Self Biography

This narrative presents a firsthand account of a Marine who played a small role in the Afghan War. It begins with his enlistment in the Marine Corps immediately after high school, driven by dreams of earning the prestigious title of United States Marine and serving his country in combat. The story culminates with his reentry into the civilian world, marked by the challenging task of making sense of the profound experiences he underwent.

Jack Rocco was a baby when he was adopted by a blue-collar, Italian American family. Today a successful orthopedic surgeon, Jack’s identity was built around his Italian heritage, and while he knew the story of his “Gotday,” he didn’t know the story of his birth day. His was a closed adoption, and he only knew that his birth parents were a young couple—an Italian father and a German Irish mother—who couldn’t afford a child.

A deeply personal, yet candid saga of a gay Secret Service Agent in the Obama era; an agent who was struggling with his own identity, marriage, discrimination, and balancing the demands that accompany being assigned to protect the most powerful people in the world.

The stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul will encourage listeners to stay upbeat, because there's always a brighter way to look at life. This collection includes 31 Stories about who's in charge, how to love a cat, and how to be your best.

Here are 29 inspirational, true-life stories. The stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive will encourage listeners to stay upbeat, because there's always a brighter way to look at life. This book continues Chicken Soup for the Soul's focus on inspiration and hope, reminding us that each day holds something to be thankful for.

Suspended between gang boundaries drawn with red and blue rags, young Norman Anthony Coulter Jr. navigated Inglewood and South Central Los Angeles like a Viking unsure of what lay west. Always slow to “throw” punches in the face of provocation, he later found that the world at large was not any different from the ‘hood. People seek safety by assimilating into tribes. But our true selves allow us to align our behaviors with our core beliefs whereas false versions of ourselves take on the identity of the tribe.

In his first ever book, The IF in Life: How to Get Off Life’s Sidelines and Become Your Best Self, NFL running back and Dancing with the Stars champion Rashad Jennings shares his inspiring story and experiences, imparts practical advice, and encourages listeners to follow their dreams.

When Susan quit her job in London and set sail off the south coast of England on her beloved sailboat, Isean, she was unaware this spontaneous departure would lead to a three-year journey spanning several countries across the continent. With only the very basics on board, resourcefulness becomes an unexpected source of joy and contentment. But for all the physical and navigational challenges of her journey, the other side of her story reveals a more important change - an inner journey - that took place along the way.

"What constructs in your life must you unlearn to support inclusivity and respect for all?" This is a question that artist, actor, and activist Chella Man wrestles with in this powerful and honest essay. A story of coping and resilience, Chella journeys through his experiences as a deaf, transgender, genderqueer, Jewish person of color, and shows us that identity lies on a continuum - a beautiful, messy, and ever-evolving road of exploration.

Jerry Pinkney drew everywhere, all the time. It was how he made sense of the world—how he coped with the stress of being a sensitive child growing up in crowded spaces, struggling with a learning disability, in a time when the segregation of Black Americans was the norm. Only drawing could offer him a sense of calm, control, and confidence. When friends and siblings teased him about having the nickname “Jerry” as his only name, his mother always said, “Just ‘Jerry’ is enough.

The true story of one family's struggle and triumph creating a self-sufficient life in the wilderness. Join the Horn family on the adventure of a lifetime. Learn how a couple from the city moved to the wilderness with three small boys and carved out a life in the middle of nowhere that has endured for nearly 50 years. Impossible Beyond This Point is a compelling must-listen for anyone interested in (or contemplating) getting away from it all.

Author of the groundbreaking number-one New York Times bestseller This Town, Mark Leibovich returns with a masterly collection of portraits of Washington's elite, and wannabe elites. Hailed by The Washington Post as a "master of the political profile," Leibovich has spent his career writing memorable, buzz-worthy, and often jaw-dropping features about politicians and other notables.

Linda Richman, the mother-in-law of comedian Mike Myers - and the inspiration for some of his craziest sketches, offers the type of blunt, no-nonsense advice you probably haven't heard since that bold, brass, always reliable best friend of your youth gave you a breath-of-fresh-air reality check.

A poetic narrative organized by regret, Another Shot provides an insightful glimpse into the life and mind of regular guy Joe Kita. It's a tumultuous and sometimes uncomfortable journey. But Kita is hilarious, insightful, and - most of all - inspiring enough to make you ponder: Why not give it another shot?

After being thrown out from a moving car on a motorway and rescued from the dog pound by Brian Porter and his wife, Dexter had a happy life in their family of rescue dogs. On the June 8th, 2019, Dexter - a Labrador-Staffy Crossbreed - passed away after a year-long fight against illness. Part funny, part serious, and part tragic, this is the story of Dexter’s life.

You cannot undo this, one of the surgeons told me, you have to be sure. I was sure. My choices were frightening, grim, and daunting. I possess the rare breast cancer genetic mutation BRCA2 and I saw it as a death sentence. My choices were drastic, my actions were immediate. Complete hysterectomy followed by prophylactic double mastectomy with 2. I will never be the same. In so many ways. It was, and is, such a journey.

The Chronicles is a collection of articles, private writings, and journals that developed The Confidence Factor for Women in Leadership movement. All of the journals are impactful and value based to help women in leadership own their places in leadership. It is time to increase the value of women in leadership globally, and it starts with confidence. When women feel valued, they lead with confidence.

After Zaila Avant-garde became the first African American student to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021, she turned into an overnight sensation. People wanted to know who she was and how she'd achieved so much while so young. Zaila shares about her family, her accomplishments, her experience of being homeschooled, and so much more in order to motivate and uplift other kids who have small-, medium-, and even big-sized dreams.

Jason Capson has “lived a lot of life” for his age. Grow Through What You Go Through is the story of this incredible journey and lessons learned along the way. Listen to the powerful stories and learn the valuable lessons that will resonate with you for years to come. Learn how the choices we make can change our lives forever.

What can you do today to come more alive in all your tomorrows, no matter what? Have you ever felt that what you do is a reflection of what you’ve been taught and not a true reflection of who you are? Trek along with Tarek on his pilgrimage of physical and emotional endurance, of blistered feet and broken bikes, of the meeting of unlikely souls and the generosity of some inspiring people he met along the way.