not in the far reaches of outer space but in the middle of America’s heartland. During the depths of the Great Depression, Jerry Siegel was a shy, awkward teenager in Cleveland. Raised on adventure tales and robbed of his father at a young age, Jerry dreamed of a hero for a boy and a world that desperately needed one. Together with neighborhood chum and kindred spirit Joe Shuster, young Siegel conjured a human-sized god who was everything his creators yearned to be: handsome, stalwart, and brave, able to protect the innocent, punish the wicked, save the day, and win the girl. It was on Superman’s muscle-bound back that the comic book and the very idea of the superhero took flight. Tye chronicles the adventures of the men and women who kept Siegel and Shuster’s “Man of Tomorrow” aloft and vitally alive through seven decades and counting. Here are the savvy publishers and visionary writers and artists of comics’ Golden Age who ushered the red-and-blue-clad titan through changing eras and evolving incarnations; and the actors—including George Reeves and Christopher Reeve—who brought the Man of Steel to life on screen, only to succumb themselves to all-too-human tragedy in the mortal world. Here too is the poignant and compelling history of Siegel and Shuster’s lifelong struggle for the recognition and rewards rightly due to the architects of a genuine cultural phenomenon. From two-fisted crimebuster to über-patriot, social crusader to spiritual savior, Superman—perhaps like no other mythical character before or since—has evolved in a way that offers a Rorschach test of his times and our aspirations. In this deftly realized appreciation, Larry Tye reveals a portrait of America over seventy years through the lens of that otherworldly hero who continues to embody our best selves.

Enshrined in Hollywood's golden age is the iconic image of Holly Golightly peering provocatively from beneath the wide saucer brim of her fabulous black Chapeau du Matin, the boa-length pink hatband declaring an unmistakable independence of spirit. The world s most coveted designers flocked to dress Hepburn, whose look redefined glamour, redefined beauty. From Givenchy, Mr. John, Dior, Cecil Beaton and Balenciaga, Hepburn inspired loyalty, set trends and cemented reputations. Creating a hat for Hepburn was to stake your claim in fashion history. At the top of the list was Hubert Givenchy, one of the world's great designers. Audrey became his muse and their association and friendship lasted a lifetime. This exquisite volume includes an entire section dedicated to My Fair Lady and the fabulous Academy Award winning costumes and sculpted hats designed by Sir Cecil Beaton. It features stunning photographs of Audrey Hepburn taken by leading photographers including Dennis Stock, Howell Conant, Terry O'Neill, Bud Fraker and Bob Willoughby, and the book features insightful accompanying text from fashion writer, June Marsh. Quintessentially elegant, Hepburn's status as a global style icon owes as much to an endless assortment of fabulous headwear, as it does to her body of work. Hepburn and her hats were a match made in heaven and for decades she not only graced the silver screen but the cover of every glossy magazine throughout the world, rarely captured without her signature accessory.