A Walk In His Shoes: One family's struggle. A son's battle with addiction.
Dustin John - 2015
With a lucrative job, a wife, and a home of his own, he was destined for a life of fortune, prosperity and comfort. That was before heroin. This unique and gripping tale is the first of its kind to tell the story of addiction through the eyes of both father and son. Together, Dustin and Dallas shine a blinding light on the dark life of a junky. As Dustin decides to travel across the western states in search of a safe haven, Dustin wanders within a few footsteps of his own demise. Instead of finding freedom, however, his addiction cascades into corruption, deceit, and evil. As alcohol and drug abuse continues to ravage every community in America, this groundbreaking memoir offers important insight into the inner workings of an active user, as well as the pain of those loved ones who must helplessly stand by as the family structure disintegrates from addiction.
Saving Jake: When Addiction Hits Home
D'Anne Burwell - 2015
Struggling with fear, guilt, and a desperate need to protect her son, D'Anne grapples with her husband's anger and her daughter's depression as the family disease of addiction impacts them all. She discovers the terrifying links between prescription-drug abuse and skyrocketing heroin use. And she comes to understand that to save her child she must step back and allow him to fight for his own soul.SAVING JAKE gives voice to the devastation shared by the families of addicts, and provides vital hope. Above all, it is a powerful personal story of love and redemption.Winner of the 2016 Eric Hoffer Award in Memoir, the 2016 Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award, and the 2015 USA Best Book Award for Addiction & Recovery.
You Are Stronger than You Think: Unleash the Power to Go Bigger, Go Bold, and Go Beyond What Limits You
Joel Osteen - 2021
When you feel overwhelmed, like you can’t go on, He comes in and gives you special strength. Strength that you didn’t get on your own. Strength to move forward when you should be stuck, strength to overcome that hurdle, strength to outlast that opposition. You’re going to feel strength that you didn’t have, joy when you could be discouraged, and hope when you should be depressed. You’re going to have the power to endure, the favor to overcome, and the determination to outlast.He’s going to bring blessings, increase, favor, and healing that He’s already prepared. It’s going to be easier than you thought, and it’s going to happen sooner than you think. As you read You Are Stronger Than You Think, feel a power rising that you have never felt—a strength, a courage, a determination, a stamina. He won’t let you stay overwhelmed. You may feel that way at times, but that’s not how your story ends. You’re going to feel a strength that pushes you forward, a power to do what you couldn’t do before.Believe and declare that you are strong, you are victorious, and you are able. You’re going to accomplish dreams bigger than you imagined, overcome obstacles that look insurmountable, and reach the fullness of your destiny!
A.J. Jacobs Omnibus: The Know-It-All, The Year of Living Biblically, My Life as an Experiment
A.J. Jacobs - 2011
Jacobs's riotous—and surprisingly informative—ventures into experiential journalism. The Know-It-All: Puzzle along with A.J. as he endeavors to read—and retain—the entire encyclopedia, and discover what exactly it is he learns along the way. The Year of Living Biblically: Discover what life would be like in the 21st century if you lived precisely by the dictates of the Bible—the insights gained about religion might surprise you. My Life as an Experiment: Join A.J. on a roller-coaster tour of life as a human guinea pig: he explores both the perks and pitfalls of various undertakings in a series of charming essays, including those titled “My Outsourced Life" and "My Life as a Beautiful Woman."
The Importance Of Being Ernest: The Life of Actor Jim Varney
Justin Lloyd - 2013
Today, millions of fans still mourn the loss of actor Jim Varney, who portrayed Ernest and who died at age 50 in 2000 of cancer. Ernest fans are finally getting the biography they have been waiting for in this comprehensive work by Jim’s nephew, Justin Lloyd. “The Importance of Being Ernest: The Life of Actor Jim Varney” traces Jim’s journey from a child in Lexington, Kentucky, with dreams of being a stage and film actor to becoming an iconic entertainment figure in the tradition of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Little Tramp.”The book is based on numerous interviews with family members and intimates of Jim who have never spoken publicly before about what drove the actor and how he overcame many personal and professional obstacles to attain success. But with that success came a price: Jim longed for stage and film roles beyond Ernest, and they were difficult to come by because of his symbiosis with the character. Yet Jim persevered, ultimately winning major movie roles such as Jed Clampett in “The Beverly Hillbillies” and (the voice of) Slinky Dog in the first two “Toy Story” films. The book also explores the genius of the small Nashville advertising agency that created Ernest and how it spread his popularity decades before “going viral” became associated with achieving global stardom.Even at the height of his career, Jim never forgot he was a descendant of Appalachian coal miners, and he remained true to his values, his friends and his family. Jim always strove for authenticity and humanity inside his hillbilly humor, endearing him to fans from every walk of life. “The Importance of Being Ernest: The Life of Actor Jim Varney” documents the life of an unforgettable figure in American comedy whose legacy endures today.
The Hollywood Scandal Almanac: 12 Months of Sinister, Salacious and Senseless History!
Jerry Roberts - 2012
The real-life scandals of Hollywood’s personalities rival any drama they bring to life on the silver screen. This book provides 365 daily doses of high and low crimes, fraud and deceit, culled from Tinseltown’s checkered past. Whether it’s the exploits of silent-era star Fatty Arbuckle, the midcentury misdeeds of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, or the modern excesses of Lindsay Lohan, this calendar of Hollywood transgressions has a sensational true tale for every day of the year. It’s an entertaining and sometimes shocking trip down memory lane filled with sneaky affairs, box-office bombs, and careers cut short—sometimes by murder. It shows that the drama doesn’t end when the credits roll.
An Askew View: The Films of Kevin Smith
John Kenneth Muir - 2002
Filmed on a shoestring budget after hours at a convenience store, it was crude (in technique and language), realistic and, above all, hilarious. The movie's nationwide success helped launch the indepedent film boom of the 1990s and catapulted its director, Kevin Smith, to full-fledged stardom. Smith's work is explored in AN ASKEW VIEW, the first ever study of his films. John Kenneth Muir examines all of Smith's movies. including MALLRATS, CHASING AMY, and the hugely controversial and variously interpreted DOGMA. Muir discusses Smith's themes and obsessions in depth: his New Jersey boosterism, the cast of characters that pop in and out of all of his films, and the references to STAR WARS and other icons of pop culture. AN ASKEW VIEW is a fascinating and detailed history of the art of this visionary filmmaker, New Jersey's favorite local-boy-makes-good since Bruce Springsteen.
GUTS
Janet Buttenwieser - 2018
But within a year she’d developed an intestinal illness so rare she wound up in a medical journal. Janet navigated misdiagnosis, multiple surgeries, and life with a permanent colostomy. Like many female patients her concerns were glossed over by doctors. She was young and insecure, major liabilities in her life as a patient. How would she advocate for low-income people when she couldn’t even advocate for herself? Janet’s model for assertiveness was her friend Beth. She was the kind of friend who’d accompany you to the doctor when you got dysentery in Ecuador, nonchalantly translating the graphic details of your symptoms into Spanish. Throughout Janet’s illness Beth took care of her; then she developed brain cancer and their roles reversed. Eventually Janet recovered, but Beth’s condition worsened. At the age of 38, Beth died. To cope, Janet competed in endurance events, becoming a triathlete with a colostomy pouch. With themes that echo Susannah Cahalan’s 'Brain on Fire' and Gail Caldwell’s 'Let’s Take the Long Way Home', GUTS is a story of resilience for the millions of Americans who manage to thrive while living with a chronic condition, as well as the many who’ve lost a loved one at a young age.
Funny Little Pregnant Things: The Good, the Bad and the Just Plain Gross Things about Pregnancy That Other Books Aren't Going to Tell You.
Emily Doherty - 2014
Is there any practical value in knowing that your child resembles produce? And where's the good stuff, the useful details, like beware of the baby registry and all the crap you will never use, or be prepared to get breast milk all over everything you own? Hilarious, candid, and easy to read, Funny Little Pregnant Things is full of helpful information about all the stuff people don t tell you about pregnancy the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Worldwide Ward Cookbook: 440 Recipes from LDS Cooks Around the Globe
Deanna Buxton - 2009
With comfort-food recipes gathered from across America as well as 46 other countries, you'll find homemade classics along with dishes that may be difficult to pronounce, but are easy to enjoy. And nearly all 440 of these simple and economical recipes are made from ingredients available in most local groceries, so you can delight your family and friends again and again. As you turn the more than 340 pages of this charming book, you'll discover recipes for real food cooked by real people around the globedishes for every occasion and every taste. Enjoy a traditional British Sunday dinner, or delight your family and friends with a delicious Finnish glass cake. You may even want to whip up a batch of Brigham Young's favorite buttermilk donuts. You'll find savory soups to sweet treats, creamy casseroles, entrées with a little bit of kick, and dishes that younger taste buds will like. But perhaps your favorite part of this delightful book will be the stories behind the recipessnippets that will bring a smile, and maybe even inspire you to start a few new traditions. So pull out the pans, fire up the stove, and create some new favorites with the abundance of appetizing ideas found in your Worldwide Ward Cookbook. 9.5" X 11", 342 pages ISBN 978-1-59811-779-0
A Stranger Killed Katy: The True Story of Katherine Hawelka, Her Murder on a New York Campus, and How Her Family Fought Back
William D. LaRue - 2021
On the dimly lit path beside the university's ice hockey arena, a stranger emerged from the darkness. The brutal sexual assault and strangulation that followed rocked the campus and the local community to its core.When Katy was declared brain-dead three days later, her family's nightmare had only just begun.Terry Connelly soon learned details about her daughter's death that would make her blood boil. From the bungling campus guards who could have stopped the murder, to mistakes by others that allowed the killer to wander the streets committing violence, Katy's mother became certain of one thing: The criminal justice system only meant justice for the criminals.A STRANGER KILLED KATY is the true story of a life cut tragically short, and of the fight by a grieving mother and others more than 30 years later to ensure that a killer would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Shift for Good: Simple Changes for Lasting Joy Inside and Out
Tory Johnson - 2015
Her runaway bestseller, The Shift, shared the lessons acquired on this quest as Tory lost more than 80 pounds. Moved by and grateful for the response to the book and her results, she felt empowered and satisfied ... for a while. Having achieved a goal she once felt was impossible, life seemed a bit stagnant. That's when Tory realized that her Shift wasn't over: she'd just begun! Buoyed by this discovery, Tory applied Shifting to her career, her personal relationships, and her community. Shift for Good delivers the remarkable result: doors open; relationships deepen; opportunity abounds. Tory's practical and intimate new book will motivate readers to Shift every day, in every way.
Tiger in the Sea: The Ditching of Flying Tiger 923 and the Desperate Struggle for Survival
Eric Lindner - 2021
They all expected to die.Murray radioed out "Mayday" as he attempted to fly down through gale-force winds into the rough water, hoping the plane didn't break apart when it hit the sea.Only a handful of ships could pick up the distress call so far from land. The closest was a Swiss freighter 13 hours away. Dozens of other ships and planes from nine countries abruptly changed course or scrambled from Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and Cornwall, all racing to the rescue--but they would take hours, or days, to arrive.From the cockpit, the blackness of the Atlantic grew ever closer. Could Murray do what no pilot had ever done--"land" a commercial airliner at night in a violent sea without everyone dying? And if he did, would rescuers find any survivors before they drowned or died from hypothermia in the icy water?The fate of Flying Tiger 923 riveted the world. Bulletins interrupted radio and TV programs. Headlines shouted off newspapers from London to LA. Frantic family members overwhelmed telephone switchboards. President Kennedy took a break from the brewing crises in Cuba and Mississippi to ask for hourly updates.Tiger in the Sea is a gripping tale of triumph, tragedy, unparalleled airmanship, and incredibly brave people from all walks of life. The author has pieced together the story--long hidden because of murky Cold War politics--through exhaustive research and reconstructed a true and inspiring tribute to the virtues of outside-the-box-thinking, teamwork, and hope.Learn more at TigerintheSea.com
The New Muslim's Field Guide
Theresa Corbin - 2018
The New Muslim's Field Guide offers a fresh approach to guiding Muslim converts, focused on helping them grow as Muslims while maintaining their identity and love for God. Drawing on their shared decades of experience, Theresa and Kaighla walk the new Muslim through the hills and the valleys they'll encounter on their journey, helping the newcomer navigate the sometimes slippery cliffs of culture, politics, and interpersonal relationships. Injected with a healthy dose of humor and candor, The New Muslim's Field Guide discusses some of the deeper meanings behind belief and ritual, clarifies common sticky issues, and tells stories of triumph and failure on the journey of Islam.
The Hunt for the 60s' Ripper
Robin Jarossi - 2017
A look at the 1960s Nude Murders in West London, a series of prostitute killings that were never solved, with contemporary insights from ex-detectives and experts.