Joss Whedon: The Biography


Amy Pascale - 2014
    This biography follows his development from a creative child and teenager who spent years away from his family at an elite English public school, through his early successes—which often turned into frustrating heartbreak in both television (Roseanne) and film (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)—to his breakout turn as the creator, writer, and director of the Buffy television series. Extensive, original interviews with Whedon’s family, friends, collaborators, and stars—and with the man himself—offer candid, behind-the-scenes accounts of the making of groundbreaking series such as Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse, as well as new stories about his work with Pixar writers and animators during the creation of Toy Story. Most importantly, however, these conversations present an intimate and revealing portrait of a man whose creativity and storytelling ability have manifested themselves in comics, online media, television, and film.

Sidney Crosby: The Rookie Year


Neely Lohmann - 2022
    As one of the greatest NHL players of all time, he reflects on his 2005-06 rookie season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. From a Canadian phenom dubbed "the next Gretzky" to an 18-year-old carrying the burden of a struggling franchise, he talks candidly about the intense pressure he was under, the surreal experience of lacing up alongside his childhood idol Mario Lemieux and the truth about his rivalry with Alex Ovechkin. Sidney Crosby, with the help of his family, coaches and former teammates, gives listeners an all-access pass to one of the most scrutinized and tumultuous rookie seasons in the history of professional hockey. Hosted by Pittsburgh native and Penguins fan Joe Manganiello.

Tough Shit: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good


Kevin Smith - 2012
    He makes movies, writes comics, owns a store, and now he s built a podcasting empire with his friends and family, including a wife who s way out of his league. So here s some tough shit: Kevin Smith has cracked the code. Or, he s just cracked. "Tough Sh*t" is the dirty business that Kevin has been digesting for 41 years and now, he s ready to put it in "your" hands. Smear this shit all over yourself, because this is your blueprint (or brownprint) for success. Kev takes you through some big moments in his life to help you live "your" days in as Gretzky a fashion as you can: going where the puck is "gonna" be. Read all about how a zero like Smith managed to make ten movies with no discernible talent, and how when he had everything he thought he d ever want, he decided to blow up his own career. Along the way, Kev shares stories about folks who inspired him (like George Carlin), folks who befuddled him (like Bruce Willis), and folks who let him jerk off onto their legs (like his beloved wife, Jen).So make this your daily reader. Hell, read it on the toilet if you want. Just make sure you grab the bowl and push, because you re about to take one "Tough Sh*t."

Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski


Ian O'Connor - 2022
    Through unprecedented access to Krzyzewski’s best friends, closest advisers, fiercest adversaries, and generations of his players and assistants, three-time New York Times bestselling author Ian O’Connor takes you behind the Blue Devil curtain with a penetrating examination of the great, but flawed leader as he closes out his iconic career.   Krzyzewski  built a staggering basketball empire that has endured for more than four decades, placing him among the all-time titans of American sport, and yet there has never been a defining portrait of the coach and his program. Until now. O’Connor uses scores of interviews with those who know Krzyzewski best  to deliver previously untold stories about the relationships that define the venerable Coach K, including the one with his volcanic mentor, Bob Knight, that died a premature death. Krzyzewski was always driven by an inner rage fueled by his tough Chicago upbringing, and by the blue-collar Polish-American parents who raised him to fight for a better life. As the retiring Coach K makes his final stand, vying for one more ring during the 2021-2022 season before saying goodbye at age 75, O’Connor shows you sides of the man and his methods that will surprise even the most dedicated Duke fan.

Between a Rock and a Grace Place: Divine Surprises in the Tight Spots of Life


Carol Kent - 2010
    All their appeals have been exhausted at both the state and federal levels---humanly speaking, they have run out of options.But despite their hopeless situation, Carol and her husband live a life full of grace. Kent reveals how life's problems become fruitful affliction where we discover the very best divine surprises, including peace, compassion, freedom, and adventure. Through the Kent's remarkable ongoing journey, Jason's riveting letters from behind bars, and true 'grace place' stories from the lives of others, Between a Rock and a Grace Place reveals that when seemingly insurmountable challenges crash into our lives, we can be transformed as we discover God at work in ways we never imagined. With vulnerable openness, irrepressible hope, restored joy, and a sense of humor, Carol Kent helps readers to find God's 'grace places' in the middle of their worst moments.

Two's Company: A Fifty-Year Romance with Lessons Learned in Love, Life & Business


Suzanne Somers - 2017
    For the first time, Suzanne will expose the inner workings of her marriage: a winning combination of love, business, and family. Starting from the very beginning, when a big-city guy from Toronto met a small-town girl from San Bruno, California, readers will get a behind-the-scenes perspective on Suzanne's groundbreaking success as a TV star and Las Vegas diva, multiple-bestselling author, and successful entrepreneur and businesswoman, along with her more personal life as a mother, partner, and ultimately self-fulfilled woman. Through fame, fortune, sickness and blended families, Suzanne and Alan have kept the vitality of their marriage alive-- together 24/7 (and haven't spent a night apart in 37 years), and combining business savvy in their constantly evolving relationship. Now, Suzanne reveals hard-won advice on how to rely on another person without sacrificing individual strengths.In this mixture of love story, memoir, and practical guide, readers, too, will discover how to forge and maintain a true partnership that's built to last.

Overcome: Burned, Blinded, and Blessed


Carmen Blandin Tarleton - 2013
    Doctors called it "THE MOST HORRIFIC INJURY A HUMAN BEING COULD SUFFER." Tarleton spent the next three and a half months in a medically induced coma, and when she awoke, it was to an unimaginable reality: she was blind and permanently disfigured, with burns covering more than eighty percent of her body. Her recovery would include months of painful rehab, dozens of surgeries, and total dependence on family, friends, and strangers for physical and financial care. With so much taken away, no one could have anticipated what Tarleton would gain from her experience: an awakening. A purpose. Joy. By sharing her struggles and ultimate victory over catastrophic loss, Tarleton proves that life is a choice-and, in the process, offers a rare glimpse into the best and worst corners of the human heart. "CARMEN IS SO UNFLINCHINGLY HONEST, SO TRANSPARENT . . . Overcome: Burned, Blinded, and Blessed is an opportunity to bask, for just for a little while, in the rays of her exceptional spirit." -JONI BUSBY, SUPERVISING PRODUCER, THE DOCTORS "Carmen's story is one of tragedy and triumph. She is truly an example of the strength and beauty of the human spirit. Carmen went from victim to survivor and teaches us all that we can overcome the unimaginable and create the lives we would like to live." JENNIFER RADICS, MBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALISA ANN RUCH BURN FOUNDATION "Carmen Tarleton's story is a riveting account of a courageous woman who teaches us all the power of fighting suffering with relentless hope and tenacity." SAMIR MELKI, MD, PHD FOUNDER, BOST ON EYE GROUP "Carmen tells her inspiring story with remarkable clarity and honesty. She has endured a journey many might be unable to endure and arrived to provide the reader with wisdom, compassion, and inspiration. As heavy as the price was for Carmen, Overcome is a wonderful gift to those of us who take the time to read it. Her story is, at heart, one of a profound and courageous journey, and she has arrived with great treasures to offer us all." DAVID VOGEL PRESIDENT, BURN SURVIVORS OF NEW ENGLAND "Told with sincerity and grace, Overcome powerfully illustrates the unlimited resilience of the human spirit. Carmen's heart-thumping journey is at times harrowing, yet always keenly illuminating. Overcome is a bracing triumph of the soul." MICHAEL PAUL MASON AUTHOR OF HEAD CASES: STORIES OF BRAIN INJURY AND ITS AFTERMATH

A Stolen Life


Jaycee Dugard - 2011
    It was the last her family and friends saw of her for over eighteen years. On 26 August 2009, Dugard, her daughters, and Phillip Craig Garrido appeared in the office of her kidnapper's parole officer in California. Their unusual behaviour sparked an investigation that led to the positive identification of Jaycee Lee Dugard, living in a tent behind Garrido's home. During her time in captivity, at the age of fourteen and seventeen, she gave birth to two daughters, both fathered by Garrido. Dugard's memoir is written by the 30-year-old herself and covers the period from the time of her abduction in 1991 up until the present. In her stark, utterly honest and unflinching narrative, Jaycee opens up about what she experienced, including how she feels now, a year after being found. Garrido and his wife Nancy have since pleaded guilty to their crimes.

Already Here: A Doctor Discovers the Truth about Heaven


Leo Galland - 2018
    After his death, he revealed to Leo the real purpose of his life, as a spiritual guide who taught others by confounding their assumptions and expectations. And he began to share with Leo a new perspective on everything from the nature of good and evil to the concept of timelessness to the notion that the universe is, fundamentally, an act of love.Christopher’s wisdom was revealed to Leo over the course of a year, coalescing into three themes, which Leo calls the Gift of the Opposite, the Gift of Presence, and the Gift of Timelessness. Leo quickly came to realize that these gifts were not for him alone: they contain ancient wisdom, held sacred in many traditions, that Chris intended him to share with others. He has written this book, under Chris’s direction, to do just that.Already Here presents a unique dialogue in which an analytical, scientific mind tries to comprehend truths from another plane of existence—one that, nonetheless, is inseparable from our own. Chris describes Heaven and Earth, spirit and matter, as unified opposites that cannot exist without each other and cannot be separated from human consciousness. The book takes its title from Christopher’s final message to Leo, in which he describes Heaven as an “eternal present” where everyone is together, even those of us still living earthly lives. “Lighten up,” Christopher says to his father. “You’re already here, you know.”

The Life of Rylan


Rylan Clark-Neal - 2016
    Bet you wouldn't have put money on that three years ago, eh?! Please don't stress yourself out too much though, it's actually socially acceptable nowadays that you're interested. Firstly I'd like to emphasise that I have WRITTEN THIS BOOK MYSELF, so be assured you're getting the TOOTH, the WHOLE TOOTH and NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH! (Which was my original choice of title, but babe, we're so over that) This book documents my story, year by year, from my humble beginnings growing up in the East End of London, becoming one of the nation's most talked-about people overnight to finally moving up the spectrum from guilty pleasure, and getting nearer to national treasure. It will make you laugh, cry, and most importantly you'll discover who I really am. If it doesn't do any of those things you're not legally entitled to a refund - just clearing that up ;-). I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This book has been like therapy, and LORD was I in need. Enjoy!

From Baptist Preacher to Mormon Teacher


Wain Myers - 2015
    This former Baptist preacher tells his fascinating story of following the Spirit’s voice and ultimately becoming a convert in the LDS church. This remarkable true story will inspire you to follow your own promptings and share truth wherever you find it.

Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg


Barry Williams - 1990
    Its the most detailed documentation or one of television's most popular shows, as told from the inside. Forget about the rumors and find out the real stories of inter-Brady dating, behind-the scenes battles, and the real people behind the Bunch.

Remember the Sweet Things: One List, Two Lives, and Twenty Years of Marriage


Ellen Greene - 2009
    It is a manual for healthy living, told with searing honesty and profound tenderness, and poignancy that touches you on virtually every page.”—Wayne Coffey, New York Times bestselling author of The Boys of Winter Ellen Greene’s Remember the Sweet Things is a heartfelt, deeply affecting memoir of love, devotion, and a very special marriage, reminding us about what truly matters in life. Fans of Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach will appreciate this warm and loving remembrance that author Susan Wiggs calls, “a beautiful meditation on love and life, and an affirmation of the power of gratitude….A true gift to the reader.”

Deep Thoughts from a Hollywood Blonde


Jennie Garth - 2014
    So she decided to do what surprised many—including herself: she decided to write about it, to tell her own story, in her own words. And now, in this intimate memoir, she explores the highs and lows of her life, both in front of the camera and behind closed doors, revealing the real Jennie Garth—smart, funny, and stronger than she ever realized. This is one unforgettable, utterly loveable Hollywood Blonde, and these are her deep thoughts. "No one warned me that deciding to write a book about my life would unleash all of the insecurities, fears, and self-doubts I'd been trying to outwit and outrun my whole life, but that's exactly what happened. I wanted to tell my truth with as much courage as I could muster and to be as fearless as possible as I delved into the darker corners of my mind. The result surprised me: I got to know myself in new ways. Revealing myself in these pages has been at times terrifying, but also one of the most liberating experiences of my life. That's because once you start writing, all of these embarrassing, wonderful, hilarious, painful, and surreal things that make you who you are get flushed up to the surface. And so word by word, I began to put the story of me together. Now all of these personal recollections, memories and anecdotes have been printed and bound into this book, which means that now you get to know me, too."—Jennie Garth

Another Alice: An Inspiring True Story Of A Young Woman's Battle To Overcome Rheumatoid Arthritis


Alice Peterson - 2008
    In the midst of shock and denial, and the enduring question, 'Isn't it old people who get arthritis?', Alice had to learn to live with what quickly turned from the odd ache and pain to a very aggressive form of the illness, and rediscover a new path in life. "Another Alice" is at times utterly heart-breaking, and at others laugh-out-loud. Here is her story of how, armed with humour and courage, she left behind a world she loved to overcome the pain of a degenerative illness. Told with wit, charm and frankness, "Another Alice" is also a story of friendship, family, growing up and the desire to be 'normal'. But, above all, it celebrates the power of the human spirit.