A wickedly funny look at opera today--the feuds and deals, maestros and managers, divine voices and outsized egos--and a portrait of the opera world's newest superstar at a formative point in her life and career. In Cinderella & Company, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manuela Hoelterhoff takes us on a two-year trip on the circuit with Cecilia Bartoli, the young mezzo-soprano who has captured an adoring public around the world. Rossini's Cenerentola is Bartoli's signature role, and Cinderella & Company tells the fairy-tale story of her life, which started on a modest street in Rome where the Fiat was the coach of choice. The lucky break, the meteoric rise, the starlit nights and nail-chewing days are all part of a narrative that shows Bartoli rehearsing, playing, traveling, eating, and charming us with her vivacity and dazzling virtuosity. Along the way, Hoelterhoff gives us an unusually vivid, behind-the-scenes look at the opera world. The first stop is Houston, where Bartoli brightens a droopy Cenerentola production; later scenes follow her to Disney World and to the Metropolitan Opera, where a fidgety cast awaits the flight-phobic mezzo's arrival for Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. Traveling to Santa Fe, Paris, Rome, Venice, and London, Hoelterhoff drops in on opening nights and boardroom meetings, talks to managers and agents, describes where the money comes from, and survives one of the longest galas in history. Here too are tantalizing glimpses of divinities large and small: Kathleen Battle's famously chilly limousine ride; Plácido Domingo flying through three time zones to step into the boots of an ailing Otello; Luciano Pavarotti aiming for high C in his twilight years. And we meet the present players in Bartoli's world: Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu, a.k.a. the Love Couple; Jane Eaglen, the Wagnerian web potato monitoring her cyberspace fan mail; the appealing soprano Renée Fleming, finally on the brink of stardom. At once informed and accessible, Cinderella & Company brings the world of grand opera into sharp focus--right up to the last glimpse of Cecilia Bartoli waving triumphantly from Cinderella's wedding cake.

Traces the story of the cottonseed industry from its antebellum origins through its transformation during the first half of the 20th century. Details the mechanics of cottonseed oil production, the organization of the industry, and the effects of cottonseed price fixing and politics, WWI, antitrust legislation, and the New Deal. Includes bandw photos and diagrams. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

PRAISE FOR From CINDERELLA to CEO "The storybook Cinderella sits and waits for her prince charming to come. From Cinderella to CEO is a rewrite for modern day Cinderellas. This book tells women to climb on their own horse and ride to their destiny. It's full of great road maps on everything from how to survive a wicked boss to how to surround yourself with swans!" --Pat Schroeder, former Congresswoman, President & CEO of the Association of American Publishers "Cary Broussard has produced a great compass for women who are navigating their journey through work life. This is a primer that turns fairy tales into actionable road signs that will transform starry-eyed neophytes into seasoned professionals. This book is much more than a 'yellow brick road' map. It is an atlas that not only helps the reader plot her successful course; but, it also underscores ways for managing a successful career, as well as identifies road markers and landmines that could derail a career. It is a must read." --Esther Silver-Parker, Vice President of Diversity Relations, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "If you have aspirations to be successful and happy in your career, then From Cinderella to CEO is the book for you! Cary Broussard has decoded folklore and articulated a play-by-play game plan to help women win in the ballgame of business. And best of all, this fairy godmentor wisely refers to cutting edge twenty-first century thinking by interpreting business as pleasure!" --Linda K. Bolliger, Founder & CEO, Boardroom Bound? "From Cinderella to CEO offers something for everyone. No matter which rung of the corporate ladder you are perched upon you will appreciate Cary J. Broussard's fresh perspective on women in the workplace. Whether you are just starting out, mentoring a new hire, or thinking about starting your own business you'll look at things differently after reading this book. Broussard understands that while work styles may vary by gender, these differences complement each other and savvy employers and employees will prosper when both styles are encouraged to flourish." --Marti Barletta, author of Marketing to Women: How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your Share of the World's Largest Market Segment

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STUNG BY THE ECONOMIC CRISIS? CINDERELLA'S HOUSEWORK TELLS HOW SECURE, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL FAMILIES CAN SAVE OUR ECONOMY. All that is precious and treasured is created by mothers, families, and households. And the real treasure is the creativity of the human mind to solve human problems and develop human ideas into wealth that will improve the condition of all people and the Earth.