Quitters Never Win: My Life in UFC — The American Edition


Michael Bisping - 2020
    readers, the story of his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, fresh insights about his fighting career, never-before-told stories about his film and TV career, and a harrowing account of his fighting off attempted kidnappers while filming in South Africa, Quitters Never Win tells the incredible story of how he went from rough and humble beginnings and then on to a legendary mixed martial arts career capped by winning the Middleweight Championship in one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. “If I quit the first time I tasted defeat, I wouldn’t be here now,” Bisping once said. The ultimate UFC underdog, Bisping fought his way to Number One contender three times, only to be knocked back each time. But he refused to give in, clawing his way to his first World Title shot at the age of 37—and becoming the first ever British UFC world champion. Loaded with the humor and brutal honesty that first won him a following on the television show Ultimate Fighter 3, Bisping recounts his record setting 13-year fight career battling the likes of Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Dan Henderson. The most engaging UFC color analyst in recent memory, and a budding film and television star, Bisping tells his story in a way that only he knows how.

Living With Arabs: Nine Years with the Petra Bedouin


Joan Ward - 2014
    How can we begin to understand what drives people to treat each other as they do? “Medieval” is a word often used. Well-informed commentators analyse political and military issues but give little insight into the cultural and domestic backgrounds of the protagonists."Living with Arabs" is an account of nine years spent visiting and living among the Bedouin tribes of Petra in southern Jordan; in some ways a world away from the neighbouring war zones. Through insightful accounts of day-to-day life, a world of nobility and simplicity is revealed: so too is a world of violence, gender imbalance, and the significance of Islam. It is a story that begins viewed through rose-coloured spectacles and moves to a gripping realisation of reality. The shocking, the funny, the heart-warming – it is all here.Joan Ward was born and bred in Birmingham, UK. She spent four years commissioned in the Royal Air Force before starting a teaching career that lasted 33 years. From 2004-2006, she was Head of English at the International Community School in Amman. On her retirement in 2006, she remained in Jordan and spent six years living in Um Sayhoun with the Petra Bedouin.

Practise What You Preach (Edward Vernon's Practice series Book 2)


Edward Vernon - 2014
    (Edward Vernon is a pen name of a well known British doctor/author.) Set in the 1970s, in a small town in the English midlands, the book describes the medical misadventures of a young, harassed GP who is learning on the job. There's the embarrassed vicar with the guilty secret, the private patient who pays him to keep her ill, a beautiful young patient who insists on being examined in the bath, a six year old marble swallower and an a difficult encounter with a patient who can't speak a word of English. A huge hit in the UK and the USA when first published these books have only now been made available as ebooks on Amazon. Here's what the critics said about the Edward Vernon books: Warm and humorous...the anecdotes pour out of every page - Lancashire Evening Post Genuinely funny - South Wales Argus Wise, funny, sad and heartwarming - Chattanooga Times Most of his adventures are funny, some hilarious; but he has the good sense to leven the comedy lump with some that are sad, some touching. All are written lightly, easily, entertainingly - Oxford Times Good fun - Homes and Gardens The funniest of the funny doctor books - Richard Gordon Jolly good reading - Publishers Weekly Truthful, well observed and consistently readable - Daily Telegraph Will amuse, amaze and entertain - Yorkshire Post Views the human species he treats with much the same affection, compassion and humour as Herriot brings to the animal world - Cleveland Plain Daler Thoroughly delightful - Fresno Bee Hilarious - Titbits A delightfully funny book that keeps the reader laughing and appeals to one's sense of the ridiculous - Sunday Advocate, Baton Rouge For entertainment, a chapter or two before bedtime is just what the doctor ordered - Sacromento Bee Does for British GPs what Herriot has done for vets - Booklist Hilarious, written with skill and zest - Evening Telegraph Very funny - Citizen, Gloucester etc etc

Hollywood Celebrities: Where Are They Now?


Ron Ebner - 2013
    Here in this book Ron Ebner—author of The Winds of Hell, Nova, Plague World, and two short story collections—has collected a voluminous amount of information about current actors and former actors, including:Disney favorites Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk, Tim Considine, Hayley Mills and Kevin Corcoran, as well as Mouseketeers Sharon Baird, Lonnie Burr, Cubby O’Brien and Karen Pendleton; Lauren Chapin and Elinor Donahue of “Father Knows Best”; Johnny Crawford of “The Rifleman”; Shelley Fabares of “The Donna Reed Show”; Little Rascal “Spanky” McFarland; Beverly Washburn; Cynthia Pepper; Native American actors Chief Dan George and Will Sampson; the frisky star of the original Nancy Drew movies, Bonita Granville; Al “Grandpa” Lewis; Fess Parker; John Amos…and many others.Read through these pages and find out what’s happening with about 100 of your favorite Hollywood celebrities.

Billy Mitchell (Annotated): Founder of Our Air Force and Prophet Without Honor


Emile Gauvreau - 1942
    Through the press and in person he lobbied naval brass about America's woefully unprepared defensive air power but his talk of dogfights over the Pacific with superior planes was laughed at and dismissed by all. Mitchell's vision of a US Air Arm would have meant massive, costly upgrades to the nation's dated flying machines owned by private firms holding patents on aircraft machinery. Old guard soldiers, like John J. Pershing, dismissed as delusional ravings Mitchell's belief that a battleship could be destroyed by a bomber. Mitchell's outspoken press conferences about an airplane trust supported by corrupt government officials led to his court-martial for insubordination in 1925. He died in 1936, a man ahead of his times.*Includes annotations and images.

Fall Again, Rise Again


Sandeep Aggarwal - 2020
    If ever there was anyone whose life could be described as nothing but a roller-coaster, it is that of Sandeep Aggarwal. ‘Fall again, rise again’ are words that sum up the entire life of the founder of two billion-dollar companies and shopclues. Sandeep’s story is that of a middle-class boy who could not speak English for much of his school life but dreamt to make it big someday. A young professional who went to the US and couldn’t get a job but eventually became a sought-after wall Street analyst. He achieved more success than he could imagine but gave up everything to return to India to become an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur who built one of India’s very few unicorns but was ousted from his own company. A dreamer who saw his dreams crushed by Charges of insider trading in the US but rose like a Phoenix to create yet another company—droom. He was an accused whose agonizing wait for a final decision in his case continued for six long years. But that did not stop a string of global investors from putting money into droom, including Japan’s Toyota group company. He was finally vindicated when the US government dropped all criminal Charges against him in February2020, and the securities and Exchange Commission settled all Civil Charges against him around the same time. This is unlike any autobiography, especially among those written by people from the business world. Sandeep’s emotional strength and searing honesty will inspire and impact you in a way that is very, very rare.About the AuthorSandeep Aggarwal certainly knows a thing or two about building billion-dollar companies. —Forbes India When I met Sandeep thirteen years ago, I just knew that he is one of those rare individuals whose presence in your life can make it better, and the feeling has only become stronger. In this book, he shares how he dealt with his darkest moments and candidly analyses his unbelievable journey. —Chaim Friedman, Managing Partner, LionBird Ventures The story of Sandeep Aggarwal is one of courage, determination, hard work and creativity. I am lucky to have been his colleague during his Wall Street years, and luckier to have him as a friend. —Mark S. Mahaney, world's top-ranked Internet analyst and Managing Director, RBC Capital Markets There is great amount of learning from the roller-coaster ride Sandeep went through and how as an entrepreneur he converted obstacles into opportunities. —Ronnie Screwvala, Chairman & Co Founder, upGradREVIEWSSandeep Aggarwal certainly knows a thing or two about building billion-dollar companies.—Forbes IndiaWhen I met Sandeep thirteen years ago, I just knew that he is one of those rare individuals whose presence in your life can make it better, and the feeling has only become stronger. In this book, he shares how he dealt with his darkest moments and candidly analyses his unbelievable journey. —Chaim Friedman, Managing Partner, LionBird VenturesThe story of Sandeep Aggarwal is one of courage, determination, hard work and creativity. I am lucky to have been his colleague during his Wall Street years, and luckier to have him as a friend.—Mark S. Mahaney, world's top-ranked Internet analyst and Managing Director, RBC Capital MarketsThere is great amount of learning from the roller-coaster ride Sandeep went through and how as an entrepreneur he converted obstacles into opportunities. —Ronnie Screwvala, Chairman & Co Founder, upGrad

American Legends: The Life of Paul Newman


Charles River Editors - 2014
     *Includes Newman's own quotes about his life and career. "The first time I remember women reacting to me was when we were filming Hud in Texas. Women were literally trying to climb through the transoms at the motel where I stayed. At first, it's flattering to the ego. At first. Then you realize that they're mixing me up with the roles I play - characters created by writers who have nothing to do with who I am." - Paul NewmanA lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.Over the course of his long film career, Paul Newman was once one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood during his peak, and that was decades before he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Color of Money (1986), one of the eight times he was nominated for an Oscar. Having come to prominence as a handsome but rebellious young man in the mold of James Dean, Newman was able to maintain an aura that viewers found both cool and irresistible even into his 60s, typically an age when leading men find themselves on the outs. Newman was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Road to Perdition (2002), when he was in his late 70s, and he continued working in the industry until just shortly before his death in 2008.While Newman was a recognizable film star in his time, younger generations know Newman more as a pop culture fixture than as a movie star. Newman acted and directed in Hollywood for six decades, but he was noteworthy off the screen for various pursuits, including running a racing team that was successful in IndyCar racing, but especially for the food products that bore his name. Newman established the food company Newman's Own as a philanthropic endeavor, once joking, "When I realized I was going to have to be a whore, to put my face on the label, I decided that the only way I could do it was to give away all the money we make. Over the years, that ethical stance has given us a 30 per cent boost. One in three customers buys my products because all the profits go to good causes and the rest buy the stuff because it is good." Although he started jokingly referring to himself as the "star of oil and vinegar and the oil and vinegar of the stars", consumers still find Newman's face on labels for goods like salad dressing and popcorn, and the brand name is still very popular today, helping carry Newman's name and legacy forward.American Legends: The Life of Paul Newman examines the versatile life and career of an American icon. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Paul Newman like never before, in no time at all.

Mink, Mary, and Me: The Story of a Wilderness Trapline


Chick Ferguson - 2019
    He definitely was not planning on spending the next eighteen years in the wilderness. For he was only a simple photographer with a little studio in a little town in North Dakota. His business was failing and having heard of the riches of the fur-trade he was hoping to spend a year or two trapping, making a stake and returning to his routine life. But he didn’t figure on love. . . . For this is a story of romance. A story of survival, hardship, success, trials, adventure, happiness, and romance. A romance of the wilderness and the trapline, and a romance with Mary—who was the bravest and most wonderful woman in the North. Mary was a one-in-a-million. One could only wish for a partner of such courage and companionship. The only white-woman in a vast and unforgiving territory. The closest city, many hundreds of miles. And the only visitors to be expected, the unwanted kind. How many women could endure such hardship and learn to love it? She had many chances to leave and go back to a normal life in the states, but she always returned to her man and her wilderness. Against all odds, Chick and Mary built a life in the Far North and made a successful living on the trapline. Though a life full of struggles and danger they both could not imagine living any other way. With a wonderful writing style that makes you feel as if you are there, Chick Ferguson takes us along with him on his adventures in the Far North.

The Ten Thousand Things


Robert Saltzman - 2017
    His book is a fresh look at the questions that occur to anyone who thinks deeply about these matters, questions about free will, self-determination, destiny, choice, and who are we anyway. I believe this is a “breakthrough book.” Robert’s style of writing about such ephemeral and difficult subjects as awareness and consciousness is honest, concise, and accurate. His ability to describe his experiences of living in a reality quite different from conventional ways of thinking is brilliantly unusual. On first encountering Robert Saltzman’s work, I am reminded of the same feelings of discovery, delight and excitement that I remember from meeting Alan Watts’ “The Wisdom of Insecurity”, Krishnamurti’s “Freedom from the Known,” and Chögyam Trungpa’s “Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.” His clarity of mind shines brightly through every sentence in this book. His skill at making clear the most difficult ramifications and subtleties of awakened consciousness is so free of conventional cluttered thinking, so free of habitual phrases, so free of the taint of religious dogma and the conventional ways of speaking of such difficult matters, that this book stands out for me as an entirely fresh and illuminated exposition of awakened consciousness: an awakened understanding of what it is to be human. —Dr. Robert K. Hall

The Comeback: How Larry Ellison's Team Won the America's Cup (Kindle Single)


G. Bruce Knecht - 2016
    New Zealand needed just one more win. Oracle ultimately beat back the odds in what's been called the greatest comeback in sport. But was it? G. Bruce Knecht set out to investigate how Oracle turned things around and, most particularly, the source of extra horsepower that seemed to come from nowhere during the final races. What he discovered was that the team was using a sailing technique that was prohibited under the rules. The Comeback is a pulse-pounding account of Oracle's desperate stop-at-nothing campaign.G. Bruce Knecht, a former staff reporter and foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, is the author of three books, including The Proving Ground: The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race. Larry Ellison was a major character in that book as well and it explains how his experience in the race led to his pursuit of the America's Cup. A sailor himself, Knecht raced across the Atlantic in 2005 on the yacht that broke the 100-year-old transatlantic race record.Cover design by Charles Rue Woods.

"Hands up if you like Jill": Memoirs of growing up with an alcoholic mother and an abusive stepfather - How I survived


Jill Kathryn Barnes - 2020
    He was a jealous man, who beat her up repeatedly; even when she was pregnant with Jill. She was only nineteen and a half when Jill was born. By the time Jill was two and a half, the marriage had ended. When Jill was around four years old, a much worse man had entered both of their lives; only this time, it was Jill who was the one being beaten. It meant nothing to her stepfather to beat her up around three times a week. He killed several beloved pets and made them eat one and also a neighbour’s pet that was found in their garden. Jill always had felt that she was loved and wanted by her mother, who had been an alcoholic since she had left school. However, when her stepfather sexually abused Jill, that was all to change. After some years of festering her rage and two breakdowns, Jill’s mother’s hate became far worse than what her stepfather had dished out. Jill became the family slave and was told daily how much her mother despised her for actually ‘allowing’ herself to be abused. Her mother also started asking the family who liked who, round the dinner table. They all cheered each other but when Jill’s name was called out, they all booed. That hurt Jill more than all of the beatings put together; though she knew her brother and sister did love her deep down and often told her so. It was just their own survival that made them join in. Jill takes you through her life, step by step, as she seeks emotional healing. She had a faith that helped but that got changed to almost unrecognisable over time. In fact, the beliefs that she once held dear, along with her very difficult upbringing, eventually drove her over the edge to a very nasty breakdown. Only when she had hit rock bottom though, did she find the solace she had long been searching for and the healing that came with it. This is not a bitter tale; in fact, it might surprise you how understanding Jill actually is. There are many good times, as well as bad in this book. You will find certain parts quite amusing, as she focuses on those happier times, as well as the bad. That makes this book quite a refreshing and even an uplifting read. Jill has a special knack of explaining things, that you can almost feel as if you are right there with her. Note: Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Kids Don't Get Cancer: The Remarkably Inspiring Story of Michael Crossland


Michael Crossland - 2015
    This passion stems from his own story … Before Michael was even one year old, he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the central nervous system – a tumour had taken over half of his tiny body. The chance of Michael surviving was virtually non-existent. He started chemotherapy at 1 year old and by his second birthday, doctors had basically given up all hope. His only hope was taking part in a drug trial program – a program of which Michael was the only participant to survive the treatment. Although he survived, he was left with some permanent scars – only one lung, a damaged heart and a sensitive immune system. Michael Crossland sets an example for all of us. He's a man who has faced (and still faces) extreme challenges in life, but he never gives up. And despite his own obstacles, he always puts others before himself and gives so much to people in need. A true inspiration. A true hero. About the Author: As one of Australia’s most sought after inspirational speakers Michael has defied the odds of a life threatening cancer to build his life of exceptional achievements. He is a regular inspirational speaker for corporations, schools, professional sporting organisations and universities throughout the world. In the last 12 months Michael has presented in front of over 250,000 people around the globe. His journey has been shared on many TV programs including Fox Sports, ABC, ChannelSeven & Nine networks, Full Potential TV, The Get Inspired Project, Inspire Me Today program and countless radio shows throughout America, Fiji and Australia. Along with his award winning program about his life on Australian Stories, Michael has also recently featured in a humanitarian documentary about the countless lives saved through his orphanage and school in Haiti that he is involved with. Diagnosed before his first birthday and spending over ¼ of his life in hospital, doctors told him school and sport were not options. Infection and fatigue were too great a risk, reaching his teenage years would be a miracle. His only wish was to lead a normal life and be able to do all the things that other kids took for granted every day. But he had a dream and the undying determination to achieve the impossible… No matter the size of the obstacles that lay ahead. Now, an accomplished businessman, National Ambassador for Camp Quality, Australian of the Year finalist, Australia Day Ambassador and international hall of fame inductee, Michael inspires people from all walks of life. It is no doubt he has a heart for giving and a skill to engage people from all walks of life. Within the last five years he has gone from being one of the youngest State Development Managers for one of the largest companies in the world, to running five banks then leaving his finance career to follow his dreams in making a global impact and he certainly has done that! Michael’s story “Field of Dreams” was documented on Australian Story, ABC TV television. Through this documentary, his message touched the hearts of a nation, with his story of how he overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve success in both his personal and professional life.

Finishing Off the Bottle: A Memoir of Addiction and Self-Discovery


Bruce Hidasch - 2018
    From stress and anxiety to real loss, booze was his magic elixir that made it all disappear. But the constant blackout nights brought with them even more trouble. Despite the perpetual cycle of drunken mistakes and continued escalation in drinking, he found new ways to rationalize his self-destructive behavior. Drinking was a part of who he was. And an existence without it seemed inconceivable. He takes you through a life where nights with missing pieces of time were the norm. And how there was a haze that overshadowed everything, even his happiest memories. He shares how far he fell before finally willing to change. And the long road back in recovery that required him to completely shift his perceptive in order to remain sober. He also explains what he discovered about the many reasons he drank so much for so long. And how he was ultimately able to come out better on the other side. This is a memoir about overcoming the grip alcohol can have on us. About learning to live life again after the bottle and facing the world with sober eyes. And finally discovering one’s true self. This is a story that will resonate with anyone who has struggled with addiction. And will give hope to those looking to change their lives for the better.

Diary of a Night Fighter Pilot 1939 - 1945


Douglas Haig Greaves - 2016
    Written in his own hand from the day he signed up in October 1939 as a trainee pilot to the day he was ‘demobbed’ in October 1945, this poignant and often riveting diary by Squadron Leader Douglas Greaves D.F.C and Bar, records, in typical understated RAF style, the minutiae of everyday life in the services, as well as the horror he and his comrades endured and the heroism they all displayed.

HIM: A True Story Of Love & Fear


Danielle Davis - 2020
     HIM is the true story of a life lived with domestic abuse. The author began writing her blog ‘I got flowers today’ in 2015, sharing her story with the world, with her sole aim to help others who were living with, or had experienced domestic abuse. This book shares not only her story, but through a collection of her blogs, takes a look at domestic abuse in general; how an abuser gains their victims trust, and then gradually, over time manipulates, takes control and by whatever abusive means necessary, ensures their victim chooses to stay rather than leave. I was his Princess. The children were pawns in his game of cat and mouse. He was our nightmare.