Funny Peculiar


Will Young - 2012
    It was clear from the start that he would never be a typical pop star - and more than ten years later he has become one of our best-loved and most intriguing artists.From his dramatic experiences on Pop Idol; to coming out in the glare of the media spotlight; to his valiant struggles against depression; to the crazy reality of being famous, Will is open about both the highs and lows of his life. He also provides sound and practical advice on dealing with the DVLA helpline - something that has been woefully neglected by all other celebrity memoirs.If you have ever wondered what it's like to attend a fashion show (and find yourself accidentally waving at Anna Wintour); how it feels to sing in front of thousands while fighting a catastrophic bout of low self-esteem; or be subjected to the terror that is a This Morning 'makeover', then Funny Peculiar reveals all. It also reveals what not to say if you ever meet David Beckham.Moving, witty and scrupulously honest, Funny Peculiar is a refreshingly different and fascinating autobiography by a true original.

Grace and Justice on Death Row: The Race against Time and Texas to Free an Innocent Man


Brian W. Stolarz - 2016
    The book chronicles Brown’s extraordinary journey to freedom against very long odds, overcoming unscrupulous prosecutors, corrupt police, inadequate defense counsel, and a broken criminal justice system. The book examines how a lawyer-client relationship turned into one of brotherhood.Grace And Justice On Death Row also addresses many issues facing the criminal justice system and the death penalty – race, class, adequate defense counsel, and intellectual disability, and proposes reforms.Told from Stolarz’s perspective, this raw, fast-paced look into what it took to save one man’s life will leave you questioning the criminal justice system in this country. It is a story of injustice and redemption that must be told.

The Handsomest Man in Cuba: An Escapade


Lynette Chiang - 2003
    With only a folding bicycle and a towable suitcase, Australian Lynette Chiang spent three months touring Cuba, eshewing tourist hotels and typical itineraries in favor of an unpredictable day-to-day existence among ordinary citizens. She discovered a people who, despite great privation, are warm, generous, and generally happy. Her narrative covers equally well the challenges of travel on two wheels and the surprises of life in the land of Fidel.Read more about Lynette at http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba

The Adventures of Big-Foot Wallace: The Texas Ranger and Hunter


John Crittenden Duval - 1870
     As a nineteen year old he had heard that one of his brothers had been killed in the Battle of Goliad, an early confrontation in the Texan war of independence with Mexico, and swore to travel West to “take pay of the Mexicans” for his brother’s death. In the following years he fought time and again against the Mexicans for the newly formed Republic of Texas and saw action at Salado Creek, Hondo River and during the Mier Campaign. After returning for the wars in Mexico he abandoned the Texan military and joined the Texas Rangers under the leadership of John Coffee Hays and served for a number of years defending Texans against Native American and border bandits along the frontier. This riotous narrative of the adventures of one of the saltiest and most individualistic pioneer Indian fighters that the state ever produced is told in a leisurely, satirical fashion that reflects a way of life long since lost. Duval's chronicle of one of Texas' greatest adventurers is filled with Wallace's humor and colorful speech. Wallace emerges from the book in all his vigor and robustness, and the reader is transported to a rugged, uncultivated frontier where a few men who were rough enough were carving out a new empire. The flavor and the spirit of early Texas have been captured for countless readers by John C. Duval's Big Foot Wallace. About one-fourth of Big Foot Wallace is devoted to a detailed account of Wallace's experiences in the Mier Expedition. The remainder of the book deals with his adventures on the frontiers of Texas as an Indian fighter, a soldier of fortune, and a member of the first company of Rangers. John C. Duval, the author of Big Foot Wallace, has been called the first man of letters in Texas. Earlier Texans devoted their time to writing about politics and land, but Duval wrote of the frontier and its people with a clarity of perception equaled by few writers in any period. Duval was a man of the camp and range. Civilization did not fit him very well, and he spent much of his time in the wilderness alone. Like his friend and companion, Big Foot Wallace, Duval was an adventurer whose experiences were varied and exciting. In Big Foot Wallace Duval relates a number of his experiences that had been shared with Wallace. Writing late in life, Duval set down memories of events that had mellowed with time. He strove for pictorial and dramatic effects, not historical accuracy. Still Big Foot Wallace has been acclaimed by historians for its amazing accuracy. This book was published in 1870. Duval passed away in 1897 and Wallace in 1899.

Tom Brady vs. the NFL: The Case for Football's Greatest Quarterback


Sean Glennon - 2012
    More than just a biography, it relates Brady’s story while also establishing his prominent place in NFL history. By examining his skills and statistics in a variety of categories and comparing him to other great quarterbacks—including Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, and more—the guide makes a strong case for Brady as football’s best signal caller. Along the way, his best moments as a Patriot are revisited, from championship seasons and his favorite receivers to his relationship with legendary coach Bill Belichick. With detailed sidebars on Brady’s celebrity status, fashion sense, much-talked-about hair, and supermodel wife, this is a must-have for faithful New England fans and pro football buffs alike.

Philosophy of Sailing: Offshore in Search of the Universe


Christian Williams - 2018
    

The Captured


Scott Zesch - 2004
    Traded to Comaches, he thrived in the rough, nomadic existence, quickly becoming one of the tribe's fiercest warriors. Forcibly returned to his parents after three years, Korn never adjusted to life in white society. He spent his last years in a cave, all but forgotten by his family.That is, until Scott Zesch stumbled over his own great-great-great uncle's grave. Determined to understand how such a "good boy" could have become "Indianized" so completely, Zesch travels across the west, digging through archives, speaking with Comanche elders, and tracking eight other child captives from the region with hauntingly similar experiences. With a historian's rigor and a novelist's eye, Zesch paints a vivid portrait of life on the Texas frontier, offering a rare account of captivity.

Almost Heaven: Coming of Age in West Virginia


Jerry S. Horton - 2014
    A very well written book that will be hard for anyone to put down!This is a must read.Jerry's interesting and riveting account of his childhood years and transition to a young adult and Infantry NCO are truly endearing! His honest and impelling novel reminds one of why we serve, fight, and are willing to lay down our lives for God, Country, and our fellow man. God Bless the Infantryman!!Thank the Lord for Soldiers and West Virginia !This book is a great read. This honest account of growing up in West Virginia and becoming a Sergeant in Vietnam is sometimes thrilling and sometimes heart wrenching. Through a lot of true grit, thank goodness Jerry Horton survived to tell this story. I highly recommend this book. It is a Winner.This is an inspiring memoir written about a young man coming of age in West Virginia in the 1960's. It is a memoir but also a real thriller story as we follow Jerry from the streets surrounding Lincoln playground to Chicago Steel mills to the French Quarter in New Orleans and to San Francisco in the Summer of Love 1967. The book then moves you to the Central Highlands in Vietnam where Jerry is an infantry platoon sergeant. Jerry's interesting and truthful account of his childhood years and transition to an adult and Infantry Sergeant are truly endearing. It is an honest and compelling story. It gives a first person narrative of hand-to-hand combat in the trenches of Vietnam that can leave you scared, glad to be alive and eternally grateful to those who died for our freedom. Jerry joined the army to simply be able to afford to go to college. Forty years later he has a PhD and multiple degrees but they were earned at a heavy price for this patriot. Jerry shares his experiences in Vietnam in an articulate, honest and direct assessment of his time in Vietnam, the men he served with and the horrors of war. It is an incredible story of leadership and survival.We see Jerry develop as a young boy who is very independent and then see him being schooled on the streets of Charleston, West Virginia learning how to come to grips with the breakup and divorce in his family. He takes refuge in becoming the best he could be as a basketball player on the courts of Lincoln playground. Later we see him leaving home for the mean streets of the Chicago Steel mills and then on to Louisiana where he completes one year of college and then goes flat broke. Then the book shifts to New Orleans Louisiana and the excitement of the French Quarter. Jerry's life is rocked by the turbulent waters in New Orleans; he had no money no plan and is drifting. He seeks out another lifestyle in California hitching to and then living in San Francisco during the Summer of Love 1967. He describes how it was, the music and time and place and he takes you there through his vivid descriptions. Once again, his life spins into turmoil and as he tries to get back on the path to achieve his life's dream of going to college he is drafted in the Army. He finds himself becoming a leader, an infantry sergeant. His goal is to bring himself and his men back home alive, the reader gets the sense that all his life Jerry has been prepared for this moment. The reader is taken through and sees through Jerry's eyes what combat is really like.This story covers much ground and has something for everyone. You live through Jerry 's experiences of what it's like to conquer your own demons, you read about his mother's courage having Jerry in the Salvation Army by herself, the excitement and freedom of the 1960's and you learn what it is like to want something so bad you lay your life down for it. It is a book you truly won't lay down once you start reading.

Fly Into the Wind: How to Harness Faith and Fearlessness on Your Ascent to Greatness


Lt Colonel Dan Rooney - 2020
    

The Cajuns: Americanization of a People


Shane K. Bernard - 1996
    During this period they have become much like other Americans and yet have remained strikingly distinct. The Cajuns: Americanization of a People explores these six decades and analyzes the forces that had an impact on Louisiana's Acadiana.In the 1940s, when America entered World War II, so too did the isolated Cajuns. Cajun soldiers fought alongside troops from Brooklyn and Berkeley and absorbed aspects of new cultures. In the 1950s as rock 'n' roll and television crackled across Louisiana airwaves, Cajun music makers responded with their own distinct versions. In the 1960s, empowerment and liberation movements turned the South upside down. During the 1980s, as things Cajun became an absorbing national fad, "Cajun" became a kind of brand identity used for selling everything from swamp tours to boxed rice dinners. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the advent of a new information age launched "Cyber-Cajuns" onto a worldwide web. All these forces have pushed and pulled at the fabric of Cajun life but have not destroyed it.A Cajun himself, the author of this book has an intense personal fascination in his people.By linking seemingly local events in the Cajuns' once isolated south Louisiana homeland to national and even global events, Bernard demonstrates that by the middle of the twentieth century the Cajuns for the first time in their ethnic story were engulfed in the currents of mainstream American life and yet continued to make outstandingly distinct contributions.

A Microsoft Life


Stephen Toulouse - 2010
    Enjoy a journey through the eyes of a geek working at one of the most important companies in the world as he walks you through events both large and small. Just don't get caught in the Redmond reality distortion field! What others are saying about "A Microsoft Life": "Any self-respecting geek needs to read this book. Stepto provides an enjoyable and entertaining insight of life inside Microsoft." - Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, Director of Programming for Xbox LIVE "Anyone who lived through the adolescent years of the computer revolution will alternate between laughing and crying (from laughing) at these great stories from inside the monolith. - Ken Denmead, NYT Bestselling Author, and editor of Geekdad.com

Anant Pai: Master Storyteller


Gayathri Chandrasekaran - 2012
    Using the comics format he told stories from mythology, history and literature to generations of children.Uncle Pai, as he was known, wanted Indian children to be familiar with their heritage. He believed that it helped build self-esteem and confidence. A chemical engineer by profession, Anant Pai gave up his job to follow his dream, a dream that led to the creation of Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle.Amar Chitra Katha pays tribute to its creator and traces the story of the man who left behind a legacy of learning and laughter.

Talking to Spirit: How to Become a Medium & Connect with the Afterlife


Emily Stroia - 2015
    Bonus FREE gift included with your purchase! What Signs & Signals Spirits Give Spirit loved ones have many ways of communicating with us. In this book you will learn the common signals and signs when a Spirit loved one is trying to communicate with you and how to identify them more easily so you can have faster and easier communication with the beyond. How to Successfully Communicate with Spirit Loved Ones Learn what makes mediumship successful including a method on communicating with Spirit loved ones and several exercises on making contact. You will also learn the importance of sitting with spirit and what to look for in your meditations. How to Become a Medium & Talk to a Spirit Loved One In this book, Emily will teach you all the various methods and details to look for when practicing mediumship and spirit communication. You will learn all the evidence and details to look for when doing mediumship and how to communicate these details to your sitter or receiver. In this book are all the keys to successful mediumship including how to tell the story of your spirit loved ones, interpreting symbols from Spirit, the importance of the message and how to find out what messages the Spirit wants to communicate. You will also learn how to create your own Spiritual Toolbox Kit and how to Set your Intention with the Spirit World. Emily believes we all have an intuition and use it more than we know or are aware of. Learn today how to become more in touch with your inner voice and develop your psychic awareness! About The AuthorEmily is a professional Intuitive & Evidential Medium based in the New York & New Jersey area. She teaches classes, has written several books on psychic & mediumship development available on Amazon for purchase and continues to have private sessions with clients. Visit her website, www.emilystroia.com for more information about her. Scroll up and grab your copy now! Free gift inside with purchase!

Prince: Chapter and Verse—A Life in Photographs


Mobeen Azhar - 2016
    Prince was a legend of artistry and individuality, a man who lived for his music and positioned himself outside the confines of the recording industry. News of his untimely passing shocked and shattered his millions of fans. Filled with rare and carefully curated photos of Prince from all stages of his career, this visually stunning unofficial music biography tells Prince s story through conversations that journalist (and Prince fanatic) Mobeen Azhar had with the people who knew him best friends, musicians, artists, and members of his inner circle many speaking out about the great artist for the first time. These firsthand accounts paint a more personal picture of Prince than any seen before, and, along with the images, pay homage to the originality, musical genius, glamour, and sex appeal that Prince embodied."

Trail Blazer: My Life as an Ultra-distance Runner


Ryan Sandes - 2016
    Since bursting onto the international trail-running scene by winning the first multistage race he ever entered – the brutal Gobi March – Ryan has gone on to win various other multistage and single-day races around the globe. Written with bestselling author and journalist Steve Smith, Trail Blazer – My Life as an Ultra-distance Trail Runner recounts the life story of this intrepid sportsman, from his experiences as a rudderless party animal to becoming a world-class athlete, and includes details on his training regimes, race strategies and aspirations for future sporting endeavours.Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the adrenaline-inducing trials and tribulations of one of South Africa’s most awe-inspiring athletes, while endurance-sport participants – from beginners to aspirant pros – will benefit from his insights and advice. As Professor Tim Noakes says in the Foreword to this book: ‘However much we might think we know and understand, there are some phenomena which now, and perhaps forever, we will never fully comprehend. We call such happenings “enigmas”. Or even miracles. Ryan Sandes is one such.’