Last Man Down: A Firefighter's Story of Survival and Escape from the World Trade Center


Richard Picciotto - 2002
    He and his men quickly realized they had only moments to escape before their building would fall as well. Could they shepherd everyone out in time? Could they save themselves? Readers will be spellbound -- even though Pitch himself obviously does survive, they will be furiously biting their collective nails nonetheless.After a short tribute to the many members of "New York's Bravest" who perished that tragic day, Picciotto's recounting of September 11th begins with the usual rituals: getting his son, Stephen, off to school, seeing his wife, Debbie, off to her job, grabbing some bagels for the guys on the day shift. But when the news comes in, and all eyes in the firehouse turn toward the TV, everything changes: "Our world turned upside down and inside out and all over the place." Pitch, who was at the WTC during the 1993 bombing incident as well, immediately senses that this is no accident.In a way, the scariest moment in the book is the frantic ride downtown to the WTC site. Everyone senses that this may well be the last such trip of their lives (and the reader, of course, knows just how true that is). Firefighters are trained to put such thoughts out of their minds, but this is no simple fire; it's what they all call "the big one."For an ultimate "insider" look at what it was like that fateful day, Chief Picciotto's chronicle is highly recommended. (Nicholas Sinisi)Nicholas Sinisi is the Barnes & Noble.com Current Events editor.

Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life


Julianna Margulies - 2021
    There were complicated relationships, difficult choices, and overwhelming rejections along the way to becoming an award-winning actress. But there were also the moments where fate, faith, and talent aligned, leading to the unforgettable roles of a lifetime, both professionally and personally--moments when chaos had finally turned to calm.Filled with intimate stories and revelatory moments, Sunshine Girl is aself-portrait of a woman whose resilience in the face of turmoil will intrigue and inspire.

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs


Elissa Wall - 2008
    At once shocking, heartbreaking, and inspiring, Wall’s story of subjugation and survival exposes the darkness at the root of this rebel offshoot of the Mormon faith.

Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA


Amaryllis Fox - 2019
    Amaryllis Fox's memoir tells the story of her ten years in the most elite clandestine ops unit of the CIA, hunting the world's most dangerous terrorists in sixteen countries while marrying and giving birth to a daughter.

Private Parts


Howard Stern - 1993
    This is the event Stern's millions of fans have been waiting for. Yes, The King of All Media is back, letting it all hang out in his outrageous new movie. And here is the book that tracks the odyssey. In "Private Parts" Stern spills his life story, from his dysfunctional beginnings to his unlikely, turbulent rise to super stardom. In the process, he shares his views on everything from foreign policy to fatherhood and Madonna to masturbation, with lots of lesbians in between. No matter whose side you're on -- Cher's "I hate him. He's just a creep, " or Stallone's "I love him. I really love him" -- Stern's brutally frank "Don't ask, I'll tell" tome spares no group or institution. Studded throughout with Howard's favorite photos, pickings from the Hate-Mailbag and illustrations, this is the original, in-your-face manifesto complete with movie art that will once again have fans storming the bookstores...and everyone else running for cover.