Showing results by author "Kirsten Anderson" in All Categories

An unusually warm winter day resulted in 2.3 million gallons of molasses flooding the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The disaster killed twenty-one people and injured 150 others. Rescue missions were launched to save people from the sticky and deadly mess, led by the Red Cross, the Army, the Navy, and the Massachusetts Nautical School. With the help of hundreds of volunteers over the course of several weeks, the streets were cleaned up. But the smell of molasses and the horror of the preventable tragedy lingered for decades to come.

Learn how a young girl who lived on a Christmas tree farm grew up to become one of the most celebrated musical artists of the twenty-first century in this addition to the #1 New York Times Best-Selling Series.

Meet the man who changed the game forever. Michael Jordan has always been competitive - even as a young boy, he fought for attention. His need to be the best made him a star player on his college basketball team and helped him become an NBA legend, both for his skills and his endorsements. His Nike contract for Air Jordan basketball shoes set an unmatched precedent for professional athletes. Author Kirsten Anderson takes listeners through each exciting moment, detailing the iconic reverse lay-ups and jump shots of Michael Jordan's storied career.

In Half Moon Bay, California, 2016, a young woman waits for her father's sailboat to arrive at port. They have agreed to meet on this day and time. Yet he never shows. He has told her this event might come. And if it did, she was ready. Go to the library in Berkeley, find a certain book, follow the instructions. But what if the instructions lead to more questions than answers?

How did a teenage actress become a Grammy-winning pop star? Find out in this Who HQ Now biography about Ariana Grande and her exciting career that spans the Broadway stage, television, and music to blockbuster movies!

On November 24, 1971, an unidentified man hijacked an airplane that was flying from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington. He demanded $200,000 and told a flight attendant that he had weapons. After stopping in Seattle, the hijacker was given the money and he released the attendants. But he demanded that the pilots stay on-board, refuel, and fly him to Mexico City. Just thirty minutes after the plane took off, the man jumped out of the aircraft and parachuted away...never to be seen or heard from again. Did he escape with the money? Did he even survive the jump?

The inspiring story of Vice President Kamala Harris told in the new Who HQ Now format for trending topics. On November 7, 2020, Kamala Harris, a senator from California, became the first woman and the first African American and South Asian American person to be elected to the vice presidency. While her nomination for this position was not unexpected, her rise to national prominence was one filled with unexpected turns and obstacles.

Walt Whitman was a printer, journalist, editor, and schoolteacher. But today, he's recognized as one of America's founding poets, a man who changed American literature forever. Who Was Walt Whitman? follows his remarkable journey from a young New York printer to one of America's most beloved literary figures.

Michelangelo created some of the world's most recognizable art, from the statue of David to the intricate ceiling fresco of the Sistine Chapel. Beyond his well-known painting and sculpting, he was a gifted poet and architect.

Best known for his screen prints of soup cans and movie stars, this shy young boy from Pittsburgh shot to fame with his radical ideas of what "art" could be. Working in the aptly named Factory, Warhol's paintings, movies, and eccentric lifestyle blurred the lines between pop culture and art, ushering in the Pop Art movement and with it a national obsession. Who Was Andy Warhol? tells the story of an enigmatic man who grew into a cultural icon.

On June 26, 2018, 28-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a bartender from New York City, became the youngest woman ever elected to serve on Congress. Her win shocked the political world, and she became a celebrity overnight. Soon, everyone knew her by her initials: AOC. As soon as she was sworn into office, AOC became a vocal champion for healthcare for all and the fight against climate change. This exciting story details the defining moments of what led to her victory and all the monumental ones since that have shaped her into a smart politician willing to fight for others.

How does a little boy from the London suburbs named Reginald Kenneth Dwight grow up to become one of the biggest pop stars of all time? A lot of talent and a lot of personality! Elton John, as he would later call himself, started playing piano at the age of three. Although he was trained to play classical music, Elton's real love was rock and roll.

El 26 de junio de 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, una camarera de Nueva York de veintiocho años, se convirtió en la mujer más joven elegida para formar parte del Congreso. Su victoria conmocionó al mundo político y se convirtió en una celebridad de la noche a la mañana. Pronto, todo el mundo la conocía por sus iniciales: AOC. Nada más tomar posesión de su cargo, AOC se convirtió en una firme defensora de la asistencia médica para todos y de la lucha contra el cambio climático.

In 2010, Harry Styles was thrust into the spotlight when he auditioned for X-Factor and was placed in a new band called One Direction. That band of five young men would go on to place third in the competition, but their time together wouldn't stop there. They went on to release five albums and headline four international tours. When the band went on a break in 2016, Harry Styles decided to pursue his dream of being a solo artist. Since then, Harry has released three albums, sold out massive tours, and won a Grammy award.

Conoce al hombre que cambió el juego para siempre. Michael Jordan siempre ha sido competitivo, incluso de pequeño luchaba por llamar la atención. Su necesidad de ser el mejor lo convirtió en un jugador estrella de su equipo de baloncesto universitario y lo ayudó a convertirse en una leyenda de la NBA, tanto por sus habilidades como por sus promociones. Su contrato con Nike para las zapatillas de baloncesto Air Jordan sentó un precedente inigualable para los atletas profesionales.

Taylor Swift siempre supo que quería ser cantante de música country, y a los trece años convenció a sus padres para mudarse con la familia de Pensilvania a Nashville. Como cantante, compositora y guitarrista, Taylor escribió canciones sobre el desamor adolescente y sobre cómo ser aceptada por sus compañeros, e interpretó estas y otras melodías en noches de micrófono abierto y eventos de karaoke.

El 7 de noviembre de 2020, Kamala Harris, una senadora de California, se convirtió en la primera mujer y la primera persona afroamericana y surasiática-estadounidense en ser elegida para la vicepresidencia. Si bien su nominación para este puesto no fue inesperada, su ascenso al protagonismo nacional estuvo lleno de giros y obstáculos inesperados. Después de reprobar su primer examen de oposición para convertirse en abogada, lo intentó de nuevo y lo aprobó.

In March 2025, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed into the Gulf of Mexico. A pod of dolphins greeted them, and their friends and family celebrated their return to Earth. Where had they been? The International Space Station!

Jenna Ortega’s role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s series Wednesday made her an international star. Since then, the actress has worked at full speed, taking on starring roles in horror films such as X, Scream IV, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Jenna has become a role model for young Latina girls across the world and has used her voice to advocate for anti-bullying programs, AIDS healthcare support, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and gun control laws.

Zendaya comenzó su carrera como actriz a los trece años, cuando consiguió uno de los papeles principales en Shake It Up de Disney Channel. Desde entonces, la actriz no ha dejado de brillar, protagonizando películas de superhéroes llenas de acción, deslumbrantes musicales cinematográficos y programas de televisión altamente aclamados. Con tan solo veinticuatro años, Zendaya ganó su primer premio Emmy Primetime por su actuación en el exitoso programa Euphoria.