Self Memoir

At seven years old, Lynnie Vessels stepped out of the bathtub to discover her father had just shot her mother with a shotgun across their dining room table. Literally standing naked in her mother's blood throughout the ensuing horror, she was magically transported into the loving eyes of her younger sister. Simultaneously, her older sister used words to convince her maniacal father to put down the gun. In those moments, the author came to understand the miraculous power of eye contact and words.

One of the most respected and successful athletes ever to grace a major-league pitcher's mound, Orel Hershiser had an approach to the game that put him in a class by himself. Now that he's retired, this Cy Young Award winner, MVP of division- and World Series-winning teams, and Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year" looks back on the people, events, and decisions that most affected his life, on the field and off.

A remarkable teenager who went from public assistance to a million dollar net worth shares his story and offers nine key principles to success. Farrah Gray is no ordinary teenager. He wears a suit and tie; he has an office on Wall Street and another one in Los Angeles...and he sold his first business at the age of 14 for more than a million dollars.

One woman's quest to conquer her fears and embrace life - and to inspire others to do the same. Patty Chang Anker grew up eager to please and afraid to fail. But after thirty-nine years, she decided it was time to stop being a chicken. Motivated initially to become a better role model for her two young daughters, she vowed to face the fears that had taken root like weeds, choking the fun and spontaneity out of her life. She learned to dive into a swimming pool, ride a bike, do a handstand, and surf.

Everybody knows that Boston Terriers smile, but do you know why they are smiling? The forever families of adopted Boston Terriers who shared their fascinating stories in this book know why, and they want you to know too! What is dog rescue? This book is a heartwarming, thought-provoking compilation of true stories that answer these questions and more! It addresses the cruelty of puppy mills and the joy that rescued dogs bring to their new homes. This book is a must-read for Boston Terrier lovers and for people who are considering adopting dogs.

I'm Listening with a Broken Ear is a true story about a dying dog, Honeybun, the author found on a roadside and grudgingly rescued. A concomitant story of faith, persistence, and love unfolds as both she and her young daughter struggled to help Honeybun overcome severe issues of compromised health, aggression, and fear.

Topgun on Wall Street chronicles one man’s extraordinary journey from the cornfields of Ohio, to the cockpit of an F-14, to the boardrooms on Wall Street. Lieutenant Commander Jeffery Lay and number-one New York Times best-selling author Patrick Robinson bring a provocative, ground-breaking voice to the business landscape with a revolutionary answer for stabilizing corporate America: business - the military way.

Lately I’ve come to the realization that life can be quite tricky. But paired with this realization, is the overwhelming feeling that there is probably something bigger to it all. Almost as if we’re missing the whole point. For a while, I questioned many things. One can even say that I got sidetracked in these same things. But throughout these moments in life, my sense of awe and thirst for wisdom never once left me - if anything it grew.

La vida de Rosie Mercado ha sido todo menos fácil: ¿cómo es posible que haya tenido tres relaciones fallidas y dado a luz a tres hijos a solas? ¿Qué había hecho ella para merecerlo? En su peor momento, llegó a pesar más de ciento ochenta kilos tras toda una vida con baja autoestima y de comer emocionalmente. Pero Rosie decidió cambiarla por completo y dejar de ser la víctima. Ideó un plan, aceptó sus «defectos», y descubrió el tipo de amor más importante y esencial: el amor propio.

Everybody wants it, but few know how to get it. Put an end to fear and self-doubt and gain all the self-confidence you need to live life the way you want to! Ever wonder why life doesn’t seem to work out for you? Are people always telling you that you will never amount to much? Do you want lasting happiness and to be able to reach all of your goals? Unshakable Self-Confidence will teach you everything you need to know, once and for all, about how to get an unlimited supply of the self-confidence you need to be happy and reach all of your goals and dreams.

Miracles can and do happen—when one does the footwork. Dr. Walter Turnbull dreamed of creating opportunities and better lives for the children of Harlem, and Lift Every Voice is the inspirational story of how he realized his dream. Dr. Turnbull shares the hard-bought wisdom he learned throughout his life—from his impoverished childhood in backwoods Mississippi to his experiences as founder and director of the Grammy Award-winning Boys Choir of Harlem. Turnbull shares insights on how to teach children that with hard work, discipline, and self-respect they can attain their highest goals.

Women don't take up triathlon in their 40s, right? Wrong! That was exactly what 41-year-old Debs did. Not caring that she was more than a bit on the heavy side, and diabetic to boot, she signed up for her first triathlon.

I have learned over time to embrace the Sunshine-ness that is my name. Yes, I may not always be joyful or exuberant all the time, but I have learned that if I rely on my friends, my family, and my faith, I can conquer each day head-on and live every moment with an expectation of goodness.

A motivational, autobiographical, nonfiction short story of taking chances and moving onto a sailboat. This is our story.

The Second Half explores how the second half of life is experienced by women from many different cultures. From a French actress to a British novelist, from an Algerian nomad to a Saudi Arabian doctor, and an American politician, Ellen Warner traveled all over the world to interview women about their lives. She asked them what they learned in the first half that was helpful in the second, and what advice they would give to younger women. Their revealing and inspiring stories are enlightening for all listeners.

In the 1990s, Steve Farrell cofounded and led two high-growth technology companies based in Silicon Valley that were featured in the INC500 and spanned the United States and Europe. A New Universal Dream is the inspiring story of Steve's journey from the pursuit of wealth and traditional ideas of success toward a more fulfilling life of caring and service to others and to humanity. It's also the story of the potential each of us has for profound change.

Overcome your past, improve your present, and believe in your future. What if you can overcome painful circumstances? Imagine finding inspiration and hope through difficulties! Spanning three generations, author Susan Nicholson has written an honest account of her life which is both compelling in its authenticity and deeply moving in the sheer amount of challenges she has faced.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most important leaders of the movement to gain American women the vote. But, as Vivian Gornick argues in this passionate, vivid biographical essay, Stanton is also the greatest feminist thinker of the 19th century. Endowed with a philosophical cast of mind large enough to grasp the immensity that women's rights addressed, Stanton developed a devotion to equality uniquely American in character. Her writing and life make clear why feminism as a liberation movement has flourished here as nowhere else in the world.

Fulfilling the Dream: My Path to Leadership and Finding Purpose in Serving Others is an honest, eye-opening, and inspiring book about setting aside personal ego and ignoring racial and political bias to bless and benefit others. Wayman Britt's story is a tale of believing one's dreams, realizing them, and then dedicating his life to helping others imagine and achieve better lives.

Chronicle of a Spiritual Journey recounts personal stories that seem like random worldly occurrences. Yet, upon closer scrutiny, each story reveals a parallel spiritual relevance as well. The stories range from eating breakfast with Superman at an airport to loading iron pellets into the Edmund Fitzgerald. Entertaining and engaging, Chronicle of a Spiritual Journey tells the spiritual tales of one man’s life, but it’s more about the collective spiritual journey of us all.